How do I turn off the AI Overview feature in Google search?

General
1

I recently noticed that Google search is showing an AI Overview box at the top of my results, and it’s pushing down the normal web links I actually want to see. I’ve looked through my Google settings and browser options but can’t find any clear way to disable or hide this AI Overview. Is there any official setting, workaround, extension, or browser tweak that will let me turn off or at least minimize AI Overview in Google search results?

2

You are not missing a secret toggle. Google does not give a normal “off” switch for AI Overviews right now.

You have a few workarounds:

  1. Use “web” only mode
    • On desktop, after you search, click the “More” tabs under the search bar, then pick “Web”.
    • On mobile, swipe the top tabs, pick “Web”.
    • That view removes AI Overview and shows classic blue links.
    • Annoying part, you need to pick it often. It does not always stick.

  2. Use a direct URL for web only
    • Go to:
    Google Search
    • Replace “your+query+here” with what you want.
    • Some people set a custom search engine in the browser with udm=14 so every search is “Web” mode.
    • Example for Chrome custom search engine:

    • Name: Google Web
    • Shortcut: gw
    • URL: https://www.google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s
      • Then type “gw something I want” in the address bar.

  3. Use another region or language
    • Some regions show fewer AI Overviews.
    • Try https://www.google.co.uk or another country domain.
    • In Search settings, set language to English (UK) or something else and see if it helps.
    • This is hit or miss and might change any time.

  4. Use a different search engine
    • If you want pure links, try:

    • Kagi (paid, heavy on no-AI options)
    • DuckDuckGo
    • Brave Search
    • Startpage (proxy for Google, sometimes fewer experiments)
      • You can still keep Google for maps, Gmail, etc.

  5. Browser extensions
    • There are extensions like “Hide Google AI Overviews” or “Bye Bye Google AI” in Chrome Web Store.
    • They usually add CSS to hide the AI box.
    • Downsides, they break if Google changes layout. Need updates.
    • If you use Firefox, search their add-ons store for similar tools.

  6. Incognito or logged-out tests
    • Some AI tests tie to your account or history.
    • Try logged out or in incognito.
    • If you see fewer AI Overviews there, you know Google flags your account as “ok with AI stuff”.
    • You can then try turning off “Search Labs” items:

    • On google.com, tap the beaker icon labeled “Labs” if you see it.
    • Disable “AI Overviews” or anything AI related there.
    • Not everyone gets that option.

Short version if you want minimum hassle:
• Use udm=14 for pure web results.
• Or switch to a different engine as your default and keep Google as backup.

You are not overlooking a big settings switch. Google wants this on by default, so for now it is workarounds or alternatives.

3

Yeah, there’s no big red “OFF” button for AI Overviews, you’re not missing anything. Google really wants that thing in your face.

Since @chasseurdetoiles already covered the “web” tab and udm=14 tricks, here are some different angles you can try:

  1. Attack it with user scripts instead of extensions
    If you don’t love installing random Chrome extensions, you can use a userscript manager like Tampermonkey / Violentmonkey and add a tiny script that hides the AI box with CSS/DOM removal. Something like:

    // ==UserScript==
// @match        https://www.google.com/search*
// ==/UserScript==
(function() {
  const kill = () => {
    document
      .querySelectorAll('[data-hveid][data-ved] div:has(> div[data-attrid*='ai_overview'])')
      .forEach(el => el.remove());
    document
      .querySelectorAll('div:has(> span:contains('AI Overview'))')
      .forEach(el => el.remove());
  };
  new MutationObserver(kill).observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
  kill();
})();

    It’s hacky, but at least you control it. When Google changes the layout, you tweak the selector and move on.

  2. Go nuclear on personalization
    AI stuff often rides along with “personalized” features. Try this:

    • Head to https://myactivity.google.com/product/search
    • Turn off Web & App Activity for Search if you can live without it
    • Clear recent search activity
      It won’t magically nuke AI Overviews, but it can sometimes reduce the more “experimental” junk tied to your profile. Slight disagreement with the idea that incognito is enough; for many users, the account flags matter more than the cookie state.

  3. Hardcore search param presets via browser config
    Instead of just adding udm=14, you can build a more locked‑down default:

    • In Firefox about:config, set keyword.URL or use a custom search with extra params like &hl=en&num=20&pws=0&udm=14
    • In Chromium based browsers, same idea via custom search engine but with multiple parameters.
      The point is to make your address bar always “Google Classic” so you rarely even see the AI version unless you manually go to google.com first.

  4. Use site‑restricted searches for “serious” queries
    For stuff where AI answers are especially annoying or wrong, you can force very specific searches that seem to trigger AI less:

    • Use site: filters like site:.gov, site:.edu, site:stackoverflow.com
    • Combine with quotes or advanced operators (inurl:, filetype:)
      Those queries tend to be “niche” enough that Google sometimes calms down with the AI layer and shows more old‑school results. Not a guarantee, but it helps.

  5. Ditch the main search box and use bookmarks or keyword searches
    Instead of typing in the omnibox and letting Google do whatever, make bookmark/keyword searches for specific “modes” of search:

    • One for normal Google (when you actually want the AI junk, rarely)
    • One for “classic” Google with all the params and no AI if possible
    • One for a competitor like DuckDuckGo / Brave / Kagi for everything else
      Then it’s literally a muscle memory thing: type your keyword, space, query. You’re training yourself around the problem since Google won’t give you the choice.

