How to Disable Chrome’s New Gemini Button
It seems Google’s Gemini AI is everywhere. It’s in your Gmail , on your phone , and soon, it’ll be in your browser. While Google’s AI integration with the browser is already available to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, it’s now becoming available to everyone , along with a host of new features.
If you suddenly see a new Gemini button in the upper-right corner of your Chrome browser (on the same bar as your tabs), the update is already installed. If not, you may need to click the three-dot button in the upper-right corner and select Gemini in Chrome to enable it (if you want to).
How to use Gemini in Chrome
By clicking the Gemini button or using the keyboard shortcut (Alt + G by default), you can try out the same features that paid Google customers have had access to for some time. This means Gemini can answer questions about the webpage you’re on or just answer general questions unrelated to what you’re viewing. Or, if you’re in a Google app or on a Google website, it can perform simple actions, like redirecting you to a specific location in a YouTube video.
Additionally, Gemini can now work with your tabs and compare information between them. Simply start a dialogue with Gemini by clicking the button in the upper right corner, then click “Add Tab” at the bottom of the window to provide Gemini with another data source for analysis.
Oddly enough, while these updates are already available to regular users, Google says that businesses will have to wait a couple of weeks to get “enterprise-grade data protection and controls.”
At this point, other than the new accessibility, this isn’t a major update, especially considering it requires a Windows or Mac, English language setting, and location in the United States. Google emphasizes that Gemini Assistant on Android can also help you in the Chrome browser, and that the company is working on providing more direct access to Gemini in Chrome for both Android and iOS.
More AI-powered viewing options coming soon
Google says it has big plans for this feature, with “agent-based browsing” slated to launch in the coming months. This is expected to allow Gemini in Chrome to handle tasks like booking a haircut or ordering groceries. It will also make browsing easier, as Google says it’s working on allowing you to ask Gemini questions about your browser history whenever you want to return to a specific page. For example, a query like “On what website did I see a walnut table last week?” might redirect you to a shopping page you only vaguely remember.
Apparently, a more functional address bar is being developed that will allow you to ask Google’s AI questions without opening it. Currently, Gemini in Chrome suggests questions about any page you’re on, right in the address bar.
The update also includes several security updates, though they appear to be mostly implemented on the backend, presumably using AI to more effectively block fraudulent ads and notifications. This is exactly the type of AI integration I fully support.
How to disable Gemini in Chrome
However, if you’re skeptical about Gemini in Chrome, you can disable it. Simply go to Settings > AI Innovations , and you’ll be able to disable the Gemini button and its keyboard shortcut. You can also restrict its permissions: disable everything, and it will appear as if it wasn’t installed in the first place.