Here’s the Simple Trick to Remove AI Overviews From Google Search

Google’s AI Overviews feature has become one of the biggest changes to Search in years.

For some users, it feels incredibly useful. Quick summaries, instant answers, and AI-generated insights can save time when searching for recipes, tech support, travel ideas, or product recommendations.

For others, it feels like clutter.

Many people still prefer the classic Google experience: simple search results, direct website links, and the familiar “10 blue links” that defined internet browsing for decades.

If you fall into that second group, there is a surprisingly easy trick that can temporarily remove AI Overviews from your Google searches.

The “-ai” Trick Explained

Google does not currently offer an official toggle to permanently disable AI Overviews.

The company has repeatedly explained that AI Overviews are now considered part of the Search experience itself, similar to Featured Snippets or Knowledge Panels.

But users recently discovered a small workaround that changes search behavior instantly.

Simply add:

-ai

to the end of your Google search query.

That’s it.

For example:

• Best Android phones 2026 -ai

• How to speed up WiFi -ai

• iPhone battery tips -ai

Adding this modifier removes AI Overviews from the results page in many cases and returns a more traditional search layout focused primarily on website links.

Why Some People Want AI Overviews Gone

AI-powered search is becoming increasingly common across the internet, but the reaction remains deeply divided.

Some users appreciate the convenience. Others feel AI summaries sometimes oversimplify information, reduce visibility for websites, or occasionally provide inaccurate answers with too much confidence.

There is also a trust factor involved.

Many people still prefer reading directly from original sources instead of relying on automatically generated summaries. Traditional search results allow users to compare perspectives, explore different websites, and evaluate information independently.

And honestly, for research-heavy topics, many users simply find the classic search experience cleaner and easier to navigate.

Google Search Operators Are More Powerful Than Most People Realize

The “-ai” trick belongs to a larger family of Google Search tools called search operators or modifiers.

These commands have existed for years and help users refine searches more precisely.

Some common examples include:

• Quotation marks for exact phrases

• site: to search specific websites

• filetype: to find PDFs or documents

• minus signs to exclude certain keywords

The “-ai” variation is simply one of the newest examples users are experimenting with as AI becomes more integrated into search platforms.

While it is not a permanent solution, it gives users more control over how search results appear.

Users Increasingly Want More Control Over Their Digital Experience

The growing popularity of tricks like this highlights something bigger happening in tech right now.

People want customization.

Users no longer want platforms deciding every aspect of their experience automatically. Whether it involves social media feeds, smartphone interfaces, or search engines, people increasingly expect tools that adapt to their personal preferences.

The same trend appears in mobile device management as well. As users switch phones more often and move larger amounts of content between devices, reliable solutions for file sharing and storage management have become increasingly important.

Apps like Smart Transfer help users handle secure file sharing while moving photos, videos, documents, and apps between smartphones without complicated setups. For many users upgrading devices, tools designed to copy phone file data safely and quickly are now just as important as the phone itself.

AI Search Is Still Evolving

Google’s AI Overviews are still relatively new, which means the experience will likely continue changing rapidly over the next few years.

The company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence and clearly sees AI-generated responses as a central part of the future of Search.

At the same time, criticism continues growing around issues like:

• Incorrect AI-generated answers

• Reduced website traffic for publishers

• Lack of source transparency

• Overcrowded search pages

Google is trying to balance innovation with usability, but finding that balance is not easy.

The Classic Search Experience Still Matters

Despite massive AI advancements, millions of users still value traditional search results.

There is something straightforward and trustworthy about browsing original websites directly, comparing sources yourself, and exploring information naturally rather than receiving one summarized AI answer immediately.

That does not mean AI search is failing.

It simply means people want options.

And honestly, the popularity of the “-ai” modifier proves something important: even in an AI-driven future, users still want control over how they experience the internet.