All of a sudden, AI is everywhere. The boom is here and has seemingly taken over everything, including how we search for things and get answers on Google. You no longer have to visit websites for answers with the introduction of AI Overviews, which now have over 2.5 billion monthly active users.
Not everyone likes this, though, and you may be asking “how to turn off AI Overviews on Google” because you prefer the old way of clicking on links or distrust the technology and AI summaries.
If that’s you, then we’re here to help. We’re going to look at all the ways available to turn off AI on Google and what you can expect to happen when you do.
What Is Google AI Overview?
When you used to search for something on Google, you typed your question, and a page of links appeared. You clicked on the links you wanted and found the answers you needed.
Now, we have Google AI Overviews. These overviews are bits of AI-generated text that appear above the links, answering your query without you having to click on any links. They generate these summaries from the links below, combining them to give you an instant answer.
Beyond AI Overviews, there is Google AI Mode, which is a completely AI search experience, bypassing the traditional search results page completely.
Why Do People Want to Turn Off AI on Google?
Google AI Overviews sound pretty handy, but not everyone is a fan of them. There are larger concerns around AI overall, but the technology has added a lot of convenience to people’s lives.
Whilst Google AI Overviews can be pretty handy, you may not always want them appearing. There are many reasons why people may want to turn them off, including:
- Accuracy concerns – AI is not always accurate. These summaries can take information from unverified or inaccurate sources and present it as true. Sometimes the technology can produce completely made-up facts with confidence, missing out key context.
- Preference for source links – Some people want to verify information. They like to go to the source and fact-check or explore themselves, rather than having to rely on AI-generated summaries.
- Page load speed – AI features can slow down load times, having to generate text summaries along with producing pages of links. If you are just after a simple list of links, waiting slightly longer for an AI summary may seem pointless.
How to Turn Off AI on Google
Google does not provide a permanent setting that turns off AI search, as it has become central to their future endeavours. There are ways you can get around it, though.
On Desktop
Web Filter
The simplest way on a desktop is using the Web Filter tab.
First, search on Google as normal. When the results appear, beneath the search bar are tabs such as “Videos” and “Images”. Find the one titled “Web” and click on that.
Doing that will remove the AI Overview and leave behind the traditional blue links.
Add &udm=14 to URLs
Like web filter, if you add “&udm=14″ at the end of the URL after you’ve searched for something and then reload the page, this removes AI summaries.
If you’re on Chrome, you can permanently add this parameter to every Google search; all you have to do is:
1. Click the vertical ellipsis ⋮ on the top-right, then on Settings.
2. Find “Search engine” and click “Manage search engines and site search”
3. Scroll down to “Site search”, click Add
4. Fill in these details:
Name: Google Web
Shortcut: @web
URL with %s in place of query: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
5. Click Add.
6. Click on the vertical ellipsis next to Google Web and select Make default.
On Mobile
On your Android or iPhone, you can do the same Web Filter trick as on desktop and also manually add in &udm=14 for every search.
You’ll have to swipe along a bit first to find it.
Using Browser Extensions
If you use Chrome, you can add extensions that remove AI Overviews.
1. Search for Chrome Web Store
2. Search for an extension like “Hide Google AI Overview”
3. Click “Add to Chrome”
4. Click “Add extension” in the pop-up to confirm
What to Expect After Disabling It
Some workarounds, like the web filter and adding &udm=14 to the URL, will have to be done for every query you make but are more official toggles.
The &udm=14 hack and adding extensions are not official setting changes but can be permanent settings to employ.
These changes work now but may not always. Any changes you make could be reset by Google updates as they work on their AI adoption.
Learn More About AI on Google Today
You may be able to turn off AI on Google for personal use, but the truth is that the technology is going nowhere. It’s a staple now of how people interact with the internet, and constant updates mean that changes you make are unlikely to last for long.
If you are a business looking to adapt your SEO strategy to AI search, you’re not the only one. We at Maxweb Solutions are digital marketing experts who can help you not get left behind and embrace changing technologies.
For more information on how we can help, get in touch with a team member today and give us a call at 0151 652 4777.
Posted on Monday, August 24th, 2026 in Latest News.