  6. Mobile browser tricks
    On mobile, the AI Overview is even more obnoxious since it takes the whole screen. A couple of ugly but practical hacks:

    • Use a browser that supports content blockers / custom filters (Firefox Android, Kiwi, etc.) and add a filter rule that hides the AI container
    • Set a home shortcut on your phone to https://www.google.com/search?udm=14&q= so you always start from “web only” mode instead of the main Google homepage

Bottom line: you’re not going to truly disable AI Overviews in any official, stable way. Everything right now is basically:

  • Trick the URL
  • Strip or hide the element in the page
  • Or reduce how much you rely on Google search in the first place

Annoying, but that’s where they’ve pushed everyone.

4

Short version: you cannot truly “turn off” AI Overview, only avoid or hide it, and even that is fragile.

Here are some angles that don’t repeat @chasseurdetoiles’ URL tricks or userscript/extension ideas:

1. Use a different Google front end (or metasearch)

If you still want Google results but not Google’s UI, third‑party front ends and metasearch engines help:

  • Some privacy search engines proxy Google results and present them in a stripped layout that currently avoids AI Overview.
  • Others mix Google, Bing, and their own index but let you disable any “AI answers” entirely in settings.

Pros:

  • You keep the relevance of Google‑style results.
  • Often cleaner UI, fewer distractions, and sometimes built‑in ad / tracker blocking.

Cons:

  • You are trusting another service as a middleman.
  • These front ends sometimes break when Google changes things.
  • Features like account‑based personalization and history usually disappear.

This is the closest thing to an “OFF” button you get without modifying pages yourself.

2. Switch your default for serious searches, keep Google as backup

Instead of trying to decontaminate Google, flip the mental model:

  • Make a non‑AI‑heavy engine your default (DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, Kagi, etc.).
  • Use Google only when the others fail, via a bookmark or a custom keyword.

That way the AI Overview problem becomes occasional instead of constant.

Pros:

  • No hacks needed; just a habit change.
  • You reduce how often you even see AI Overview.

Cons:

  • Some niche or local queries can still be weaker elsewhere.
  • You may find yourself jumping back to Google for very specific stuff.

3. Abuse vertical search where Google is more “classic”

AI Overview shows up less in some verticals. A few patterns:

  • Image search then “View page” can land you on sites you want without touching the AI box.
  • News search for time‑sensitive queries often keeps the old‑school list of articles.
  • Maps for local stuff (restaurants, stores) instead of generic web search.

Is it pretty? No. Does it sometimes keep the AI pane out of your face? Yes.

Pros:

  • Uses built‑in Google features, no hacks or tools.
  • Often gives more structured and reliable info for news/local topics.

Cons:

  • Extra clicks.
  • Not practical for general research queries.

4. De‑Google your browser chrome a bit

Small changes in how you search can reduce AI exposure:

  • Use your browser’s address bar search suggestions less and start queries from a blank tab that is set to another engine.
  • Remove direct Google search from your start page and replace it with a minimal search box from a different provider.
  • For work machines, configure a different default at the OS or browser policy level so you do not fall back to Google by muscle memory.

This is similar to what @chasseurdetoiles suggested about multiple “modes,” but with a stronger push to make Google the exception, not the rule.

Pros:

  • Once set up, it becomes automatic.
  • No scripts, no tweaking when Google changes HTML.

Cons:

  • If you like Google’s ranking a lot, it feels like a downgrade at first.
  • Does not help on mobile apps where Chrome/Google are tightly integrated.

5. Accept partial AI exposure but use query shaping

You can sometimes avoid AI Overview by making your searches look less like “general advice” and more like targeted research:

  • Use exact phrases with quotes.
  • Add specific operators like site:, filetype:, inurl:, etc.
  • Search for error messages, code, or technical strings as‑is.

I partly disagree with the idea that you can train Google entirely with this. It works sometimes, but AI Overviews still show up on plenty of technical and operator‑heavy queries. Consider it a mild nudge, not a solution.

Pros:

  • No setup required; just change how you type.
  • Often surfaces higher quality “old web” pages.

Cons:

  • Learning curve for advanced operators.
  • AI Overviews still appear on many broad or popular topics.

6. Think in terms of “time cost” instead of features

The real issue is how many seconds you lose fighting the UI before getting to real links. Evaluate options by that metric:

  • If AI Overview makes you scroll and second‑guess the top answer, your “time cost” is high.
  • If switching to another engine gets you decent results with less friction, that wins even if the ranking is not “perfect.”

A lot of people cling to Google because it used to be clearly better. Today the gap is small enough that shaving off the AI clutter often matters more than squeezing out 5 percent better relevance.

Mini take on the “product” angle: Google Search with AI Overview

Since you mentioned it as a kind of product, here is a quick pros/cons view of “Google Search with AI Overview” itself:

Pros:

  • Can summarize broad, non‑specialist topics in one view.
  • Good for very simple factual queries where you do not care about sources.
  • Integrates with the rest of your Google ecosystem (account, history, devices).

Cons:

  • Pushes organic links down, which is exactly what bothers you.
  • Accuracy is inconsistent; hallucinations or oversimplifications happen.
  • No reliable, official way to disable it globally.
  • Layout changes routinely, which breaks any attempt to “fix” it on your side.

@chasseurdetoiles covered a lot of clever hacks for making “classic” Google more accessible. Personally, I’d combine a couple of their tricks with a mindset shift: treat Google with AI Overview as a sometimes‑useful but noisy product, not as your default. The less you depend on it, the less its lack of an OFF switch matters.