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How to Remove Chrome’s Downloaded On-Device AI Models

Chrome’s supported way to remove downloaded on-device AI models is to switch off On-device AI in Settings. Here’s what changes and why you should avoid manual file deletion.
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To remove Chrome’s downloaded on-device generative AI models, open More > Settings > AI innovations and switch On-device AI off. Google says Chrome deletes the model files and does not download them again while the setting remains off. This is the supported removal method; Google does not recommend finding and deleting the files manually.

Turn off On-device AI in Chrome

  1. Open Chrome on your computer and select More (the three-dot menu).

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  2. Choose Settings > AI innovations.

  3. Switch On-device AI off.

If your Chrome version uses different labels, search Settings for “On-device AI.” The setting’s availability and wording can vary by device and Chrome version. Google describes this toggle as the supported way to manage Chrome’s on-device generative AI models: Manage on-device generative AI models in Chrome.

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What happens when you switch it off?

Chrome deletes its on-device generative AI model files and will not download them again while On-device AI remains off. Features that depend on those models stop working. If you turn the setting back on, Chrome may download models again when a feature needs them and the device meets the current requirements. Google’s help page describes this behavior in its model-management instructions.

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Which Chrome features may be affected?

On-device models can support tasks such as helping write or rephrase text, warning about scams, summarizing web pages, and organizing tabs. The effect is not necessarily a shutdown of every AI feature in Chrome: some features do not depend on these on-device generative models and may continue to work.

Chrome’s built-in AI model lifecycle is browser-managed. Its developer documentation explains that model downloads can be initiated when an API is first used, and that the browser manages model downloads, updates, and purges. The built-in model management guide was published on October 21, 2025. The Prompt API documentation notes that the model is downloaded separately the first time an origin uses the API. These are developer details; for ordinary browser use, the Settings toggle is the relevant removal control.

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Why manual file deletion is not recommended

Google does not recommend locating and deleting Chrome’s model files yourself. Manual deletion may not prevent Chrome from downloading them again, because model management is controlled by the On-device AI setting. Clearing the ordinary browser cache or deleting a guessed folder is not Google’s supported removal procedure.

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Why the setting or models may be unavailable

Chrome does not offer on-device AI on every device. Google says a device must be eligible before Chrome downloads the models. The current Chrome Help page lists an unmetered network connection, sufficient device performance, and approximately 20 GB of free disk space among the requirements. That 20 GB figure is an approximate free-space prerequisite, not the size of the downloaded model; Google says requirements can change.

On a Chrome Enterprise device, an administrator’s policy may govern model downloads and use. If the setting is missing or managed, check with your organization’s administrator rather than trying to override device controls.

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Choose whether to keep the feature enabled

Choice What it means
Keep On-device AI on Chrome can retain access to features that rely on on-device models and manage model downloads when needed, subject to device eligibility.
Turn On-device AI off Chrome deletes the on-device generative AI model files and does not download them again while the setting stays off; dependent features stop working.

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