To turn off smart features in Gmail, open Gmail on a computer, go to Settings, See all settings, General, and untick Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. That's only one of three separate settings, though: the other two sit under Manage Workspace smart feature settings, and each one works on its own.
Google split the old single control into three: Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet; Smart features in Google Workspace; and Smart features in other Google products. You can have one on and another off, which is why people often switch one off and wonder why Gemini is still summarising their documents.
What each smart features setting controls
| Setting | What it controls | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet | Personalisation inside those three apps | Smart Compose, Smart Reply, summary cards, inbox categories |
| Smart features in Google Workspace | Features across Workspace, including Gemini | Flights from Gmail in Calendar, personalised Drive search, Gemini summaries and drafts |
| Smart features in other Google products | Your Workspace data used outside Workspace (personal accounts) | Maps reservations, Wallet passes, Personal Intelligence |
The Workspace setting is the one that covers asking Gemini to summarise content, create drafts and find key information, plus things like showing flight itineraries and invitations from Gmail in Calendar. Google says turning it off doesn't affect the Gmail, Chat and Meet setting, and the reverse is true too.
How to turn off smart features in Gmail, step by step
- Open Gmail on a computer, click Settings, then See all settings, and stay on the General tab.
- Scroll to Smart features and untick Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet if you want Smart Compose, Smart Reply and the inbox tabs off.
- Scroll to Google Workspace smart features and click Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
- Switch off Smart features in Google Workspace if you don't want Workspace features, including Gemini, using your content.
- Switch off Smart features in other Google products if you don't want Maps and Wallet personalisation.
- Click Save.
Your choice applies across every device and app where you're signed in, though Google says a change made on a computer may not show in the mobile app straight away, so update the app if it looks wrong. You can also change these settings in the Gmail app for Android, iPhone or iPad.
The side effect nobody warns you about
Turning off the Gmail, Chat and Meet setting doesn't just stop Smart Compose. Google lists automatic email filtering and categorisation under it too, which means your Primary, Social and Promotions tabs go, along with the summary cards for things like travel bookings and package tracking. If you rely on those tabs to keep newsletters out of your main inbox, you'll notice straight away.
It also won't switch off every AI feature. Google says some smart features have their own on and off settings and stay on, such as conversation summaries and Smart Reply in Chat. And even with the other Google products setting off, some features still work if you share Workspace data through screen actions or screenshots, for example using screen actions to chat with Gemini Apps.
If you're in the UK or Europe
Google says smart feature settings are off by default if you live in the European Economic Area, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. When they're on, your data may be used to improve the features, and for users in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, Google relies on your consent, which you can take back at any time by switching the relevant setting off.
If you run a team on Google Workspace, your admin can set the default for everyone in the Admin console, using the same three settings.
For your logo in recipients' inboxes, read BIMI.
Which settings to switch off, depending on what you care about
Here's how I'd decide, based on what each switch takes away.
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- If you're privacy minded, switch off all three.
- If you rely on the Primary, Social and Promotions tabs, or on Smart Compose and Smart Reply, leave the Gmail, Chat and Meet setting on and switch off the other two.
- If you like Calendar events pulled from your emails, keyword and file suggestions in Drive, or personalised feature recommendations, leave the Google Workspace setting on.
- If you use restaurant reservations and to-go orders in Maps, suggested tickets, passes and loyalty cards in Wallet, or Personal Intelligence in the Gemini app and in Search, leave Smart features in other Google products on. Google says that one is for personal accounts.
One thing to know before you switch the Workspace or other products settings off. For Calendar, Chat, Drive, Meet and Voice, Google says these settings can only be turned on from a web browser. So if you change your mind later, do it on a computer rather than hunting for the switch in an app on your phone.
If you send to a list, doing a mail merge in Gmail shows how.
My verdict
If privacy is your main worry, switch off all three settings and accept that you'll lose the inbox tabs and a few handy shortcuts. If you mostly want Gemini out of your documents but like Smart Compose and your Promotions tab, leave the Gmail one on and switch off the Workspace one. Either way, don't assume one switch has removed every AI feature, because Google says some keep their own. If you want Gemini gone from your phone too, see my guide on turning off Gemini on Android, and if you'd rather keep it and make it useful, here's how to use Gemini in Gmail.
Frequently asked questions
Does turning off smart features in Gmail remove the Promotions tab?
Yes. Google lists automatic email filtering and categorisation, which includes the Primary, Social and Promotions tabs, under the Gmail, Chat and Meet smart features setting.
Does turning off smart features turn off Gemini?
Gemini summaries and drafts in Workspace sit under the separate Smart features in Google Workspace setting, so switch that one off too. Google says some features keep their own settings.
Are Gmail smart features on by default in the UK?
No. Google says smart feature settings are off by default in the European Economic Area, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Can I turn off smart features on my phone?
Yes. Google says you can change the settings in the Gmail app for Android, iPhone or iPad, and changes apply across your signed in devices.
Can a Workspace admin control smart features?
Yes. Google says Workspace admins can set smart feature defaults for users in the Admin console.
