Google's AI Overview now appears in roughly half of all searches, and if you've been searching for a way to make it disappear, you're not alone. In short: there is no official on/off switch for AI Overview, but you can remove it instantly by clicking the "Web" tab under the search bar, or permanently by adding &udm=14 to your search URL or setting it as your default search engine. Browser extensions and alternative search tools can automate this for every search. The rest of this guide walks through every method, ranked by how reliable and permanent it is, plus what's changing as Google merges AI Overview with AI Mode.
If Google search feels harder to use lately, that's not in your head. AI-generated summaries now sit above the traditional blue links on a huge share of queries, often pushing the actual source pages further down the page. Many people find these summaries inaccurate, outdated, or just unnecessary padding between them and the answer they wanted. This guide covers every practical way to get rid of AI Overview on desktop and mobile, ranked by reliability.
What Is Google AI Overview, and Why Do People Want to Remove It?
AI Overview is the AI-generated summary box that Google places at the top of a search results page, above the standard organic listings. It scans top-ranking pages, pulls out the key points, and writes a short synthesized answer with citation chips linking back to sources.
People want it gone for a few recurring reasons: it can be wrong or out of date, it takes up screen space that used to show several organic results, it slows down simple searches that don't need a summary, and it reduces the need to click through to the original source at all. For anyone who wants to compare sources themselves, or who simply prefers the classic list of links, AI Overview gets in the way more than it helps.
Quick Answer: The Fastest Way to Remove AI Overview Right Now
Click the "Web" tab in the row of filters under the search box (All, Images, News, Videos, and so on). It forces Google to show plain web results with no AI summary, no "People also ask" box, and no AI-generated panels. It's a one-time fix per search, but it works instantly with no setup.
For a fix that sticks across every search, skip ahead to the udm=14 method or the default search engine trick below.
Method 1: Use the "Web" Tab for Instant, One-Time Removal
The Web tab is the simplest option because it needs no extension, no account changes, and no technical setup.
- Run your search on Google as normal.
- Look at the filter row below the search bar (you may need to tap "More" on mobile to reveal it).
- Select Web.
- The AI Overview disappears, leaving the traditional ranked list of links.
The catch: this filter doesn't stay selected for your next search. You have to click it again every time, which makes it a good quick fix but a poor long-term solution if you search dozens of times a day.
Method 2: Add &udm=14 to the Search URL (Most Reliable Trick)
The udm=14 parameter tells Google's servers to return the plain "Web" version of results directly, without ever rendering AI Overview in the first place. Unlike the Web tab, this can be bookmarked, shared, or automated, which is why it has become the go-to workaround for people who search constantly throughout the day.
How to use it:
- After running a normal search, add
&udm=14to the end of the URL in your address bar and press Enter. - Or build the URL yourself:
https://www.google.com/search?q=your+search+here&udm=14
This parameter has worked consistently since it first appeared in 2024, and multiple current guides confirm it still functions as of mid-2026. It's the same underlying mechanism as the Web tab, just triggered through the URL instead of a click, so you can turn it into a bookmark, a browser shortcut, or a custom search engine (see Method 3) for a fix that requires zero manual steps per search.
Method 3: Set a Custom Default Search Engine in Chrome (Permanent Fix)
This is the closest thing to a genuine "off switch," because once it's set up, every new tab search skips AI Overview automatically.
- Open Chrome Settings, then go to Search engine → Manage search engines and site search.
- Next to Google, click the three-dot menu and select Edit, or add a new entry.
- Fill in the fields exactly like this:
- Name: Google Web
- Shortcut: @web
- URL:
{google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14
- Save it, then click the three-dot menu again and choose Make default.
From now on, typing a search into Chrome's address bar goes straight to the AI-free version of Google. This method works on Windows, macOS, and most Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, Opera) with the same steps.
Method 4: Install a Browser Extension to Auto-Hide AI Overview
If you don't want to touch browser settings, several extensions filter AI Overview out of the page automatically, without changing your default search engine.
These extensions typically work by detecting and removing the AI Overview module from the rendered page in real time. Many also let you optionally hide ads, "People also ask" boxes, or video carousels, which is useful if your goal is simply a cleaner results page rather than specifically targeting AI Overview.
Before installing one, check:
- Permissions requested. An extension that only needs to read and modify Google search pages shouldn't need access to all your browsing data, your clipboard, or other sites.
- Install count and reviews. Extensions with a long history and a large, active user base are generally safer bets than brand-new listings with few reviews.
- Update frequency. Google periodically tweaks how AI Overview renders, so an extension that hasn't been updated in months may quietly stop working.
Method 5: Try the "-ai" Search Modifier (Inconsistent, But Worth Trying)
Some users have found that appending -ai to the end of a search query, treated as a search operator, can suppress AI Overview for that specific query, similar to how a minus sign excludes a word from results.
For example, instead of searching "best restaurants Seattle," you'd search "best restaurants Seattle -ai." Results are mixed: Google decides whether to show AI Overview based on the query's complexity and its own confidence in giving a synthesized answer, and a search modifier doesn't override that decision every time. Treat this as a low-effort trick worth trying for a single search, not a dependable fix you can rely on.
