How to use Google Search without the new AI mode and get back to classic search

¿How to use Google Search without the new AI mode? Google is radically changing the way we search the internetThe new AI Mode and AI-powered Overview feature have taken center stage on the results page, generating comprehensive answers instead of simply displaying a list of links. This is very convenient, but it also raises questions: what if you don't want that layer of artificial intelligence and prefer the classic, traditional search?

In recent weeks, AI Mode and AI Search have begun rolling out in more countries, including Spain.and already coexist with traditional search. While Google boasts of a more powerful, conversational, and personalized system, many users are wondering how to continue using Google Search without this new AI-based mode, or at least how to better control it and limit the use of their personal data.

What exactly is Google's AI Mode and how does it work?

The so-called AI Mode is Google's most advanced AI-powered search experience.It is part of Search Labs' experimental features and is presented as a mix between a Gemini-type chatbot and the AI-created Overview that appears at the top of many search results.

When you activate this function, You can ask questions in natural language using text, voice, or even images and PDF files.Instead of simply displaying links, the system generates a comprehensive, organized response with additional links for further exploration. The model divides your query into several internal subtopics, performs simultaneous web searches, and then combines those results to provide a more integrated explanation.

On a technical level, AI Mode relies on Google's deep understanding of the search index and in language models from the Gemini family specifically trained for search. This allows it to reason, summarize, and structure information, and even continue a conversation with several follow-up questions on the same topic.

One important difference from the simple AI-generated Overview is that, in AI Mode, The interaction is continuous and contextual.You can ask a general question, refine it, change focus (for example, go from a classic paella to a vegetarian version) or ask for extra examples without having to redo the search from scratch.

However, Google acknowledges that AI Mode can still make mistakes, misinterpret content, or overlook important nuancesThat's why it includes Like and Dislike buttons in every response and encourages users to submit detailed feedback to refine the system's quality over time.

How to access AI Mode and AI Search functions

For those who do want to use it, Google offers several ways to enter AI ModeThis applies to both computers and mobile devices. It's also important to be aware of them if your goal is to do the exact opposite: avoid them or minimize their use.

Currently, you can access AI Mode in three main ways:

• From the direct URL: entering the specific page google.com/ai, where the AI-powered search experience opens directly.
• From the Google homepage: accessing www.google.comby typing a question in the search bar and pressing the button AI Mode which appears as an option at the top or next to the box.
• From the Google app on your mobileOn the application's main screen, you will see the button for AI Mode, which leads you to this conversational experience.

Within AI Mode, You can ask by typing, speaking into the microphone, or uploading images and PDF files.The system is responsible for generating the response, suggesting new related questions, linking to relevant websites, and storing your history so you can resume past conversations.

Furthermore, from Search Labs, It is possible to activate additional experimental features linked to AI Mode, such as new response formats, visual testing, or future integrations with more services in the Google ecosystem.

Gemini 3 Pro, fast models and differences between modes

At the heart of all this are the Gemini family models. In particular, Gemini 3 Pro integrates AI Mode as the most powerful reasoning optiondesigned for complex queries, detailed analysis, image generation, and graphic content.

When you choose Gemini 3 Pro in the model menu (on the website it appears in the "Ask a question" dropdown and in AI Mode as the "Pro" selector), You get deeper answers, a better understanding of the context, and extra capabilities, as:

• Advanced image generation For users over 18 years old, with creation of new illustrations, photo editing, infographics and diagrams.
• Dynamic visual designs in the interface, with interactive simulations to better understand certain concepts.
• Greater step-by-step reasoning ability for difficult or multilayered questions.

In parallel there is the "Fast" or rapid model, which prioritizes speed while maintaining reasonably high quality For most everyday inquiries. It is usually sufficient for informational questions, general recommendations, or brief explanations.

Yes indeed, Gemini 3 Pro is not available to everyoneFor now, it's limited to English and only available to subscribers over 18 years old in certain countries who already subscribe to Google AI Plus, Pro, or Ultra plans. There are also daily usage limits that depend on your plan and overall demand.

