How Do You Turn Off AI Overviews in Google Search?

Can you turn off AI Overviews in Google Search?

AI Overviews in Google Search cannot be turned off with an account setting or a Search setting. Google’s own AI Overviews help page describes AI Overviews as “a core Google Search feature, like knowledge panels” and states that such features cannot be turned off. The same page points users to one alternative: the Web filter, which displays only text-based links without features like AI Overviews.

This matters because many older guides describe a Search Labs toggle that once controlled the experimental version of the feature. AI Overviews began rolling out to everyone in the US on May 14, 2024, and the feature has been part of standard Google Search since then. Google CEO Sundar Pichai told CNBC in May 2026 that AI Overviews had more than 2.5 billion monthly users, which is a clear signal that the company is not planning a simple off switch.

What are the ways to remove AI Overviews from your results?

There are 5 practical ways to remove AI Overviews from Google results. They are the Web filter, a udm=14 custom search engine, the “-ai” search modifier, a browser extension, and a different search engine with its AI features turned off. The table compares them using each vendor’s published documentation.

For most users, the udm=14 custom search engine is the best balance on a computer because it is permanent and does not need an extension. On a phone, the Web filter is the most reliable choice because mobile browsers limit which search addresses you can add.

How do you use the Web filter to hide AI Overviews?

To use the Web filter to hide AI Overviews, run a normal Google search and then switch the results to Web. Google describes the Web filter as a view that “displays only text-based links,” so the page returns a list of standard results without the AI summary at the top.

1. Search for anything on Google as you normally would.
2. Look at the row of filters under the search box, such as All, Images, Videos and News.
3. Select Web. If it is not visible, select More and then Web.
4. Repeat the step for each new search, because Google returns to the All view by default.

The Web filter has one important limitation: it lasts only for the current search, which is why many people move on to the permanent method in the next section.

How do you make Web results your default in Chrome?

To make Web results your default in Chrome on a computer, add a custom site search that points to Google with the udm=14 parameter and set it as the default. A URL parameter is the part of a web address after the question mark that tells a site which view to load. A Google search address containing udm=14 opens the Web filter directly, so every search from the address bar skips AI Overviews. Google’s Chrome help page on search engines documents the menus used below.

1. Open Chrome and select More (the three dots at the top right) > Settings.
2. Select Search engine on the left, then Manage search engines and site search.
3. Select Add to the right of “Site search.”
4. Enter a name, such as Google Web, in the Search engine field.
5. Enter a short shortcut, such as gw, in the Shortcut field.
6. Paste https://www.google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s into the URL field. Chrome replaces %s with your search terms.
7. Select Add to save it.
8. Select More to the right of the new entry, then select Make default.

This change affects only searches typed into the Chrome address bar. Searches started on the google.com home page, in the Google app, or from a link still open in the standard All view. Google’s help page also notes that custom site searches cannot be set as the default for Guest profiles in some countries, so use a regular Chrome profile.

Google does not publish udm=14 as a supported setting and can change it without notice. Delete the entry and return to the Web filter if searches stop opening in the Web view.

How do you set it up in Firefox, Edge and Safari?

Firefox supports the same udm=14 method through its search settings. Mozilla’s guide to custom search engines states that Firefox version 140 and later can add a custom search engine from a URL in Settings.

1. Open the Firefox menu and select Settings.
2. Select Search on the left.
3. Go down to Additional search engines and select Add search engine.
4. Enter a name, such as Google Web.
5. Paste https://www.google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s into the URL box.
6. Add an optional keyword, then select Add Engine.
7. Choose the new entry as the default search engine at the top of the same Search page.

Microsoft Edge handles this differently. Microsoft’s Edge support article explains that a search engine appears as an option after you search with it in the address bar, and you then choose it under Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Search and connected services > Address bar and search. Microsoft does not document adding a custom address with a parameter such as udm=14, so the Web filter is the documented option for Edge users.

Safari offers fewer options. Apple’s iPhone user guide explains that you choose a default under Settings > Search > Search Engine by selecting one of the engines listed there, and it does not describe adding a custom search address. That limit means the udm=14 method is not available in Safari.

How do you avoid AI Overviews on iPhone and Android?

