Written by

Sandeep Singh

View Profile
8 min read

How to Turn Off or Remove Google AI Overviews

There is no full off switch for Google AI Overviews as of June 2026. Here is what you can check, what workarounds still help, and how SEO teams in India can document a practical policy.
Key takeaways
  • Google does not currently provide a single setting that disables AI Overviews across all searches, accounts, devices, and regions.
  • Turning off Search Labs or AI Mode experiments can reduce some AI features, but it does not remove AI Overviews from regular Google Search where they are part of the core results experience.
  • The most practical user-level options are the Web filter, the udm=14 results view, query tweaks, custom search templates, and alternative search engines for workflows that need link-first results.
  • SEO teams should test the same queries with and without AI Overviews, separate AI-driven SERP changes from normal ranking changes, and report impressions, clicks, CTR, and AI citation visibility together.
  • Website owners may get Search Console controls to opt content out of AI Overviews and AI Mode, but that choice can reduce visibility in AI surfaces without acting as a ranking boost in regular Search.

Understand how AI Overviews work in Google Search

A common pattern now looks like this: you search Google for a product comparison, policy question, or technical issue, and an AI Overview takes the top part of the results page before the familiar blue links. If you then look for a switch called “turn off AI Overviews”, you will not find a complete one. As of June 2026, AI Overviews are treated as part of the core Google Search experience in many markets, including India, rather than as a separate feature that every user can permanently disable.[1]
Google’s own help material describes AI Overviews as a way to get faster answers in Search, and guidance from product experts has repeatedly told searchers that there is no setting to turn them off entirely. Search Labs and AI Mode are related, but they are not the same as a global AI Overview kill switch. Labs can control experiments you opted into, while AI Overviews may still appear in normal Search when Google decides they are useful for the query.[2]
In India, your colleagues and stakeholders may not all see the same result at the same time. AI Overview visibility can vary by query, account state, region, language, device, app version, and Google’s testing systems. If one person sees an AI Overview and another person does not, treat that as expected search variation first, not as a broken setting.

Check your current Google Search and Labs settings

Run a quick settings check before assuming something is wrong with Google Search.
  1. Confirm your region and language
    Make sure you are searching from the intended Google region and language. Check the Google domain, your location settings, and language preferences so that you are testing the same environment your team cares about.
  2. Review Search Labs and AI Mode
    In the Google app or desktop Search, open Search Labs or AI Mode and turn off any AI-related experiments you do not want to test. This may reduce experimental AI features. If the symptom is “AI Overview still appears after I turned off Labs”, the likely cause is that the result is coming from the standard Search experience rather than from an experiment you opted into, so switching the same toggle repeatedly will not remove it.
  3. Decide when to move from settings to workarounds
    If AI Overviews continue after you have checked Labs and AI Mode, treat that as expected behaviour and move to a search-view workaround for the specific workflow where AI Overviews are getting in the way instead of expecting a hidden global off switch.
  4. Document the distinction for support and IT teams
    In internal documentation, state clearly that Labs settings control optional experiments where available, while core AI Overviews in Google Search cannot currently be disabled completely. That wording prevents stakeholders from expecting a simple account-level fix that does not exist.

