Quick Links
Google’s AI Overviews provide a quick answer to nearly any question or search you throw at the world’s leading search engine. Designed to streamline the search experience, the AI Overviews have become slightly burdensome, detracting from the websites scraped to provide the answers and taking up the search page.
Thankfully, there are a few ways you’re able to reclaim the search page and block Google AI Overviews.
1. Use the Web Filter
Google’s search results page is now cluttered with a lot of stuff, including AI Overviews. If you don’t want to see all these newer features and prefer the traditional blue links, you can use the Web filter.
Just do a usual Google search as you would and selectMore > Webfrom the top of the page (below the search bar). Similarly, on a mobile phone, you’re able to swipe left to view the Web filter.
While this method is pretty simple, removing the AI Overview requires a couple of additional clicks, and you’ll have to do it every time you search.
2. Install a Chrome Extension
Another easy way to turn off AI Overviews is to install a Chrome extension that does so.
Likewise, there’s another extension called Hide Google AI Overviews. Simply install this extension, and you won’t see AI Overview the next time you search.
Download:Bye Bye, Google AI(Free)
Download:Hide Google AI Overviews(Free)
3. Use uBlock Origin Filters
You can also avoid AI Overviews using uBlock Origin filters. Install the uBlock Origin extension and click on theextension icon. SelectSettings > My filters. Here, paste either of the following and selectApply Changes.
If you already have the uBlock Origin extension installed on your browser, this is the easiest way to turn off AI Overviews.
Download:uBlock Origin(Free)
4. Use &udm=14 Website
If you want consistent results with the Web filter, you can use the&udm=14 websitefor your Google searches.
The site looks like a normal search engine but redirects you to Google. It adds an &udm=14 tag to the search string so that Google shows you Web results directly.
5. Create a Custom Search Engine
If you prefer using Google instead of a third-party website, you cancreate a custom search enginethat adds &udm=14 to your queries every time you search.
On Chrome, go toSettings > Search engineand selectManage search engines and site search. Scroll down to Site search and clickAdd. Enter a name and shortcut (you can keep them Web or Google Web), paste the following inURL with %s in place of queryfield, and selectSave.
When making a Google search, type the shortcut you entered and press the Space bar. Then, type your query. With the custom search engine set up correctly, you’ll directly view the Web results, bypassing the annoying AI.
6. Sign Out of Google
A sneaky way to avoid AI Overviews is to search after signing out of your Google account. While you might want to remain signed in for multiple reasons, this method doesn’t require you to install extensions or enable the Web filter every time. Perhaps you cancreate a secondary Chrome profileto search without signing in.
Whichever method you choose, beware that Google might start cracking down on these workarounds, so they won’t work for long. If that does happen, perhaps the only way to avoid AI Overviews would be toswitch to Google Search alternatives.
