HomeDisable AI in Google Docs
I opened a Google Doc to start writing an article, only to be greeted by a text box urging me to “write with Gemini.” I searched for a way to dismiss that flashy AI interface but couldn't find one. It frustrated me.
So instead of working on my intended article, I’m writing about how to remove those AI pop-ups from your Google Docs screen—because it took me a while to figure out. You're welcome.
What is this monstrosity? Why won't it go away?Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
The first fix is pretty straightforward:
Click “Gemini” in the top menu bar above your document. From the drop-down menu, choose “Bottom bar preferences.” You can then disable that bottom bar, which removes the AI box at the bottom of your screen. 
Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
Full disclosure: I was so frustrated searching for “bottom bar preferences” that I completely overlooked it at first. Instead, I clicked “Ask something else” and begged Gemini to remove itself from my life. AI may not be human, but Gemini appeared to have a survival instinct—it told me to click the “X” icon. That doesn't remove Gemini. It only closed the conversation where I was asking it how to turn itself off. Suspicious!
Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
Other frustrated Google Docs users have mentioned features I haven't seen yet, such as a “help me write” box that follows your cursor. That sounds annoying, so it's wise to stop it before it starts. Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (He meant fire safety; I mean product design.)
Rather than disabling each AI feature one by one like a game of Whac-A-Mole, you can turn off “smart features” across your entire Google Workspace through Gmail.
First, open your Gmail inbox. Then click the gear icon for Settings. In the menu that appears, choose “See all settings.” (While you're there, you might pick a playful theme for your inbox. A little whimsy never hurt anyone.) After clicking “See all settings,” scroll about halfway down to find “Google Workspace smart features” and click “Manage Workspace smart feature settings.”
Image credit:Screenshot from Gmail
Here, you see two options: one to disable smart features in Google Workspace (including those annoying Gemini pop-ups in Google Docs), and another for other smart features (which I find less bothersome). I only turned off the first one, but if you dislike Gmail automatically creating calendar events from your flights, this is where you can change that.You should now be free from those irritating Gemini pop-ups that interrupt your writing in Google Docs. Rest easy.
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I opened a Google Doc to start writing an article, only to be greeted by a text box urging me to “write with Gemini.” I searched for a way to dismiss that flashy AI interface but couldn't find one. It frustrated me.
So instead of working on my intended article, I’m writing about how to remove those AI pop-ups from your Google Docs screen—because it took me a while to figure out. You're welcome.
What is this monstrosity? Why won't it go away?Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
The first fix is pretty straightforward:
Click “Gemini” in the top menu bar above your document. From the drop-down menu, choose “Bottom bar preferences.” You can then disable that bottom bar, which removes the AI box at the bottom of your screen.Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
Full disclosure: I was so frustrated searching for “bottom bar preferences” that I completely overlooked it at first. Instead, I clicked “Ask something else” and begged Gemini to remove itself from my life. AI may not be human, but Gemini appeared to have a survival instinct—it told me to click the “X” icon. That doesn't remove Gemini. It only closed the conversation where I was asking it how to turn itself off. Suspicious!
Image credit:Screenshot from Google Docs
Other frustrated Google Docs users have mentioned features I haven't seen yet, such as a “help me write” box that follows your cursor. That sounds annoying, so it's wise to stop it before it starts. Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (He meant fire safety; I mean product design.)
Rather than disabling each AI feature one by one like a game of Whac-A-Mole, you can turn off “smart features” across your entire Google Workspace through Gmail.
First, open your Gmail inbox. Then click the gear icon for Settings. In the menu that appears, choose “See all settings.” (While you're there, you might pick a playful theme for your inbox. A little whimsy never hurt anyone.) After clicking “See all settings,” scroll about halfway down to find “Google Workspace smart features” and click “Manage Workspace smart feature settings.”Image credit:Screenshot from Gmail
Here, you see two options: one to disable smart features in Google Workspace (including those annoying Gemini pop-ups in Google Docs), and another for other smart features (which I find less bothersome). I only turned off the first one, but if you dislike Gmail automatically creating calendar events from your flights, this is where you can change that.You should now be free from those irritating Gemini pop-ups that interrupt your writing in Google Docs. Rest easy.
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