Method 6: Switch to an AI-Overview-Free Search Engine
If none of the Google-based workarounds appeal to you, the most drastic option is to search somewhere else entirely. Search engines such as DuckDuckGo don't show Google's AI Overview at all, since it's a Google-specific feature tied to Google's own index and Gemini model. Some lightweight, community-built tools also exist purely to mirror classic Google-style results without any AI layer.
This is the only method on this list that removes AI Overview with zero ongoing effort, but it also means leaving Google's index, ranking signals, and personalization behind, which may or may not matter depending on how you use search day to day.
How to Remove AI Overview on Mobile (iPhone and Android)
Mobile has fewer options than desktop, since you can't install desktop-style Chrome extensions or edit search engine URL templates the same way in every mobile browser.
What works on mobile:
- The Web tab. In the Chrome app on Android or iOS, run your search, then scroll through the filter row (you may need to tap the row to reveal "Web" among All, Images, News, and Videos). Tap it for AI-free results on that search.
- The
udm=14URL trick. Manually adding&udm=14to the address bar works on mobile Chrome and Safari the same way it does on desktop, though you'll need to type it after each search unless you bookmark a pre-built URL. - A different search app. Setting a non-Google search engine as your phone's default (in Safari settings on iOS, or Chrome settings on Android) sidesteps AI Overview entirely.
There is currently no native, permanent toggle for AI Overview inside Google's mobile app settings, so mobile users are working with the same category of workaround as desktop users, just with fewer automation options.
Which Method Should You Use? A Quick Decision Table
| Your situation | Best method | Effort | Permanence |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off search, using desktop or mobile browser | Web tab | None | Per-search only |
| You search Google dozens of times a day | Custom default search engine (udm=14) |
One-time setup | Permanent until you change it back |
| You want a no-setup, always-on fix | Browser extension | Low (install once) | Permanent, but depends on the extension staying updated |
| You're privacy-conscious and want less Google personalization overall | Alternative search engine | Low | Permanent, but changes your whole search experience |
| You only need it gone for a handful of tricky queries | -ai search modifier |
None | Unreliable — works some of the time |
If you're not sure where to start: use the Web tab today, then set up the custom default search engine (Method 3) once you're confident you want it gone for good.
Why There's No Official "Turn Off" Button
Google treats AI Overview as a core part of the search product rather than an optional add-on, which is why there's no account-level setting to disable it. Every method above works around the feature rather than switching it off inside Google's own settings — that's unlikely to change soon, and it may become even less likely for a specific reason: as of May 2026, Google announced it is merging AI Overview and its separate AI Mode tab into a single AI search experience over the coming quarters. AI Mode is the fuller, chat-style search tab Google rolled out in 2025, built for multi-step, conversational queries, while AI Overview is the shorter summary embedded directly in standard results. As these two features blend together, expect AI-generated answers to become more embedded in Google Search overall, not less — which makes the workarounds in this guide more relevant over time, not less.
Is It Safe to Use These Extensions and Tricks?
The URL parameter and custom search engine methods are safe in the sense that they only change how your browser requests results from Google; they don't involve any third-party code running on the page. Browser extensions are a different story: because they need permission to read and modify the content of Google's search pages, a poorly vetted extension could technically see more of your browsing activity than you intend. Stick to well-reviewed, actively maintained extensions with a narrow permission scope, and you avoid most of the risk while still getting a fully automated, AI-free results page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of AI Overview on Google permanently?
Set a custom default search engine in your browser using the URL {google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14 (Chrome) or an equivalent, or install a well-reviewed browser extension built to filter AI Overview out. Both apply to every future search automatically, unlike the Web tab, which only works for one search at a time.
Is there an official Google setting to turn off AI Overview?
No. Google has not added an account-level toggle for AI Overview, and it treats the feature as part of core search rather than an optional extra. Every working method, including the Web tab and the udm=14 parameter, is a workaround rather than a built-in setting.
Does the udm=14 trick still work in 2026?
Yes. It's been functioning consistently since it first appeared in 2024, and current reporting confirms it still works reliably in 2026. It can stop working temporarily if Google changes its URL structure, so it's worth having a backup method like a browser extension.
Can I get rid of AI Overview on my phone?
Yes, though with fewer options than desktop. The Web tab works in the Chrome app on both Android and iOS, and manually adding &udm=14 to the address bar works in mobile Chrome and Safari. There's no native mobile toggle, so you're using the same category of workaround as on desktop.
Are AI Overview browser extensions safe to use?
Most are, as long as you check permissions, install count, reviews, and how recently the extension was updated before installing. Extensions that only need access to Google search pages are lower-risk than ones requesting broad browsing data access.
What is the difference between AI Overview and AI Mode?
AI Overview is the short AI-generated summary embedded at the top of standard Google search results. AI Mode is a separate, dedicated chat-style tab designed for longer, multi-step, conversational queries. Google announced in May 2026 that the two are being merged into one AI search experience over time.
Will Google ever add a real off switch for AI Overview?
There's no indication of one so far, and Google's move to merge AI Overview with AI Mode suggests AI-generated answers are becoming more central to search, not less. The workarounds in this guide are likely to remain the only options for the foreseeable future.
Bottom Line
Start with the Web tab for a quick, no-setup fix, then move to the udm=14 custom search engine trick the moment you're tired of clicking it every time. If you want something that runs on autopilot, pick a well-reviewed extension and check its permissions before installing.
Last updated: July 2026
