Key Takeaways
- Turning off Gmail AI requires two separate settings: the Smart features checkbox in Gmail and the Workspace smart features toggles behind it. Unchecking only the first one leaves AI active in other Google products.
- Disabling AI also disables some older conveniences, including spell check, package tracking, inbox tabs like Promotions and Social, and calendar event detection. Google bundled them together on purpose.
- These settings do not sync between accounts, so repeat the steps for every Gmail address you use.
In January 2026, Google announced that Gmail was entering its "Gemini era" and turned on a wave of AI features by default for its 3 billion users. That includes AI Overviews in Gmail search, an AI Inbox that builds a daily briefing from your messages, automatic thread summaries, and expanded writing suggestions. None of it asked for permission. If you would rather Gemini kept its eyes off your email, here is exactly how to turn it off.
The steps below take about three minutes. The catch is that Gmail's AI is controlled by two settings in two places, and most guides only mention the first one.
How to Turn Off Gmail AI on Desktop
Short answer: Open Gmail settings, uncheck "Smart features and personalization" on the General tab, then open "Manage Workspace smart feature settings" and turn off both toggles there.
Step 1: Turn off Smart features in Gmail
- Open gmail.com in your browser.
- Click the gear icon in the top right, then click See all settings.
- On the General tab, scroll down to Smart features and personalization.
- Uncheck the box labeled Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.
- Click Turn off and reload when prompted.
This one checkbox disables the largest group of AI features at once: thread summaries, Smart Compose, Smart Reply, nudges, and the AI-powered categorization of your inbox.
Step 2: Turn off Workspace smart features
This is the step most people miss. On the same General tab:
- Find and click Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
- Turn off Smart features in Google Workspace.
- Turn off Smart features in other Google products.
- Save your changes.
These two toggles stop Gemini from using your Gmail, Drive, and other Workspace data to power AI features across Google's ecosystem. Unlike the first checkbox, this setting applies account-wide, so you only need to do it once per account rather than once per app.
How to Turn Off Gmail AI in the Mobile App
Short answer: In the Gmail app, go to Settings, tap your email address, and turn off the smart features toggles under Data privacy.
On Android
- Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top left.
- Scroll down and tap Settings, then tap your email address.
- Tap Data privacy.
- Turn off Smart features and personalization.
- Turn off Smart features in other Google products.
On iPhone
- Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon in the top left.
- Tap Settings, then select your email address.
- Uncheck the Smart features option, then follow the link to the Workspace smart features setting and turn those off as well.
Important: If you use more than one Gmail account, repeat these steps for each one. The settings are per account and do not carry over.
How to Get Rid of the Gemini Side Panel
The star-shaped Gemini icon in the top corner of Gmail opens a chat panel that can summarize threads and answer questions about your inbox. Whether you can remove it depends on your account type.
Personal Gmail accounts
There is no user setting that permanently removes the panel. You have two options:
- Collapse it: click the small arrow at the edge of the side panel to hide it from view.
- Remove it: if the panel appeared because you subscribe to Google One AI Premium, downgrading or canceling that subscription removes Gemini from Gmail entirely.
Google Workspace accounts (business and school)
Only an administrator can remove Gemini. If that is you:
- Sign in to admin.google.com.
- Go to Apps, then find the Gemini app under Additional Google services or Generative AI.
- Turn the service off for the users or organizational units you want, then save.
If you are an employee on a Workspace account, ask your admin to make this change. There is no per-user toggle inside Gmail itself.
Stop Google from Keeping Your Gemini Activity
Turning off features does not delete what Google has already collected. Gemini conversations and activity are stored under a separate setting:
- Go to myactivity.google.com and sign in.
- Find Gemini Apps Activity.
- Turn it off, and delete any existing activity while you are there.
This is worth doing even if you never intentionally used Gemini, since features like Help Me Write and thread summaries generate activity records.
What You Lose When You Turn Off Gmail AI
Google bundled its AI features with older conveniences under the same switch, which is a deliberate design choice to discourage opting out. Turning off smart features also disables:
- Spell check and autocorrect while composing
- The Primary, Promotions, and Social inbox tabs (all mail lands in one inbox)
- Package tracking and delivery updates
- Flight and event details being added to Google Calendar automatically
- Nudges reminding you to reply to old threads
For most people the trade is worth it. You can spell check in your browser or a separate tool, and filters can rebuild the inbox sorting you actually want without AI reading every message to do it. If the missing features bother you, the settings are reversible at any time.
Gmail is only one place Google has switched AI on by default. Our full guide to turning off AI features on Windows, Samsung, Meta, and Alexa covers the rest, and if Amazon's shopping assistant is cluttering your product searches, see how to turn off Amazon AI search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gemini read my emails?
When smart features are on, Gemini processes your email content to generate summaries, suggested replies, and search answers. Google states this data is not used to train its models, but the processing itself happens by default. Turning off both smart features settings stops Gmail from using your message content for AI features. Backend processing for spam filtering and security always continues and cannot be disabled.
How do I turn off AI summaries at the top of my emails?
There is no separate toggle for summaries alone. They are controlled by the main Smart features and personalization checkbox in Gmail settings. Unchecking it removes the summary cards along with the other AI suggestions.
How do I turn off Smart Compose without disabling everything else?
On the General tab of Gmail settings, scroll to the Smart Compose section and turn off Writing suggestions. This stops the gray autocomplete text while leaving other features alone. Smart Reply, the three suggested reply buttons, has its own toggle in the same area.
Why does Gmail AI keep turning back on?
Google periodically rolls out new AI features that default to on, and major updates like the January 2026 Gemini rollout enabled features across all accounts regardless of previous choices. Recheck your settings after Google announces Gmail changes, and remember each of your accounts holds its own settings.
Is Gmail AI off by default anywhere?
Yes. Smart features default to off for users in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Japan due to privacy regulations. Users everywhere else, including the United States, get them on by default and must opt out manually.
How do I turn off Gemini on my Android phone entirely?
Gmail's settings only control Gmail. To disable the Gemini assistant itself, go to Settings, then Apps, then Gemini, and tap Disable. Also check Settings, then Apps, then Choose default apps, then Digital assistant app, and switch away from Gemini. Phone system updates sometimes re-enable it, so check after major updates.
Will turning off Gmail AI stop the ads I see?
No. Ad personalization is a separate system controlled at myadcenter.google.com. Turning off smart features stops your email content from powering AI features, but Google's ad settings need their own adjustment if you want less targeting.
