How to Disable Google Gemini in Your Workspace Apps

Over the last year or so, Google seems to have developed an obsession with putting Gemini into every corner of its ecosystem. Whether you are drafting an email in Gmail or crunching numbers in Sheets, that little AI icon is always there, watching and waiting to 'help.' While some find it revolutionary, many of us at mobikolik.com find it a bit distracting. If you are someone who just wants to write a =SUM formula without an AI breathing down your neck, you are in the right place.

To start de-Gemini-ing your personal account, you will need to head over to your Gmail settings on the web. Click the gear icon and select 'See all settings.' Under the General tab, look for 'Smart features.' By unchecking 'Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet,' you effectively silence a large portion of the AI's presence. However, there is a catch that Google doesn't highlight: disabling these features also kills off basic tools like spelling and grammar checks, and even automatic email categorization.

Next, you should look for the 'Manage Workspace smart feature settings' link in that same General tab. Toggling these off will remove Gemini from Docs and Sheets. It seems Google has designed this in a way that makes you choose between AI integration and classic features we’ve used for a decade. If you want a middle ground, you can leave the first set of smart features on but disable the specific Workspace toggles. This way, you might keep your spell checker while losing the intrusive AI sidebars.

For those using a professional Workspace account through an employer, the situation is a bit trickier. You can follow the same steps in your settings, but you might find that Gemini persists in Docs or Slides regardless of what you click. In most corporate environments, the ultimate kill switch belongs to your IT administrator. If Gemini is still bothering you after these steps, a polite message to your tech support team might be your only path to an AI-free workspace.