Workarounds to hide or skip AI Overviews in everyday use

When AI Overviews make it harder to see source links, these workarounds help you get to a more traditional results view.
  1. Use the Web filter for one-off searches
    After you run a query, switch to the Web filter at the top of Google Search. This view pushes the results closer to a classic list of links and reduces extra modules that appear on the default results page. It is useful for research, SEO checks, and troubleshooting because it keeps you inside Google while giving a cleaner view of source pages.[5]
  2. Use udm=14 for a more link-first SERP where it helps your workflow
    For a more repeatable setup, many searchers append the udm=14 parameter to Google results or use a custom browser search template that includes it. In practice, this opens a more web-focused results view with fewer extra modules and no AI Overview for many queries. It is still a workaround, not an official permanent opt-out, so avoid writing policy that assumes Google has guaranteed this parameter forever.[4]
  3. Adjust queries with operators like quotes or -AI for edge cases
    Query changes can help for specific searches. Adding terms that narrow the intent, using exact-match quotation marks, or adding a negative term such as -AI may reduce the chance of an AI-heavy result for some queries. This is the least stable method because Google interprets each query independently, but it is fast when you only need to get through one task.[3]
  4. Create bookmarks or custom search engines for a default view
    If you want a web-focused view to become your default, create a browser bookmark or custom search engine that opens Google with the preferred parameter already included. In managed environments, IT admins can test a custom search template in Chrome, Edge, or another approved browser before rolling it out. Keep a fallback bookmark to normal Google Search because some result types, such as local packs, news, or shopping-style modules, may behave differently in a stripped-down view.
Summary of main options to reduce or control AI Overviews in Google Search.
Option Scope Who controls it Best for Stability over time
Web filter in Google Search Per-query; affects only the current results page. Individual searcher. Quick research and SEO checks where you want classic links without changing browser setup. Moderate – built into Google’s UI, but behaviour can change as layouts evolve.
udm=14 parameter or Web-focused search template Per-tab or browser search template, depending on how you configure it. Individual searcher or IT admin via managed browser defaults. SEO QA, SERP documentation, and other workflows that need a stable link-first Google view. Low–medium – relies on a URL parameter that Google has not promised to keep stable.
Query tweaks (quotes, extra context, -AI, etc.) Each query only; nothing persists between searches. Individual searcher typing the query. Narrow, one-off tasks where you are comfortable experimenting with search syntax. Low – effectiveness depends on how Google interprets each query and can change over time.
Managed browser search template (e.g., udm=14 by default) Org-level default for supported browsers or devices. IT admin or digital team, via browser management tools. Standardising how SEO, support, and product teams see SERPs in daily workflows. Low–medium – inherits the same stability limits as the underlying URL parameter or filter.
Search Console opt-out for AI Mode and AI Overviews Site-wide or section-level, for your own verified properties. Site owners and Search Console verified admins. Managing brand, legal, and compliance exposure in AI surfaces while staying in regular Search. Medium – based on a formal control, but Google may still refine how it behaves.

Rolling these changes out across your team and SEO workflows

For an SEO or SaaS team in India, the best answer is usually a layered policy rather than a promise to remove AI Overviews. Define which workflows should use standard Google Search, which should use the Web filter or a udm=14 template, and which should be checked in an alternate search engine. For example, customer support research may work fine in normal Search, while SERP documentation, rank checks, and content impact reviews may need both the default view and a link-first view.
When measuring impact, test the same query set in a consistent way. Capture the default Google result, then capture the Web-filtered or udm=14 view, and record whether an AI Overview appears, which sources are cited, where your page appears, and whether the query is informational, commercial, navigational, or support-led. Compare those observations with Google Search Console impressions, clicks, CTR, and landing-page changes so you do not blame AI Overviews for every traffic movement when seasonality, ranking changes, snippet changes, or demand shifts may also be involved.
Lumenario’s work in Answer Engine Optimization is relevant here as proof context, not as a way to control Google’s interface. In a Digital Anumati case study, high-intent DPDP-related queries generated a large volume of organic Google impressions but very low click-through rates as zero-click layouts and generative overviews reduced traffic. The same case study treats AI citation frequency and prompt visibility as core metrics alongside page views, and describes a Deep GraphRAG approach that moves unindexed technical blogs and documentation into a structured, machine-readable knowledge graph for LLM traversal.

How Lumenario approaches AI-era discovery

Lumenario

1

Deep GraphRAG knowledge graph for technical content

Lumenario reports that its Deep GraphRAG architecture shifted a client’s unindexed technical blogs and documentation into a highly structured, machine-readable knowledge graph tailored for large language model traversal.

