Google's AI Overviews appear on nearly every search now, generating AI-powered answers directly on the results page. While Google claims this helps users find information faster, the feature has produced factual errors and removes the option to simply browse traditional search results.
There's no official toggle to disable AI Overviews completely, but there are three workarounds that can limit or remove them from your search experience. These methods range from a quick modifier you add to searches to setting up a permanent solution in your browser.
Here's how to reduce or eliminate AI Overviews and get back to traditional Google search results.
1. Add "-AI" to your search query
Type your search query normally, then add -AI at the end before hitting enter. This modifier tricks Google's algorithm into suppressing the AI Overview panel from appearing.
The minus sign acts as an exclusion operator that modifies search parameters. While you could technically use any random characters after the minus sign (-i or -xyz work too), using -AI makes the purpose obvious.
This method works immediately on any device without changing settings or installing anything. Just remember to add the modifier each time you search and want to avoid AI results.
2. Switch to the Web filter
Look for the Web button underneath the search bar after getting results with an AI Overview. Click it to strip away the AI-generated content and show only traditional web links.
If you don't see the Web filter immediately, click More to reveal additional filter options, then select Web from the menu. The AI Overview disappears once this filter activates.
This returns you to link-only results similar to how Google worked before AI Overviews. However, it also removes video previews and other rich snippets — you get pure web links with no multimedia elements mixed in.
3. Set up Google Web as your default search
Search for anything on Google as you normally would. After the results appear, look at the URL in your browser's address bar. It will look something like: https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+mfa.
Add &udm=14 to the very end of the URL and press Enter to reload the page. The AI Overview disappears and you're left with traditional blue links the classic Google search experience without any AI-generated content at the top.
This works for any search query by manually editing the URL each time. While more tedious than using the Web filter, it gives you the same result: pure web links without AI interference.
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