You can disable Gemini on Android, in Gmail, and on the web, but the steps differ by device and where it appears

Google has built Gemini into multiple places: as a dedicated app on Android phones, as a button in Gmail, as a sidebar in Google Search on the web, and as a voice assistant option. Disabling it completely means turning it off in each place separately, because turning it off in one location does not turn it off everywhere else. The steps take a few minutes and do not require any special tools.

Your reason for disabling it matters slightly. If you just want it out of your way, you can hide the Gemini button. If you want to prevent it from running in the background or collecting data about your searches, you need to go deeper into your account settings. This guide covers both.

Key Takeaways

  • On Android phones, you can disable the Gemini app through Settings > Apps, or remove the Gemini button from your home screen by long-pressing it and selecting remove.
  • In Gmail on the web, you can hide the Gemini button in the compose window by clicking the three-dot menu and unchecking the Gemini option.
  • On Google Search on the web, you can close the Gemini sidebar by clicking the X, but you may need to adjust your search settings to prevent it from reappearing.
  • To stop Gemini from using your search history, go to myactivity.google.com, turn off Web & App Activity, or delete your search history manually.
  • Disabling Gemini in one place does not disable it everywhere — you must turn it off separately in each app or service where it appears.

Removing Gemini from your Android phone

On Android devices, Gemini appears as both a dedicated app and as a button on your home screen or lock screen. To remove the app itself, open Settings, tap Apps or Application Manager (the name varies by phone brand), search for Gemini, and tap Uninstall. If the Uninstall button is grayed out, your phone manufacturer has locked it in place — in that case, you can disable it instead by tapping Disable, which prevents it from running.

To remove just the Gemini button from your home screen, long-press the button and select Remove from Home Screen or Delete. This keeps the app installed but gets it out of your daily view. If Gemini appears on your lock screen as a suggested action, go to Settings > Lock Screen > Lock Screen Widgets and toggle off the Gemini widget.

Hiding Gemini in Gmail

Gmail shows a Gemini button in the compose window (the box where you write new emails). To hide it, open Gmail in your web browser, start composing a new email, and click the three-dot menu in the bottom right corner of the compose box. Uncheck the Gemini option. This removes the button from view without affecting the rest of Gmail.

If you use Gmail on your phone through the Gmail app, the Gemini button may appear in the compose window there too. The Gmail app does not currently offer a way to hide it through settings, so your only option is to ignore it or switch to the Gmail website on your phone's browser, where you can hide it as described above.

Closing Gemini in Google Search

When you search on Google.com, a Gemini sidebar sometimes appears on the right side of the page. To close it, click the X button in the top right corner of the sidebar. However, it may reappear on your next search if your settings allow it.

To prevent the sidebar from coming back, sign into your Google Account, go to google.com/search/preferences, scroll down to the Generative AI section, and toggle off "Show AI overviews and Gemini in Search." Save your changes. This setting applies to all your searches on that account across all devices.

Stopping Gemini from using your search and activity history

Even if you hide Gemini's buttons and sidebars, Google can still use your search history and browsing activity to train or improve Gemini. To prevent this, go to myactivity.google.com while signed into your Google Account. Click Web & App Activity on the left side, then click the toggle at the top to turn it off. This stops Google from recording new searches and app activity going forward.

If you want to delete your existing search history, stay on the same page and click Delete All on the left side, then confirm. You can also delete activity from a specific date range by clicking Delete by Date Range. Keep in mind that turning off Web & App Activity may affect other Google services that rely on your activity history, such as personalized search results and recommendations in Google Maps or YouTube.

What happens when you disable Gemini

Disabling Gemini removes it from your view and stops it from running in the background on your device. If you have turned off Web & App Activity, Google will not record your searches or use them to improve Gemini. However, Google may still use information you provide directly to Gemini (such as text you type into the Gemini app itself) to improve the service, unless you change your Gemini-specific privacy settings.

Disabling Gemini does not affect other Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Maps. Those services will continue to work normally. If you change your mind later, you can re-enable Gemini by reversing these steps — reinstalling the app, turning Web & App Activity back on, or re-enabling the Gemini button in your search settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Gemini speed up my phone or save battery?

Disabling the Gemini app itself may save a small amount of battery and storage space, especially if you never use it. However, the impact is usually minimal unless your phone is very old or has very little storage left. Hiding the Gemini button without uninstalling the app will not noticeably change battery life.

Can I disable Gemini on my work or school Google Account?

That depends on your organization's policies. If your work or school uses Google Workspace, your administrator may have already disabled Gemini for your account, or they may allow you to disable it yourself through your account settings. Check with your IT department or administrator if you are unsure.

If I turn off Web & App Activity, will Google still see my searches?

Google's servers will still process your searches to return results, but they will not store them in your activity history or use them to personalize future results. Turning off Web & App Activity is the strongest privacy step you can take within Google's own settings, though it does not make you anonymous to Google itself.

Does disabling Gemini delete my past conversations with it?

Disabling or uninstalling the Gemini app does not automatically delete past conversations. To delete them, open the Gemini app before uninstalling it, go to your conversation history, and delete individual chats or your entire history. Once the app is uninstalled, you can no longer access those conversations.

Why does Gemini keep reappearing after I hide it?

Google sometimes re-enables Gemini features after system updates or account changes. If the Gemini sidebar keeps coming back in Search, check your search preferences again at google.com/search/preferences and confirm that "Show AI overviews and Gemini in Search" is still toggled off. You may need to do this after major Google updates.