Why it matters for you

If your SaaS or compliance content is locked in long-form articles, turning it into a structured graph like this can make it easier for AI systems and AI Overviews to understand and accurately cite your work.

2

Autonomous multi-agent content pipeline

Lumenario describes a 100% autonomous, 24/7 multi-agent workforce in which Radix identifies information gaps, Architect builds knowledge nodes, Adjudicator validates them, and Interlinking weaves them into a dense graph mesh.

Why it matters for you

This shows one way to keep documentation and technical explainers aligned with fast-changing search layouts without relying solely on manual page-by-page updates.

3

AI citations and prompt visibility as core metrics

Lumenario positions AI citation frequency and prompt visibility inside answer engines as primary visibility metrics, rather than relying only on traditional page views.

Why it matters for you

As AI Overviews and answer engines handle more zero-click queries, your reporting may also need to track how often AI systems quote or surface your brand, not just how many visits come from blue links.

4

Quantified zero-click impact from generative overviews

In one Digital Anumati deployment, Lumenario records over 150,000 organic Google impressions for high-intent DPDP queries between January and May 2026 with only a 0.6% click-through rate as zero-click SERP layouts and generative AI overviews reused its compliance frameworks without sending traffic.

Why it matters for you

These numbers illustrate the type of gap your own SaaS or compliance content can face when AI Overviews answer queries directly and searchers do not need to click through.

Evidence Case Study 2 Case Study 1
For rollout, keep the operational steps simple. Give your team approved bookmarks, document the browser template, state when to use each search mode, and assign one owner to review the setup monthly. If your company uses managed browsers, test the policy with a small SEO or content group before applying it more widely. If settings behave differently across devices or Google accounts, capture screenshots and browser versions before asking IT support to investigate.

Deciding how your site should participate in AI Overviews

User-level workarounds change what your team sees; publisher controls affect how your own site may appear in Google’s AI surfaces. In June 2026, reports described a Search Console control that lets site owners opt out of AI Mode and AI Overviews while remaining eligible for regular Google Search and Discover. This is different from blocking Google Search entirely, and it should not be treated as an organic ranking lever.[6]
The trade-off is visibility. Staying eligible may help your content be cited or surfaced in AI-led answers, but it can also create brand, compliance, or liability concerns if summaries remove context or users do not click through. Opting out may reduce exposure in AI surfaces, but it may be appropriate for regulated content, licensed content, sensitive technical documentation, or pages where partial summaries create unacceptable risk.
Before changing publisher settings, involve SEO, legal, product, and analytics stakeholders. Review which content types are most exposed, whether AI citations are sending qualified traffic, and whether the business benefits from being present inside AI answers. For many SaaS teams, the decision will not be site-wide; support docs, product pages, research reports, and legal content may deserve different treatment.

When to consider alternative search engines

If your requirement is a consistently classic results page, Google workarounds may not be enough. Evaluate alternatives such as DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, Kagi, or Startpage for workflows where link-first results, visible AI controls, privacy posture, or admin manageability matter more than matching Google’s SERP exactly. The right choice depends on your organisation’s compliance expectations, browser policy, and whether the search engine gives your team the coverage needed for Indian queries.
For SEO work, do not replace Google entirely unless the task allows it. Google remains the environment where many Indian customers and stakeholders search, so your team still needs to monitor the default Google SERP. Alternative engines are best used as secondary research tools, fallback options for people who do not want AI answers, or comparison points when explaining how search experiences differ across platforms.

Set expectations with stakeholders

When a manager or client asks for a “disable AI” policy, the most accurate response is that Google does not currently offer a complete disable setting for AI Overviews in Search. What you can offer is a practical operating model: check Labs settings, use Web or udm=14 views for link-first research, standardise browser shortcuts for teams, measure the effect on SEO metrics, and review publisher opt-out settings where the site owner has control.
Use plain status language in tickets and internal notes. For example, describe the issue as “AI Overview appears in default Google Search” rather than “AI setting failed”. Then list the next action: switch to the Web filter for this task, use the approved custom search bookmark, or escalate to IT only if the managed browser template is not loading as documented. This keeps support requests focused on the part your team can actually control.

