I had an interesting experience recently while trying to write an article on Google Docs. As soon as I opened the document, a text box appeared, encouraging me to “write with Gemini.” I searched for a way to dismiss this intrusive AI prompt, but I couldn’t find any option to do so, which only added to my frustration.
Now, rather than focusing on my intended article, I’m sharing how to rid your Google Docs of these pesky AI notifications, as it took me some time to figure it out.
What exactly is going on here, and why won’t it just disappear?
The first method to eliminate the AI disruption is quite simple:
1. Click on “Gemini” in the top menu bar above your document. 2. In the drop-down menu, choose “bottom bar preferences.”
Once in this section, you can opt to disable the bottom bar, effectively removing that AI box from your screen.
To be honest, my frustration initially prevented me from seeing the “bottom bar preferences” option when I first looked. I mistakenly clicked “Ask something else” and requested Gemini to help me eliminate itself from my workspace. In what felt like a survival response, Gemini suggested I click the “X” icon. However, this action only closed the conversation, leaving Gemini intact—suspicious, to say the least!
Other disgruntled Google Docs users have also mentioned a “help me write” feature that hovers near your cursor while you type. This sounds problematic, so it’s probably wise to disable it before it becomes a nuisance. As Benjamin Franklin famously noted, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”—in this case, I’m talking about product usability.
Rather than disabling each AI feature one by one, you can turn off “smart features” for your entire Google Workspace via Gmail:
1. Open your Gmail inbox. 2. Locate and click the gear icon for Settings. 3. At the top of the menu, select “See all settings.” (While you’re here, why not choose a fun theme for your inbox?)
Once you’re in “See all settings,” scroll to the middle of the page to find “Google Workspace smart features” and click on “Manage Workspace smart feature settings.”
Here, you’ll see two options: one to toggle off smart features for Google Workspace (this will eliminate those distracting Gemini pop-ups in Google Docs) and another for different smart features that you may find less annoying. Personally, I opted to disable the first option, but if you dislike automatic calendar event creation from Gmail for your flights or similar features, you can adjust those settings here as well.
Now, with these adjustments made, you can enjoy a distraction-free writing experience in Google Docs. Breathe easy knowing those annoying Gemini alerts won’t disrupt your workflow anymore.
