What you’ll be able to do

Right, so someone handed you a phone (your mum’s, your dad’s, or your own if we’re honest) and every app on it seems to have grown an AI opinion. Search results come with a summary nobody asked for. WhatsApp has a chatbot living in it. The lock screen wants to brief you on your day like a personal assistant from a film. None of it was requested. You just want it gone, or at least quiet.

By the end of this you’ll know how to get Google results without the AI summary on top, how to quieten Meta AI in WhatsApp and Messenger and clear what you’ve already sent it, how to get AI widgets off a Samsung lock screen, how to stop Gemini jumping up when you hold the power button, how to switch off the AI bits of an iPhone, and how to turn off Copilot in Word before it starts suggesting things.

You’ll also know, honestly, which bits cannot be removed. There are more of those than you’d hope, and “just because” isn’t a good enough answer, so I’ll say where the company itself says so.

Before you start

Here’s the thing nobody tells you upfront: most of these features aren’t extras you can unclip. They’re stitched into the product now. So it helps to know which camp each one is in before you go hunting.

The ones you can’t fully remove:

  • Google AI Overviews. Google’s own help page calls them “a core Google Search feature” and says “features cannot be turned off”. That’s their wording, not mine.
  • Meta AI. None of Meta’s help pages for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook or Messenger offers a switch to remove it. You can delete chats, mute it and keep it out of specific conversations, and that’s it.
  • Copilot in the phone and web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Microsoft says plainly that you can’t turn it off there. You can on Windows and Mac.
  • AI Pins on Pinterest. You can ask to see fewer of them in certain categories. You can’t ask for none.

“Cannot be turned off” and “cannot be avoided” are different things, though. You can filter, mute, hide and limit what these features learn from you, even where you can’t delete them. That’s most of what’s coming.

Menus change between phone makers, app versions, and personal versus work accounts. If your screen doesn’t match the steps here exactly, that’s probably why, not because you’ve done anything wrong. And if it’s a work or school phone or account, an administrator may have decided some of this for you.

Get set up

Google Search. After you search, pick the Web filter from the row of tabs under the search box. Google says it shows only text-based links without features like AI Overviews. Picking it every time gets old fast, so on a computer you can make it the default in Chrome. Chrome lets you add your own search engine using the address of a results page with your search words swapped for %s:

  1. Search for anything on Google, pick Web, and copy the whole address from the address bar.
  2. In Chrome, go to Settings, then Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search.
  3. Next to Site search, choose Add. Give it a name and a shortcut, and paste the address into the URL field, replacing your search words with %s.
  4. Next to your new entry, choose More, then Make default.

Google doesn’t document the Web filter’s address, so if this stops working one day, go back to clicking Web.

AI Mode is its own tab. You don’t have to click it, and Google’s help doesn’t describe an off switch for it. The “AI in Search” toggle in Search Labs only stops experiments reaching you. It doesn’t remove AI Overviews. If you don’t want your future signed-in searches saved to your account and used to improve Search’s AI models, turn off Web & App Activity in My Activity. Google notes it may still use aggregated, anonymised search data.

While you’re in Chrome on a computer: if Gemini sits at the top of your browser, go to Settings, then AI innovations, then Gemini in Chrome, and turn off “Show Gemini at the top of the browser”. Or right-click the top of the browser and choose Unpin Gemini.

Or search somewhere else. DuckDuckGo has a proper no-AI version at noai.duckduckgo.com. It switches off Search Assist and Duck.ai and filters AI-generated images out of image results. DuckDuckGo also makes No-AI extensions for Chrome and Firefox that set it as your default search. On normal DuckDuckGo, go to Search Settings, then AI Features, and set Search Assist to Never.

Meta AI in WhatsApp. WhatsApp calls Meta AI “an optional service”, but there’s no removal switch. What you can do:

  • Delete chats with Meta AI: open the Meta AI chat, press and hold a chat, and delete it. WhatsApp says a deleted chat can’t be restored.
  • Type /reset-ai in a Meta AI chat to delete Meta AI’s copy of that chat, or /reset-all-ais to reset every chat you’ve had with it, individual and group.
  • Turn on Advanced chat privacy for a chat (tap the contact or group name to find it). With it on, nobody in that chat can ask Meta AI to answer questions, make images or write summaries there. In a one-to-one chat either person can switch it on; in a group, admins do.

WhatsApp also says Meta can only read messages that mention @Meta AI or that people choose to share with it.

Meta AI in Messenger. Open the chat, then Mute notifications, and pick how long. That stops it pinging you. It doesn’t remove it.

Samsung Galaxy. Go to Settings, then Galaxy AI. On some models you need Advanced features first. You’ll see a list of every AI feature on the phone; tap each one and turn off the ones you don’t want. Some live in the apps themselves instead, in the settings of the Phone, Notes, Camera, Gallery or Samsung Messages apps. In the same Galaxy AI screen there’s a switch called “Process data only on device”, which Samsung describes as the master switch for turning off all cloud-based processing for Galaxy AI features.

For the lock screen: Settings, then Lock screen and AOD, then Now bar, and turn off Now brief. Or press and hold the Now bar itself, which lets you remove it or change its settings.