To avoid AI Overviews on iPhone and Android, select the Web filter after each search. The Android version of Google’s help page repeats the same guidance as the desktop version: AI Overviews cannot be turned off, but the Web filter shows text-based links without them. The filter appears in the row of options under the search box, and on a small screen you may need to swipe along that row or open More to find it.

Custom search addresses are harder to set on phones. Google’s Chrome for Android instructions describe choosing from a list under Settings > Search engine, where recently visited search engines are added as options, and they do not describe a field for typing a custom address. Safari on iPhone has the same limitation described in the previous section.

Two mobile workarounds remain: the “-ai” modifier described next, and a search engine that lets you turn off its AI features.

Does adding “-ai” to a search remove AI Overviews?

Adding “-ai” to the end of a Google search removes AI Overviews from the results in many cases, according to a May 23, 2026 report from 9to5Google. Google has not documented this as a way to turn off AI Overviews, so the behavior can change without notice.

The side effect matters more than the convenience. Google’s search operators guide explains that a minus sign in front of a word leaves that word out of the search. A query ending in “-ai” therefore also filters out pages that contain the word “ai,” which can remove useful results when the topic involves artificial intelligence, Adobe Illustrator files, or anything else that uses those letters as a word. The “-ai” modifier works best as a quick fix for a single search, while the Web filter is the cleaner choice when accurate results matter.

Are browser extensions that hide AI Overviews safe?

Browser extensions that hide AI Overviews are safe only when the developer is trustworthy, because the extension must read and change the content of Google pages to hide the summary. Google’s Chrome Web Store help page states that some extensions need permission to read and change site data and advises users to approve only extensions they trust.

The risk comes from the permission itself. An extension that can change Google result pages can also see what you search for, and an extension sold to a new owner can receive an update that changes its behavior. TechJournal has reported on 737 fake Chrome VPN extensions that routed browser traffic through controlled proxies, which shows how a trusted-looking add-on can become a privacy problem.

The safer approach is to use the udm=14 method first, because it needs no extra software. If you do choose an extension, check its reviews and update history, and remove it under More > Extensions > Manage extensions if it starts requesting new permissions.

Can you use a search engine without AI summaries instead?

A different search engine is the most complete way to avoid AI summaries across every device, including phones. DuckDuckGo operates noai.duckduckgo.com, which its help pages describe as the same search with AI features such as Search Assist and Duck.ai turned off and AI-generated images filtered out by default.

The trade-off is that results come from another provider, so they will not always match Google’s ranking, local results or specialized features. For most users, a sensible setup is a udm=14 default on the computer and the Web filter on the phone, with an alternative engine reserved for anyone who wants AI summaries gone everywhere.

What do you lose when you hide AI Overviews?

Hiding AI Overviews through the Web filter also removes other rich result features, because Google describes the filter as showing only text-based links. The All view is still one tap away when you want those features back.

AI Overviews also remain the entry point to AI Mode, Google’s conversational search view, which Google’s help page explains you can reach by selecting “Show more” at the bottom of an overview. Readers who want to limit AI features beyond the browser can also follow TechJournal’s guide to removing AI features from Windows 11 and its explanation of how Google’s AI Mode uses Gmail and Photos. Anyone weighing newer AI-first browsers can read whether AI browsers are safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I permanently turn off AI Overviews in Google?

No, Google does not offer a setting that permanently turns off AI Overviews, because it treats them as a core Search feature. The closest permanent option is a custom search engine in Chrome or Firefox that uses the udm=14 web address to open the Web filter automatically.

What does udm=14 do in a Google search?

The udm=14 parameter opens Google’s Web filter, which shows text-based links without AI Overviews. Google does not document udm=14 as a supported setting, so the parameter could stop working if Google changes how its filters load.

Why did the Search Labs toggle for AI Overviews disappear?

The Search Labs toggle for AI Overviews disappeared because AI Overviews moved from an experiment into standard Google Search, starting with a US rollout on May 14, 2024. Search Labs now covers other experiments, so the Web filter is the option Google points to.

Does the Web filter work on phones?

Yes, the Web filter works on Android phones and iPhones after you run a Google search. The filter lasts for one search at a time, so select Web again for each new query.

Is it safe to use an extension to block AI Overviews?

Yes, an extension that blocks AI Overviews is safe when it comes from a trusted developer with a clear history of updates. The extension needs permission to read and change data on Google pages, so limit its site access and remove it if its permissions change.