Google is obsessed with AI. It’s everywhere. You search for "how to bake a potato" and instead of a list of websites, you get a giant, colorful box telling you to poke holes in it. This is Google AI Overviews, and honestly, it’s driving a lot of people totally nuts. Maybe you just want the link to your favorite food blog. Maybe you don’t trust a machine to tell you how to fix a plumbing leak. Whatever the reason, you want to know how to stop Google Gemini from taking over your search results, and the truth is, Google hasn't made it very easy.
They want you to use it. They really want you to use it. But you don't have to.
The reality of search in 2026 is that the "ten blue links" we grew up with are being buried under layers of generative filler. It’s a massive shift in how the internet functions. When Google first rolled out Search Generative Experience (SGE), it was an opt-in experiment in Search Labs. Now? It’s the default for millions of users worldwide, whether they asked for it or not. If you feel like your screen is cluttered and your data is being chewed up by AI summaries you didn't request, you’re definitely not alone in that frustration.
The Web Filter Trick (The Only Real Fix)
Right now, Google does not provide a single "Off" switch in your settings. It’s annoying. You can dig through your Google Account settings for an hour and you won’t find a toggle that says "Disable AI." That’s because Google considers this the "evolution" of search.
However, there is a way to bypass it every single time you search.
When you perform a search on mobile or desktop, look at the menu bar right below the search box—the one that usually says "Images," "Videos," or "News." You might have to click "More," but what you are looking for is the Web filter.
Clicking "Web" instantly strips away the AI Overviews, the "People Also Ask" boxes, the sponsored shopping carousels, and the Gemini summaries. It returns you to a pure list of classic web links. It’s the closest thing we have to a time machine. The catch is that you have to click it every single time, which is a bit of a pain.
Making "Web" Your Default Search
If you’re on a desktop using Chrome, you can actually force Google to always use this "Web" view. It takes about two minutes of technical tinkering, but it’s worth it.
Go to your Chrome settings. Click on "Search engine" and then "Manage search engines and site search." You’re going to add a "Site search" shortcut. Name it something like "Google (Web)" and for the URL, paste this: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14.
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That &udm=14 part at the end is the magic code. It tells Google’s servers to serve you the "Web" tab results immediately. Once you save this, you can set it as your default. Now, whenever you type a query into your address bar, Gemini is nowhere to be found.
Turning Off Gemini on Your Phone
On Android, the integration is even deeper. Gemini isn't just a search feature; it’s trying to replace the Google Assistant. If you find yourself accidentally triggering the AI when you just wanted to set a timer or check the weather, you can revert to the "Legacy" assistant.
Open the Gemini app. Tap your profile picture in the top right. Head into Settings and look for "Digital Assistants from Google." You can toggle back to "Google Assistant" here.
It feels like a small win.
iOS users have it a bit easier because Gemini is contained mostly within the Google app or the browser. If you use Safari, the "Web" filter trick mentioned above is your best friend. If you use the Google app on an iPhone, you can sometimes find a "Search Labs" icon (the little beaker) in the top left corner. If you’re lucky, you can toggle off certain AI experiments there, though Google has been moving most "matured" AI features out of Labs and into the permanent UI.
Why Does Google Make This So Hard?
It’s all about the "Zero-Click Search."
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Google wants to keep you on their page. If they answer your question using an AI summary, you don’t click away to a different website. That means you stay in their ecosystem longer, seeing more ads and providing more data. For creators and publishers, this is a nightmare. For users, it’s a mixed bag.
Research from SEO experts like Lily Ray has shown that AI Overviews often pull information from the very sites they are burying. It’s a parasitic relationship in some ways. By learning how to stop Google Gemini from taking over your search results, you aren't just cleaning up your screen; you're actually supporting the open web by visiting the original sources of information.
The Problem with "Hallucinations"
We’ve all seen the screenshots. Gemini telling people to put glue on pizza or eat rocks. While Google has gotten better at filtering out the truly dangerous "hallucinations," the risk remains. AI doesn't know things; it predicts the next word in a sentence based on probability.
If you are searching for medical advice or financial tips, a "hallucinating" AI is more than just an eyesore—it’s a liability. This is why many power users are flocking to alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo or Kagi. These platforms either don't use AI summaries or make them strictly opt-in.
Browser Extensions to the Rescue
If the manual URL trick feels too techy, the developer community has already built "cleaner" extensions. Look for things like "Bye Bye Google AI" or "Hide Google AI Overviews" in the Chrome Web Store.
These extensions work by identifying the CSS code (the stuff that makes the website look a certain way) for the AI box and simply telling your browser not to display it. It’s like wearing digital sunglasses that filter out a specific color.
- uBlock Origin: If you already use this (and you should), you can add custom filters to block the div classes associated with Gemini.
- Mobile Browsers: Browsers like Brave often have built-in toggles to disable "AI snippets" in their settings menus.
What to Do Next
If you want your old Google back, start by using the Web filter for a day. Notice how much faster the page loads. Notice how you actually find the specific blog or forum you were looking for without scrolling past a paragraph of AI-generated fluff.
If you like the change, take the five minutes to set up the udm=14 custom search engine in your browser settings. It is currently the most robust way to ensure your searches remain human-centric.
The internet is changing fast. While AI has its uses—like summarizing a long PDF or helping you brainstorm a gift idea—it shouldn't be forced into your basic navigation of the world's information. Taking control of your search UI is a simple way to reclaim your digital experience.
Keep an eye on your Search Labs settings every few months. Google frequently shifts these toggles around as they update their algorithms. What works today might require a slightly different URL parameter in six months, but the "Web" tab remains a core part of their infrastructure for accessibility reasons, making it the most reliable "escape hatch" for the foreseeable future.