Android with Gemini. There isn’t one switch, there are several:

  • Power button: Settings, then System, then Gestures, then Press and hold power button, and choose a different action. Google says these steps vary by phone, so if you can’t find it, search Settings for “power”, “side button” or “gesture”.
  • “Hey Google”: in the Gemini app, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Talk to Gemini hands-free, and turn off Hey Google.
  • Lock screen: Gemini app, profile picture, Settings, Gemini on lock screen, then turn off Use Gemini without unlocking.
  • Go back to Google Assistant: Gemini app, profile picture, Switch to Google Assistant, then Switch.
  • No assistant at all: Settings, then Apps, then Default apps, then Digital assistant app, then Default digital assistant app, and choose None.

Worth knowing: deleting the Gemini app does not remove it as your default assistant. Change the setting, don’t just bin the app.

iPhone. On iOS 27, Apple lists a switch for each Apple Intelligence feature rather than one switch for the lot. In Settings:

  • Siri: tap Siri, then Turn Off Siri. If you still want Siri without the AI, tap Turn on Siri and pick Siri Classic.
  • Summaries: Apps, then Messages, turn off Summarize Messages. Apps, then Mail, turn off Summarize Message Previews. Notifications, then Summarize Notifications, turn it off.
  • Priority notifications: Notifications, then Prioritize Notifications, turn it off.

If it’s a parent’s phone and you want it to stay put, Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions, then Siri lets you block Siri, allow only Siri (Classic Version), or block specific Siri AI abilities like image creation. On iOS 26 the same area is called Intelligence & Siri, where you can block Writing Tools, image creation and third-party extensions like ChatGPT.

Microsoft 365 on a personal account. In Word, Excel or PowerPoint on Windows, go to File, then Options, then Copilot, and clear Enable Copilot. Then close and restart the app. On a Mac it’s the app menu, then Preferences, then Authoring and Proofing Tools, then Copilot. Microsoft says the checkbox only applies to that one app on that one device, so repeat it per app and per device. Removing the Copilot icon from the ribbon isn’t the same thing; Copilot is still reachable from other menus.

Outlook is different: there’s a Turn on Copilot toggle in Settings (new Outlook on Windows, and the web) or Quick Settings (Mac, iPhone, Android), and turning it off applies to that account on all your devices. It isn’t in classic Outlook on Windows yet. And the bit that’ll annoy you: Copilot can’t be turned off in the iPhone, Android or web versions of Word, Excel or PowerPoint.

Windows 11. To remove the Copilot app: Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps, search for Copilot, choose the three dots next to it, then Uninstall. If your keyboard has a Copilot key, Microsoft says a Windows 11 update adds a setting to remap it to Right Ctrl or the Context menu key, under Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Keyboard. If you don’t see it, the update hasn’t reached your PC yet.

Pinterest. Tap your profile picture, then your profile photo at the top left, then Refine your recommendations, and use the GenAI interests tab (on a computer it’s More options, then Refine your recommendations, then AI content) to see fewer AI Pins in certain categories. Pinterest says this works on desktop and Android, with iOS still to come. While you’re in settings, Privacy and data has a box called “Use your data to train Pinterest Canvas”, which is Pinterest’s image model. Untick it if you’d rather your Pins weren’t used for that.

Try it yourself

It’s a bit ironic, but an AI assistant is decent at the legwork here: finding where a setting lives on your exact phone. Three prompts, each doing a different job. Fill in your own details where marked.

This one gets you a checklist for your own phone:

My phone is a [make and model] on [iOS / One UI / Android version]. List every AI feature likely to be switched on and the exact Settings path to turn each off. If you are not sure a setting exists on my version, say "check" instead of guessing.

This one stops you switching off something you actually need. Crop the screenshot so it only shows the settings, no notifications:

Here is a screenshot of my Settings screen. Which of these switches are AI features, and which would stop something I need, like notifications or calls, if I turned them off?

And this one is for the “AI” label on your own photo:

Facebook put an AI label on a photo I took myself. I only edited it in [app] by [what you did]. Explain in plain English why it may have been labelled and what I can honestly do. Do not suggest ways to hide or strip the label.

That last one matters, so here’s what Meta says. It labels content when the file carries an industry-standard signal that it was made with AI, and photo editing tools that use AI even to change the size or colour of an image can add a signal. Content with a signal that says it was only modified with AI doesn’t get the label on the post itself; that information sits under Options on the post. Meta has used the name “AI info” for these labels and now calls them AI content labels. Meta requires you to label photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio that’s been digitally made or altered, and says it doesn’t require you to label images.

So the honest route: if the photo genuinely wasn’t made or changed by AI, post the original from your camera roll rather than the version that went through the AI tool. If you did use AI to change what’s in the picture, the label is right and it stays. Don’t go looking for ways to strip it. On Pinterest, if you think a label on one of your own Pins is wrong, Pinterest’s help says to contact its support team to appeal.

Check the result

Don’t just trust that a switch did what it said. Test it.

