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How to Stop Chrome from Downloading On-Device AI Models

Use Chrome’s Settings > AI Innovations page to turn off On-device AI, remove local model files, and prevent redownloads while the setting stays off.
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To stop Chrome from downloading its on-device generative AI models, open More > Settings > AI Innovations and turn On-device AI off. Chrome removes the model files and will not download them again while the setting remains off. Features that depend on those models will stop working.

Turn off On-device AI in Chrome

  1. Open Chrome on your computer.
  2. Select More (the three-dot menu), then Settings.
  3. Select AI Innovations.
  4. Turn On-device AI off.

Google identifies this toggle as the only supported way to manage Chrome’s on-device generative AI models. Google Chrome Help: Manage on-device Generative AI models in Chrome

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What changes after you turn it off

  • Chrome deletes its on-device generative AI model files from your device.
  • Features that rely on those models stop working. Chrome will not download the models again while the toggle is off, even if you try to use a feature that needs them.
  • Some other Chrome AI features may continue to work if they do not rely on these on-device models.
  • To use model-dependent features again, turn the setting back on. Chrome can then download the models it needs when your device meets the requirements.

The control applies per user and per device: people sharing a computer can have separate settings, and the same person can choose different settings on different devices.

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Why Chrome may download models in the first place

Chrome downloads on-device models only on eligible devices with supported hardware. Google lists an unmetered network connection, sufficient device performance, and approximately 20 GB of free disk space among the download requirements. The 20 GB figure is a minimum free-space condition, not the size of the models. Google notes that specific device requirements can change over time. Google Chrome Help: Manage on-device Generative AI models in Chrome

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For a managed Chrome browser

In an organization using Chrome Enterprise, the administrator controls model download and use through policy. Google’s policy reference describes Local foundational model settings, which govern how Chrome downloads the foundational generative AI model and uses it for local inference. The documented default is automatic download; administrators can select Do not download model. The documentation also mentions Component updates as another way to prevent model downloading. Chrome Enterprise and Education Help: Set Chrome policies for users or browsers

Ask your administrator if the setting is managed or unavailable in Chrome. Administrators should verify the policy’s current configuration and scope in their deployment; the consumer toggle and enterprise policy are different control paths.

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Why not delete the files manually?

Google does not recommend hunting for or manually deleting model files. Manual deletion is not the supported management method and may not prevent Chrome from downloading them again. Use the On-device AI toggle instead.

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