Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into Gmail, offering features that can help users summarise emails, draft replies, find information and manage their inboxes. While these tools can save time, they have also raised questions about email privacy and how personal information is processed.
Many users receive sensitive information through email, including financial statements, business communications, personal conversations, passwords and important documents. For people who prefer to keep their inbox content away from AI-powered features, reviewing Gmail’s privacy settings can provide greater control.
Google provides several settings that allow users to manage how their Gmail and Google Workspace information is used for smart features and AI-powered experiences.
The good news is that users can disable these features without deleting their Gmail accounts or losing access to their emails.
How to Turn Off Gemini-Related Features in Gmail on a Computer
Users can change their Gmail privacy preferences through the settings menu on a desktop or laptop.
Follow these steps:
- Open Gmail in your web browser.
- Click the Settings gear icon in the upper-right corner.
- Select “See all settings.”
- Open the “General” tab.
- Scroll down to the “Smart features” section.
- Find “Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.”
- Uncheck the option to disable these features.
This setting controls features such as Smart Compose, Smart Reply, automatic email categorisation and certain email summary cards.
However, disabling this option alone does not switch off all Google Workspace features connected to your account.
Turn Off Additional Google Workspace Smart Features
To manage the broader use of Gmail content across Google’s services, users should review another important setting.
Follow these instructions:
- Return to Gmail’s “General” settings.
- Find the “Google Workspace smart features” section.
- Click “Manage Workspace smart feature settings.”
- Turn off “Smart features in Google Workspace.”
- Turn off “Smart features in other Google products” if you also want to restrict those experiences.
- Click “Save” to apply the changes.
These settings control different experiences. The Google Workspace option covers features such as Gemini integration across Workspace services, while the other Google products setting controls certain personalised experiences outside Workspace.
How to Disable Smart Features on Android and iPhone
Mobile users can also manage their Gmail privacy settings through the application.
On Android devices, the process is straightforward:
- Open the Gmail application.
- Tap the three-line menu in the upper-left corner.
- Select “Settings.”
- Choose the Google account you want to update.
- Scroll to the “General” section.
- Find “Smart features” and disable the option.
To manage additional Workspace settings, return to the account settings and select “Google Workspace smart features.” Users can then switch off the relevant options.
On iPhones and iPads, users can access the corresponding smart feature controls through Gmail settings. The available options may vary depending on the app version and account type.
What Happens After Turning Off These Features?
Disabling Gmail and Google Workspace smart features can affect several convenient services.
Users may lose access to Smart Compose, Smart Reply, automatic inbox categorisation, certain email summaries and Gemini-powered Workspace experiences that rely on the relevant settings.
However, disabling these features does not delete existing emails, contacts or attachments. Users can continue sending and receiving messages through Gmail.
It is also important to understand that turning off these settings does not mean every Google service or AI feature is automatically disabled. Other services may have separate privacy controls.
Google’s official guidance explains that the smart feature settings operate independently. Turning off one setting does not automatically disable the others.
For people concerned about digital privacy, checking these controls regularly can help ensure that their account preferences remain aligned with their expectations.
As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into everyday online services, understanding data permissions and privacy settings is becoming increasingly important.
Users who prefer a traditional email experience can review these options and decide which smart features they want to keep enabled and which they would rather disable.