How To Turn Off AI Overview On Google | Get Classic Results

AI Overviews can be handy when you want a fast snapshot. They can also be a pain when you’re trying to skim sources yourself, compare pages, or just get the plain list of blue links.

If you landed here because you want a simple off switch, you’re not alone. Google doesn’t offer a single universal “disable” button that removes AI Overviews from all results for all users all the time. What you can do is control what you see, query by query, and in many cases set up your browser so you land on classic Web results by default.

What AI Overviews Are And Why They Show Up

AI Overviews are generative summaries that can appear at the top of Google Search results when Google’s systems decide a quick summary may help. They often include links, but they can also push the usual results farther down the page.

Google has described AI Overviews as a core Search feature that’s been expanded and updated over time. That’s why you may see them appear more often than you did at first, and why the “turn it off” idea tends to run into limits.

Before You Start: The Two Real Goals

Most people asking how to turn off AI Overviews want one of these outcomes:

• Classic results right now for a single search, with no extra setup.
• Classic results by default from the address bar or your phone’s browser, so you don’t keep repeating the same steps.

This article gives you both, starting with the fastest click-level fixes, then moving into “set it once” browser setups.

Fastest Method: Use The Web Filter Each Time

The quickest way to avoid the summary block is to switch your results to Web-only results after you search.

1. Run your search on Google.
2. Under the search bar, find the row of filters (All, Images, News, Videos, and so on).
3. Select Web. On some layouts it sits under a More menu.

When you’re in Web results, you’ll usually see the classic list of results with fewer extras. This is the simplest habit to build if you don’t want to touch browser settings.

Mobile Tip: The Web Filter Is Often Hidden

On phones, the filter row can be scrollable. Swipe the filter row left and right to reveal Web. If you don’t see it, tap More and look for Web there.

If you use the Google app, the same idea applies, but the placement of Web can shift between app updates. When you can’t spot it, open the same search in your mobile browser and use Web there.

Reliable Trick: Force Web-Style Results With A URL Parameter

If you want classic results without hunting for the Web filter each time, you can use a Web-mode URL approach. This method works by adding a parameter to the Google results URL so the results load in Web-style mode.

At a basic level, you:

• Search on Google as usual, then
• Edit the URL by adding the Web-mode parameter, then
• Reload the page.

Once you confirm it works for you, you can take the next step and make your browser send searches to that Web-style format automatically.

When This Works Best

This approach is great when you use Google from a browser address bar, or when you want to save a bookmark that always opens results in Web-style mode.

It can break if Google changes how the parameter works. That’s the trade-off: it’s practical, but it’s not a formal “setting” exposed as a tidy switch.

Make Web Results The Default In Chrome (Desktop)

If you’re using Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux, or ChromeOS, you can set up a custom search engine entry so searches from the address bar open in Web-style results.

1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://settings/searchEngines.
2. Find the area for managing search engines or site search.
3. Add a new search engine entry.
4. Use Google’s search URL format, then include the Web-mode parameter in the URL template.
5. Set that new entry as the default for address bar searches.

Once set, typing searches into the address bar routes you into Web-style results without extra taps.

Make It Stick With A Keyword Shortcut

Even if you don’t want it as your default, a custom entry can be handy as a quick shortcut. Assign it a short keyword, then type that keyword plus your search terms in the address bar to jump straight into Web-style results.

Do The Same In Edge, Brave, And Other Chromium Browsers

Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, and many other browsers share similar “manage search engines” settings because they’re built on Chromium.

Look for a menu like:

• Settings → Search engine → Manage search engines

Add a custom search entry that uses Google, then include the Web-mode parameter in the search URL template. After that, set it as default or keep it as a shortcut.

Firefox Option: Add A Keyword Bookmark For Web Results

Firefox has a simple trick that doesn’t need an extension.

1. Run a Google search in Firefox.
2. Adjust the results URL to include the Web-mode parameter.
3. Bookmark that results page.
4. Edit the bookmark and assign it a keyword.
5. Type the keyword plus your query in the address bar.

This gives you a repeatable “classic results” route without changing your default search engine.

Ways To Turn Off AI Overview On Google Without Breaking Your Flow

There isn’t one perfect method for everyone. The best pick depends on where you search (desktop vs. phone), and whether you search from the address bar, Google.com, or the Google app.

Query Habits That Reduce AI Overviews

Even without settings changes, you can lower how often Overviews show by adjusting how you search.

Use Specific Page-Finding Queries

If you’re looking for an exact page, search like you’re telling Google what to fetch:

• Include the product name, model, and the doc type (PDF, manual, release notes).
• Add a site limiter like site:example.com when you know the source.
• Add quoted phrases when you know the exact wording you want to match.

These queries often behave more like classic lookup searches, which tends to favor a standard results layout.

Ask For Sources First

When you’re researching, shape the query toward sources, not summaries. Try searches that include terms like “documentation,” “spec,” “RFC,” “paper,” “release notes,” or “API reference.”

You still might see an Overview, but you’ll usually pull more link-rich results higher up.

Extension And Blocker Routes: Useful, But Keep Them Lean

Browser extensions and content blockers can hide page elements, including parts of Search layouts. This can work, but it comes with two downsides:

• Google can change the layout and break the rule set.
• Some filters can hide things you still want, like “People also ask” or knowledge panels.

If you try this route, keep your blocker rules simple. Test after each browser update so you notice breakage early.

Troubleshooting: Why AI Overviews Keep Coming Back

You’re Using The Google App

The Google app can behave differently from a browser. If you want repeatable control, run searches in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge and use the Web filter or Web-mode setup there.

You’re Signed In On One Device, Not The Other

Signed-in vs. signed-out sessions can show slightly different layouts. If your desktop setup works but your phone doesn’t, check whether you’re using the same account state in both places.

Your Browser Is Using A Different Default Search URL

Custom search engine entries depend on the URL template being correct. If you still see Overviews, double-check that:

• You set the custom entry as default (if that’s your goal).
• You’re searching from the address bar, not from a new tab widget that uses a different provider.
• The search template includes the Web-mode parameter in the right spot.

Google Changed The Layout Again

Search UI shifts often. If the Web filter moved, look under More. If your Web-mode setup stops working, switch back to the Web filter while you adjust the URL template.

Browser Setup Recipes That People Stick With

If you want a “set it once” approach, these setups tend to feel natural after a day or two.

A Clean “No Fuss” Routine For Research Sessions

If you do research-heavy work, a simple routine keeps you in classic results without tinkering every time:

1. Start your session in a desktop browser with a Web-mode default search entry.
2. Open results you trust in new tabs and scan sources first.
3. If you switch to mobile, use Web filter when the layout gets noisy.

This setup keeps your attention on sources, not on fighting the interface.

What You Can And Can’t Do Right Now

Here’s the straight answer: you can’t count on a permanent global off switch that removes AI Overviews from every Google Search result for every account. You can, though, make your day-to-day searches behave like classic results with the Web filter and Web-mode setups.

If you want the closest feel to “off,” the custom search engine approach on desktop tends to deliver the best experience, because it removes the extra step. On mobile, Web filter is usually the fastest move that still stays stable across UI updates.

Google has publicly shared that AI Overviews are part of how it’s evolving Search, and it has posted updates on changes it has made based on feedback. If you want to track how Google frames the feature, these official posts are a good place to start reading.

Google’s own write-ups on AI Overviews and ongoing Search changes are here:
AI Overviews update
and here:
AI in Search update.

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