  • Search something on Google from your new default and check there’s no AI Overview above the links.
  • Press and hold the power button and see whether it does what you chose.
  • Say “Hey Google” near the phone. Nothing should happen if you turned it off.
  • Lock the phone and look at the screen. The Now bar or Now brief shouldn’t be sitting there.
  • Open Word on your computer. Microsoft says the Copilot icon on the ribbon is disabled once you’ve cleared the box.
  • On an iPhone, let a few notifications pile up and check they arrive as they are, not as a summary.

If any of these still show AI where you expected none, the setting didn’t take, or you switched off a neighbouring one.

If it doesn’t work

The setting isn’t where the steps say. Different phone maker, different version of Android or iOS, or a different app version. Search inside the Settings app for words like “AI”, “assistant”, “Gemini” or “Copilot” rather than hunting through menus. Microsoft says that if you can’t see the Enable Copilot box, update the app.

It came back. Big updates sometimes move or add these things, so it’s worth a quick recheck after any major update lands.

It’s a work or school account. A lot of these choices belong to an administrator, and no amount of tapping will override that. Microsoft’s switch instructions above are for personal Microsoft accounts.

The privacy gap. Switching a feature off doesn’t delete what you already sent it. If you’ve been chatting with Meta AI in WhatsApp, delete those chats or use /reset-all-ais. If you’re leaving Gemini for Google Assistant, Google says your Gemini Apps activity isn’t deleted automatically; you review and delete it yourself. And never paste a screenshot showing someone else’s messages into an AI assistant to get help, even innocently. Crop it or don’t send it.

It’s calls, not apps. If the AI you want gone is the robot voice ringing you, that’s a different fix. In the UK, the Telephone Preference Service at tpsonline.org.uk is the official, free do-not-call register for live sales and marketing calls; you can register a mobile by texting TPS and your email address to 85095. Automated calls that play a recorded marketing message are stricter: the ICO says a company can’t make one to you unless you’ve specifically agreed to that kind of call. TPS takes complaints and reports them to the ICO.

Questions people ask

Can you turn off Google AI Overviews completely?

No. Google's own help page calls them "a core Google Search feature" and says "features cannot be turned off". You can pick the Web filter after searching, which Google says shows only text-based links without features like AI Overviews.

How do I remove Meta AI from WhatsApp?

There's no removal switch, even though WhatsApp calls Meta AI "an optional service". You can delete the chats, type /reset-ai or /reset-all-ais to reset them, and turn on Advanced chat privacy so nobody in that chat can ask Meta AI questions, make images or write summaries there.

How do I stop Gemini opening when I hold the power button?

Go to Settings, then System, then Gestures, then Press and hold power button, and choose a different action. Google says these steps vary by phone, so search Settings for "power", "side button" or "gesture" if you can't find it.

Can I turn off Copilot in Word?

On Windows, go to File, then Options, then Copilot, and clear Enable Copilot, then restart the app. Microsoft says the checkbox only applies to that one app on that one device, and Copilot can't be turned off in the iPhone, Android or web versions of Word, Excel or PowerPoint.

Is it safe to send screenshots to an AI assistant for settings help?

Crop the screenshot so it only shows the settings, no notifications. Never paste a screenshot showing someone else's messages into an AI assistant to get help, even innocently. Crop it or don't send it.

Keep exploring

If you’d rather use Google’s AI on your own terms than hide it, “How to get AI to search Google for me” covers AI Mode and AI Overviews properly, including deleting your AI Mode history. “How to get AI to work on my phone” goes through what’s actually on your iPhone or Android, which helps you decide what’s worth keeping. If spam calls are the problem, “How to get AI to answer my phone” covers screening calls without picking up. And if you do want one assistant, just the one you chose, “How to get AI to help me choose an assistant” is the honest starting point.

Sources and review notes

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/14901683 https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/16011537 https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95426 https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/16283624 https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/ai-features/about-noaiduckduckgocom https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/ai-features/opting-out-of-ai https://faq.whatsapp.com/2257017191175152 https://faq.whatsapp.com/688464770796037 https://faq.whatsapp.com/715385484388016 https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/330627630326605 https://www.facebook.com/help/7434563519957988 https://transparency.meta.com/governance/tracking-impact/labeling-ai-content/ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10000753/ https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/how-to-use-the-now-bar-on-the-lock-screen-of-your-samsung-galaxy-device/ https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/16938321 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3fed3f2c3/ios https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3ff83f3b1/ios https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/privacy/turn-off-copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-copilot/getting-started-with-microsoft-copilot https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/accessibility/windows/copilot/understand-updates-to-the-copilot-key-on-windows-devices https://help.pinterest.com/en-gb/article/tune-your-home-feed https://help.pinterest.com/en-gb/article/manage-genai-settings https://help.pinterest.com/en-gb/article/gen-ai-labels https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guide-to-pecr/electronic-and-telephone-marketing/telephone-marketing/

Checked against each vendor’s live help page on 2026-09-26. Samsung’s Galaxy AI feature list and “Process data only on device” come from Samsung’s US support page; the UK Now bar steps come from Samsung UK. Menus vary by phone model and software version. Google does not document the address behind its Web filter, so the Chrome default-search trick may stop working without notice.

Review date: 2026-09-26