GoKawiilShimul Sood / Android Authority
I’ve pretty much watched Gemini grow up right in front of me. I was there when it was still Bard, when it mostly felt like a chatbot you opened, asked a question, and hoped for a useful answer. Then Bard became Gemini, and somewhere along the way, it started actually doing things for me.
Today, Gemini can compare products, hunt for better deals, make restaurant reservations, schedule appointments, and even help with travel bookings. And with Gemini in Chrome now rolling out to Android users in the US, much of that assistance is moving directly into the browser on your phone.
As useful as that can be, I completely understand if you want Chrome to be Chrome, without an AI assistant tagging along while you browse. Thankfully, Google lets you turn Gemini in Chrome off, and here’s exactly how to do it.
Do you want Gemini built into Chrome on your phone? 16 votes Yes, having an assistant while I browse is genuinely useful. 0 % Only for some things, like shopping and deals. 6 % No, I'd rather Chrome stayed just a browser. 94 % I haven't tried it yet. 0 %
How to replace Gemini with your favorite shortcut
Shimul Sood / Android Authority
To get rid of the Gemini icon in Chrome, you don’t actually have to dig through a maze of settings. Google lets you swap it for another shortcut right from the browser. Here’s how: Open Chrome on your Android phone. Open any tab you like. For instance, I visited a website. Look toward the upper-right corner, and you should see the Gemini icon. Press and hold the icon until the Edit shortcut option appears. Tap it, and Chrome will show you a long list of alternatives, including Ask Gemini, New tab, Share this page, Voice Search, Translate, and more.
Ask Gemini is selected by default, so removing it is really just a matter of replacing it with something you’ll actually use. For me, that was the “New tab” option. I habitually open new tabs on my phone throughout the day, almost without thinking, so the plus (+) icon makes much more sense for how I use Chrome.
Of course, you don’t have to follow my lead. Pick whichever shortcut best fits how you use Chrome, and the Gemini icon will be replaced immediately.
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