As of October 2026, TikTok doesn't document any setting to turn off AI summaries. A search of TikTok's own help centre for AI summary brings up articles on AI Alive, AI-generated content and accessibility, but nothing about switching summaries off. What TikTok does offer is Manage topics, a slider in Content preferences that changes how much of each topic you see in your For You feed, plus a caption switch and a test control for AI-generated content.
I wish I had a neat three tap answer for you, but I'd rather tell you the truth than copy the guesses going round in videos. Here's what TikTok's own pages say exists, and what you can do today.
Is there an official off switch?
Not one that TikTok has published. When I searched TikTok's help centre for AI, it returned six articles: AI Alive, About AI-generated content, Accessibility for watching videos, Restricted Mode, Log in with a passkey, and For parents and guardians. None of them covers AI summaries. A search for AI summary returned a similar list, again with nothing on turning a summary off.
That means any step by step you see elsewhere is someone's own workaround, not a TikTok setting. Features like this are often tested on some accounts before others, so if a summary appears for you and not for a friend, that's probably why. TikTok hasn't said how its testing works for this feature.
The settings that do exist
| Setting | Where to find it | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Manage topics | Settings and privacy, then Content preferences, then Manage topics | How much of each topic you see in your For You feed |
| AI-generated content control | Inside Manage topics, where available | How much AI-generated content you see in For You (TikTok announced it as a test) |
| Show captions | Share button on a post, then Captions | Turns auto-generated captions on or off while you watch |
| AI-generated content label | More options when you post | Labels your own AI-made posts for viewers |
How to use Manage topics
This is the most useful official control, and it's quick to change:
- In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
- Tap the Menu button at the top, then select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Content preferences, then tap Manage topics.
- Move the slider to adjust how much you want to see of each topic.
- Tap Save at the top to confirm.
You can also reach it from any video: tap Share, then Why this video, then Adjust your For You, then Manage topics.
TikTok's help page adds two things to know. The preference only applies to your For You feed, so your Following feed, profile and inbox aren't affected. And it might take some time for TikTok to personalise your feed after you change it, so give it a few days.
The AI-generated content control
In November 2025 TikTok's newsroom announced it would start testing a new AI-generated content control inside Manage topics, so people can choose how much AI-generated content they want in their For You feed. TikTok was clear that, like its other topic sliders, it's meant to tailor your feed rather than remove content entirely.
If you open Manage topics and see an AI option, slide it down. If you don't see one, it hasn't reached your account yet. It isn't a switch for summaries, but it's the closest official tool TikTok has described for seeing less AI.
Turning off auto-generated captions
If the text you want gone is auto-generated captions on videos, TikTok does give you a switch:
- Go to the post with captions.
- Tap the Share button on the side of the post.
- Tap Captions at the bottom. You may need to scroll across to find it.
- Turn the Show captions setting off.
TikTok notes you can only manage captions when the post contains them. Captions help a lot of viewers, so I'd only turn them off if they get in your way. If you're a creator, I've written about how to add captions on TikTok so your own videos stay accessible.
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Other things that help
- Use the Not interested option on posts you don't want. TikTok's Manage topics page says you can share feedback that you're not interested in certain content while your feed adjusts.
- Keep the TikTok app updated, so any new control TikTok rolls out reaches you.
- Report a post that breaks TikTok's AI rules, using Misinformation, then Deepfakes, synthetic media and manipulated media.
If you're a creator worried about AI on your videos
Plenty of the business owners I talk to ask this from the other side: they don't want AI text sitting over their own content. TikTok hasn't published a creator setting for summaries either. What you control is how your posts are labelled. TikTok asks creators to label content that's completely generated or significantly edited by AI, and requires a label on realistic AI content. It also says turning on the AI-generated content label won't affect your video's distribution as long as the video follows its Community Guidelines.
The best defence is a clear caption that says exactly what your video covers, written by you. That way, whatever TikTok shows around it, your own words lead. If you're planning posts, my ChatGPT prompts for TikTok videos can help you draft them faster, then make the caption your own.
My advice
Don't waste an evening hunting for a toggle TikTok hasn't documented. Set Manage topics the way you want it, slide down AI content if the control has reached you, switch off captions only if they bother you, and check the app after updates. I'll be watching TikTok's help centre, and if an official switch appears, that's the first place it'll be.
Frequently asked questions
Can you turn off AI summary on TikTok?
As of October 2026, TikTok's help centre doesn't document a setting to turn off AI summaries.
How do I see less AI content on TikTok?
Use Manage topics in Settings and privacy, then Content preferences. TikTok announced it was testing an AI-generated content control there to let people choose how much AI content they see in For You.
Does Manage topics affect my Following feed?
No. TikTok says topic preferences only apply to your For You feed, not your Following feed, profile or inbox.
How do I turn off auto captions on TikTok?
Tap Share on the post, tap Captions, then turn the Show captions setting off. You can only manage captions when the post contains them.
Will labelling my video as AI-generated hurt my reach?
TikTok says turning on the AI-generated content setting won't affect distribution as long as the video doesn't violate its Community Guidelines.
