Want Less AI on Your Google Pixel Phone? Try This

Google Pixel Phones: How to Turn Off AI Features and Go Back to Basics

At the heart of Google’s Pixel phones is artificial intelligence. That’s how the tech giant is positioning them and likely will be for the foreseeable future, but it wasn’t always this way. Prior to the Pixel becoming “the AI phone” you see today, the phone lineup was essentially a clean version of stock Android that received timely updates and shipped with a ton of unique and smart features.

With Gemini touching nearly every facet of the Pixel phone these days, it’s hard to imagine if you can call it a Pixel without AI smarts. You can, however, turn off most AI features if you really want to. Doing so will mean losing some other features you may rely on, but it’s still an option if you’re willing to put in the effort.

Before jumping into Pixel-specific features, don’t miss how to disable AI in your Google account more broadly. For this article, I’m using a Pixel 10 Pro XL, which has more AI baked in than any previous generation, though some of these steps may apply to the Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 series of devices.

Uninstall or Disable AI-Driven Apps or Features

Disabling some of the AI settings may affect other parts of your phone, so take note of the features you turn off so you know to enable them again if your Pixel starts acting odd.

Journal
New for the Pixel 10 is the AI-centric Journal app. Though the app is an interesting idea, it’s one of the first expendable apps you can uninstall.

Screenshots
The Pixel 9 introduced a dedicated screenshots app that would process the content within them to make them easily searchable. You can choose to uninstall the app completely or head to the app settings and toggle the Search your screenshots with on-device AI to off. If you previously had this feature enabled, you’ll have the option to delete all of the AI summaries and metadata created from the previously processed screenshots.

Google Photos
AI is front and center in Google Photos, but you can reduce Gemini features in the app with a few taps.

• Tap your profile icon
• Photos settings
• Preferences
• Gemini features in Photos

From here, you can disable Gemini completely in Photos or turn off individual features, like Ask Photos, Gemini-powered memories and Help me title.

Disable the following apps:

• Pixel Studio
• AI-Core
• Private computer services
• Android System Intelligence

Messages
In messages, Google added a dedicated Gemini button that you can choose to remove if you don’t want to see it.

• Open Messages
• Tap your profile icon
• Tap Message settings
• Tap Gemini in Messages
• Toggle Show Gemini button to off

Phone App Settings
The Pixel phone app is loaded with AI features that are pretty nifty, but you can turn them off easily in the settings.

• Open the Phone app
• Tap the menu button at the top left
• Tap settings
• You can disable the AI features under the Call Assist section

Disable Circle To Search
Another feature you may or may not use is Circle to Search. It’s baked right into your Pixel, so here’s how to turn it off if you don’t use or want it.

• Go to Settings
• Tap Display & touch
• Tap Navigation Mode
• Toggle Circle to Search to off

Remove AI Mode from Google Search
The Pixel Launcher’s Google Search added an AI mode button to the static search bar on the home screen, but you can remove it if you want a cleaner look.

• Open the Google App
• Tap your profile icon
• Tap Settings
• Tap Customize Pixel Search Box
• Toggle AI Mode to off

Revert Back to Google Assistant
Gemini is the primary digital assistant on Pixel phones, so if you want to switch back to Google Assistant, here’s how to do it.

• Open Gemini
• Tap your profile icon
• Tap Switch to Google Assistant
• Confirm your selection
• Tap Switch

Uninstall Gemini
Once you’ve reverted back to Google Assistant, go ahead and uninstall Gemini. If you want, take a look at your Gemini Apps Activity beforehand and delete any old data you don’t want Google hanging onto.

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