Google changed. One day you’re looking for a simple pasta recipe or the height of the Eiffel Tower, and suddenly, there’s this massive, pulsating block of AI-generated text eating up half your phone screen. It’s called AI Overviews. Most people just call it annoying. Honestly, it’s frustrating when you just want a blue link and instead you get a robot’s hallucination of a summary that might—or might not—be right.
If you want to know how to turn off Google AI results, you’ve probably realized by now that Google didn't make a "kill switch" for it. There’s no big, friendly toggle in your settings that says "No AI, please." That’s by design. Google wants this to be the future. But for those of us who prefer the old-school web, there are ways to bypass it, even if some of them feel a bit like using a backdoor.
Why Google Won't Just Let You Opt Out
The core issue is that AI Overviews (formerly known as SGE) are now baked into the core search experience. It isn't an "add-on" anymore. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, has been very clear during earnings calls that the company is "all in" on generative AI. They’ve spent billions. They aren't going to give you a simple button to hide their most expensive investment just because it's occasionally wrong about putting glue on pizza.
Remember that viral moment where the AI suggested using non-toxic glue to keep cheese on pizza? That came from a 13-year-old Reddit thread. That's the problem. The AI isn't "thinking"; it's predicting the next word based on data that includes jokes, sarcasm, and outdated forums. When you search for health advice or financial tips, having a "stochastic parrot" summarize the results can be genuinely risky.
The "Web" Tab: Your New Best Friend
If you’re looking for the most official, "built-in" way to dodge the AI, you have to look at the filter bar. You know where it says "Images," "Videos," and "News"? Sometimes you have to click "More," but there is a filter called Web.
This is the closest thing to a "classic mode" Google has ever released. When you click "Web," the AI Overviews disappear. The sponsored ads mostly stay, but those giant AI boxes and the "People Also Ask" blocks get stripped away. It's just... links. Like it’s 2010 again. It’s glorious, but the catch is that you have to click it every single time you search. It doesn't stick.
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How to Turn Off Google AI Results Permanently (The "Hack" Way)
Since Google won't give us a persistent setting, the tech community did what it does best: it found a workaround using browser settings. This works on Chrome, Edge, and any browser that lets you add a custom search engine.
Basically, you’re going to tell your browser to append a specific snippet of code to every search you perform. That code tells Google to automatically trigger that "Web" filter I mentioned earlier.
- Open your browser settings and find the section for Manage Search Engines.
- Click "Add" to create a new one.
- For the name, call it "Google (No AI)" or whatever you want.
- For the keyword, use something short like "https://www.google.com/search?q=google.com".
- For the URL string, paste this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
That udm=14 at the end is the "magic" part. It’s the URL parameter that forces Google into the Web-only view. Set this new engine as your "Default," and suddenly, every search you type into your address bar will bypass the AI Overview entirely. It’s a clean, text-heavy experience that feels significantly faster because your browser isn't waiting for a massive LLM to generate a response before the page finishes loading.
What About Mobile?
Mobile is trickier. If you’re on an iPhone or Android, you can’t easily change the search URL parameters in the official Google app. You're stuck with whatever they push to you. However, if you use the Firefox or Brave mobile browsers, you can set custom search engines just like on a desktop.
I’ve found that using the "Bye Bye Google AI" extension on mobile-friendly browsers that support extensions (like Kiwi Browser on Android) is a lifesaver. If you're an iPhone user, you might be better off switching your default search engine to DuckDuckGo in the Safari settings. DuckDuckGo has AI features too, but they are much less intrusive and much easier to ignore.
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The Extension Route: Let Developers Do the Work
If you don't want to mess with URL parameters, there are dozens of browser extensions popping up. "Hide Google AI Overviews" is a popular one on the Chrome Web Store.
These extensions work by using "CSS injection." Basically, the extension waits for the page to load, identifies the specific "div" (the box) that contains the AI overview, and tells the browser to make it invisible. It’s like digital white-out.
The downside? Google changes its code constantly. One day the extension works, the next day Google renames the AI container to something like div.Gb78xb, and the extension breaks. You end up in a cat-and-mouse game. If you go this route, pick an extension that is frequently updated and has a high rating.
Why You Might Actually Want to Keep It (Sometimes)
I know, I know. You're here to kill the AI. But in the interest of being fair, there are niche cases where the AI is actually... okay.
If you’re looking for a summary of a long, boring corporate announcement or trying to find out what size wrench you need for a 2014 Honda Civic oil plug, the AI is usually fine. It thrives on "settled facts." It fails miserably on subjective topics, breaking news, or anything involving nuanced "YMYL" (Your Money, Your Life) topics.
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If you keep the AI on, just remember the "Trust but Verify" rule. Or, more accurately, the "Distrust and Verify" rule. Never take the AI's word for medical dosages or legal advice. It is a language model, not a knowledge model. It knows what the answer should sound like, but it doesn't actually know if the answer is true.
Is This the End of Search as We Know It?
Many experts, including those from the Search Engine Journal and tech analysts like Ben Thompson, have noted that Google is in a "tight spot." They are terrified of being "disrupted" by OpenAI’s SearchGPT or Perplexity. This rush to put AI everywhere is a defensive move.
But it’s alienating the people who made Google successful in the first place: the power users. We want sources. We want to see the original article so we can judge the author's credibility. When Google hides the source behind a summary, it's basically saying, "Trust us, we read it for you." In an era of rampant misinformation, that's a big ask.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
If you've had enough, here is your immediate game plan. Don't wait for Google to "fix" it—they probably won't.
- Switch to the Web Tab: For an immediate, one-off fix, just hit that "Web" button at the top of your search results. It’s the cleanest Google has looked in a decade.
- The URL Hack: If you’re on a laptop, take the 30 seconds to add the
udm=14search engine. It is the most permanent and reliable way to get rid of the AI clutter. - Try Alternative Engines: It might be time to look at Perplexity (if you actually want AI that cites sources) or Kagi (a paid search engine that is incredibly high quality and AI-optional).
- Voice Your Feedback: Inside the AI Overview box, there are three dots. Click them and leave feedback. Google actually tracks "dislike" metrics. If enough people tell them the AI is degrading the experience, they may eventually make the "Web" filter a toggle in the main settings.
Reclaiming your search results is mostly about taking back control from the "defaults." Google sets the defaults to benefit their bottom line; you should set them to benefit your productivity. Whether it's through a custom URL or a different browser, you don't have to accept the AI-heavy version of the internet if it's getting in your way.