How to Turn Off AI Overviews in Google Search (2026 Update)

Google’s AI Overviews are the AI-written summaries that appear at the top of many search results. Some people find them handy. Others want plain links to real web pages, whether for research, fact-checking, or simply a faster way to reach the source.

Here is the direct answer: Google does not offer a global switch that turns off AI Overviews. They are a core part of Search. What you can do is use Google’s official Web filter, which shows text-based links without AI Overviews, or set up a few workarounds that make that view your default. This guide covers both, for desktop and mobile, and clearly marks which methods are official and which are not.

If you want background on what the feature does, see our explainer, The Google AI Overview Feature: All You Need to Know.

Can You Turn Off Google AI Overviews Completely?

No. Google treats AI Overviews as a standard Search feature, so there is no account-wide or browser-wide setting that disables them for every search. You can, however, switch to the Web filter on any results page to see classic text links without an AI summary, and you can use workarounds to make that happen automatically.

In short, you can hide AI Overviews, but you cannot disable the feature itself.

What you can control:

• Viewing results without AI Overviews through the Web filter
• Opting out of experimental AI features in Search Labs
• Making a Web-only search your browser default (unofficial, desktop-focused)

What you cannot control:

• A permanent, account-wide off switch for standard AI Overviews

How to Turn Off AI Overviews Using the Google Web Filter

This is the only method Google officially documents, so start here. It works without installing anything or changing any settings.

Steps on desktop

1. Open Google Search and enter your query.
2. Look at the filters below the search bar (All, Images, Videos, News, and so on).
3. Select Web. If you don’t see it, open the More menu and look there.
4. Browse the text-based results, which appear without an AI Overview.

Steps on Android and iPhone

The process is the same in a mobile browser such as Chrome or Safari, or in the Google app:

1. Search for your topic.
2. Scroll the row of filter tabs just under the search bar.
3. Tap Web, or check More if it isn’t visible.

Filter placement can differ depending on your screen size and the version of the interface, so the Web option may sit in a slightly different spot than shown here.

Important limitation: the Web filter applies to the current results page only. It is not a permanent, account-wide setting, so you will need to select it again on new searches unless you use the workaround in the next section.

Source: Google Search Help

How to Make Google Show Traditional Search Results by Default

If you don’t want to click Web on every search, you can add a custom search engine to your browser that always opens the Web view. This relies on a URL parameter, udm=14, that Google currently uses for the Web filter. It is not an officially supported setting, so treat it as a convenience that could change.

Set up a custom Google Web search in Chrome

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings.
2. Select Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search.
3. Under Site search, click Add.
4. Fill in the fields:

• Name: Google Web (or any label you like)
• Shortcut: a short keyword, such as web
• URL: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14

5. Click Add to save.
6. Find the new entry in the list, open its menu (three dots), and choose Make default.
7. Test it by typing a query in the address bar. You should land on Web results with no AI Overview.

Note: Browser menus, labels, and Google’s URL behavior can change. If the setup stops working, check Chrome’s current Search engine settings and Google’s Search Help.

Does the custom search method work on every browser?

Not identically. Desktop browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave generally let you add a custom search engine with a URL template, though the menus differ. Mobile browsers are more limited, and some don’t allow custom search engines at all. On a phone, the Web filter is the more reliable choice. Don’t assume this method works permanently or the same way on every device.

How to Turn Off AI in Google Search Labs

Google has used Search Labs to test experimental AI features. If you opted into any of them, you can opt out. Many older guides, including our 2024 version, presented a Labs toggle as the way to switch off AI Overviews. That is no longer accurate, so read the next subsection before relying on it.

Steps to disable the AI in Search experiment

1. Sign in to your Google Account.
2. Use a regular browser window (Incognito mode may hide the option).
3. Open the Labs menu in Search and select Manage.
4. Turn off the AI in Search experiment, if the option is available to you.

The exact name and location of this option may vary by account and region, and Google may retire experiments over time. Follow Google’s current instructions on its Search Help pages.

Why this does not remove every AI Overview

Search Labs controls experimental features. Standard AI Overviews are no longer an experiment; they are part of regular Search. Turning off a Labs experiment may remove opt-in features, but it will not stop AI Overviews from appearing on queries where Google decides to show them.

Other Ways to Hide AI Overviews in Google Search

The following methods are unofficial. They may work for some searches and fail for others, and they can stop working at any time.

Try the -ai search modifier

Some users report that adding -ai to the end of a query suppresses the AI Overview. For example:

best budget laptops 2026 -ai

The minus sign tells Google to exclude pages containing the term “ai,” so it can change your results, not just hide the summary. Results are inconsistent, and it can filter out useful pages that happen to mention AI. Use it as a quick trick, not a dependable fix.

Use a browser extension

Several browser extensions claim to hide AI-generated elements on Google results pages. Before installing one:

• Check permissions. An extension that can read every page you visit can see a lot. Prefer ones that request access to Google Search only.
• Read reviews and the developer’s history. Look for recent updates and a clear privacy policy.
• Confirm it still works. Google changes its page layout often, and extensions that rely on it can break.
• Remove what you don’t use. Fewer extensions means fewer risks.

Verify an extension’s current availability and behavior before you recommend or install it.

Consider an alternative search engine

Some search engines offer their own controls over AI-generated summaries, including options to reduce or hide them. If you are open to leaving Google, this is a way to get a more lasting result. Settings and features change frequently, so check each provider’s current options before choosing.

Editorial note: All of these are unofficial and might not work for every query.

Why Can’t You Disable Google AI Overviews?

Google positions AI Overviews as a built-in part of how Search answers questions, not an optional add-on. That is why controls exist for experimental features in Labs but not for the standard feature itself. The Web filter is Google’s alternative for people who want a text-only view: it changes what you see for the current search without removing AI Overviews from Search overall.

AI Overviews vs. Traditional Google Search Results

Feature	AI Overviews	Web filter
AI-generated summary	Displayed when eligible	Not displayed
Traditional text links	May appear alongside the overview	Primary focus
Best for	Quick summaries	Finding and evaluating source pages
Persistent account-wide disable switch	Not available	Not a permanent account setting

Web results don’t do the fact-checking for you. You still need to judge each source’s credibility yourself.

Final Thoughts

Google doesn’t let you switch off AI Overviews entirely, but you do have options. The easiest official method is the Web filter: one click gets you plain text links. If you want that to happen automatically on desktop, the custom search engine setup in Chrome is the most practical workaround. Treat Search Labs changes, the -ai trick, and extensions as optional extras, and remember that all unofficial methods can change when Google updates Search.

If you are learning how to turn off AI Overviews in Google Search for a specific reason, such as research accuracy or fewer distractions, start with the Web filter and test the rest from there.

FAQ