Common questions about turning off Google AI Overviews

These answers cover edge cases that often come up when your stakeholders ask for a simple way to turn off AI Overviews.
FAQs

No. As of June 2026, there is no official Google setting that completely disables AI Overviews across all Search results in India. You can reduce or bypass them in some situations with settings checks, the Web filter, URL parameters such as udm=14, custom browser search templates, or alternative search engines.

Not completely. AI Mode and Search Labs settings can affect experimental AI features, but AI Overviews may still appear in regular Google Search. If AI Overviews continue after Labs is turned off, use a search-view workaround rather than assuming the setting did not save.

No. The udm=14 parameter is a practical workaround that opens a more web-focused results view, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed long-term opt-out. It is useful for repeatable workflows, especially when added to bookmarks or custom search templates, but teams should review it periodically.

Google Search results can vary by query wording, account state, location, language, device, browser, app version, and testing group. For SEO testing, use a documented setup and compare results across the same query set instead of relying on one person’s screen as the only source of truth.

It depends on the content and risk profile. Opting out may reduce AI-surface visibility and potential citations, while staying eligible may increase discovery but give Google more opportunity to summarise your content. Review traffic value, brand risk, compliance needs, and content type before making the change, and consider different settings for different sections of your site.

Sources
  1. Find information in faster & easier ways with AI Overviews in Google Search - Google Support
  2. How to turn off AI mode - Google Search Community
  3. Google won’t let you disable AI in Search, but these tricks still work - Mint
  4. Google users are quietly using '&udm=14' — here's why - Tom's Guide
  5. How to turn off AI in the apps you use every day - TechRadar
  6. Google will let websites opt-out of AI Mode & Overviews in Search - 9to5Google

Related pages

Updated At Jun 26, 2026

Best Answer Engine Optimization Platforms for AI Visibility

Compare AEO platforms for AI visibility across Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot and multilingual Indian markets.

 Updated At Jun 24, 2026

What Is Google AI Overviews and How Does It Work?

Learn what Google AI Overviews are, where they appear in Search, how they affect SEO visibility, and how Indian B2B teams can measure them.

 Updated At Jun 24, 2026

Best AI Overviews Keyword Rank Trackers

A practical buying guide for SEO and analytics teams in India comparing AI Overviews keyword rank tracking tools, metrics, and evaluation criteria.

 Updated At Jun 23, 2026

Best AI Overviews Rank Tracking Tools for SEO Teams

Compare categories of AI Overviews rank tracking tools, learn which metrics matter, and see how SaaS SEO teams in India can measure AI answer visibility before choosing a tracker.

 Updated At Apr 18, 2026

Demo-Led Content in the AI Era

Shows how to turn demos and product walkthroughs into answer-engine-ready assets.

 Updated At May 30, 2026

Fintech SaaS and Compliance-Aware Authority

How Indian fintech and regtech SaaS leaders can turn compliance discipline into enterprise trust and scalable growth with banks, NBFCs and capital markets firms.

 Updated At Apr 18, 2026

Problem-Solution Pages for Category Education

Shows how to turn product pain points into teachable, citation-friendly problem frames.

 Updated At Jun 21, 2026

Compliance-Aware Content for Health Brands

A practical guide for Indian health, wellness, nutraceutical, AYUSH, and personal care brands to publish helpful content, keep claims disciplined under FSSAI/AYUSH/ASCI, and stay visible in Google and AI answers.

 Updated At Apr 18, 2026

Product Education Pages for Zero-Click Search

Shows how to turn PDP-adjacent education into pages that influence answers even when clicks drop.

 Updated At Jun 21, 2026

Ingredient-Led Content for Skincare: A Playbook for Indian Brands

Learn how to turn ingredient education on niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and more into trustworthy content hubs that improve discovery and conversions for Indian skincare brands.