If you're concerned about privacy, you should keep in mind that To use Gemini 3 Pro in AI Mode, you need to log in with a personal Google account that you manage yourself.Accounts managed by companies or institutions may have restrictions or may not offer access to these features at all.

How AI Mode uses your data and what “Personalized Intelligence” is

One of the most delicate points of Google's new search approach is the deep personalization based on your personal dataAI Mode doesn't just draw from the public web index; it can also take into account your search history, Maps data, and, in the future, information from other applications like Gmail or Google Drive.

Under the name of Personalized intelligenceGoogle offers a feature that uses your past searches and activity on Search and Maps to tailor answers, suggestions, and recommendations to your tastes and interests. This option is currently limited to users over 18 in the US who have Web & App Activity and Search Personalization enabled.

Furthermore, Google has begun to speak openly about the fact that, In the future, AI Mode will be able to access data from your content appsStarting with Gmail and Google Photos, and presumably expanding to other Workspace services. The idea is that AI can:

• Summarize emails or long threads.
• List pending tasks based on messages and calendar events.
• Search for relevant information in Drive documents or in your photos.

In practice, this would mean that Google would have even more context about your personal and professional life.Conversations, locations, commitments, interests, etc. In the company's view, this allows for much more useful and personalized responses; for many people, however, it is an unprecedented invasion of privacy.

How your data is used to train the models also matters. Google explains that Interactions with Search and with generative AI experiences are used to improve their systemsThis includes the topics you search for, the comments you submit, and some of the associated content. They employ human reviewers who evaluate results, although they assure users that the data is anonymized, disconnected from accounts, and that sensitive personal information is filtered out.

If you don't want to Future searches associated with your account will be used to improve Search AIYou can disable the Web & App Activity option from the "My Activity" page in Google. This prevents new history from being saved to your account, although Google may still use aggregated and anonymized data to train its models.

How to continue using Google Search without the new AI mode (or almost)

If what you want is Avoid AI Overview and AI Mode as much as possibleThere's no magic switch in the settings to turn everything off... but there are several practical solutions that, in practice, bring back an experience very similar to the old "link list".

Use the “Web” filter on the results page

The simplest and most universal option is Use the "Web" filter that appears just below the search bar When you perform a search on Google, this filter forces Google to show only standard web page results, eliminating:

• The AI-generated overview at the top.
• Enriched result blocks in many cases.
• The AI-powered summary presentation.

You're left with practically Classic Google based on blue links and text snippets, without summaries generated by language models. However, you have to remember to click "Web" every time you do a search... unless you change your browser settings so that this filter is always applied, as we'll see later.

Add “-AI” to the end of each search

Another quick, though somewhat more rudimentary, technique is add the term "-AI" to the end of your queriesThis works like an operator that tells Google you want to exclude results related to “AI”, which in practice reduces the appearance of AI blocks and prioritizes traditional results.

It's not as clean a solution as a web filter, but it can serve as a substitute. simple mental shortcutEvery time you type a search and don't want any AI involved, you add "-AI" and that's it. It's not perfect, but it helps mitigate some of the new behavior.

Set “Google Web” as the default search engine

If you don't want to be constantly tweaking filters or manually adding operators, You can configure an alternative search engine in your browser that points directly to Google's "Web" mode.Basically, you use Google, but by forcing the parameter that disables the AI ​​overview.

In Chrome for Windows or macOS you can do it like this:

1. Open your browser settings and go to the search engines section (you can paste it into the address bar). chrome://settings/searchEngines).
2. In "Site Search", click "Add".
3. Fill in the fields with something like:
   Search Engine: Google Web
   Direct access: @web
   URL: {google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14
4. Save and, in the engine list, set Google Web as default.

That parameter udm=14 is what forces classic Web modeThis way, every time you search from the address bar, you'll go directly to a version of Google without AI Overview instead of the new experience.

In Firefox, the process is similar but even simpler:

1. Perform a Google search using a URL with the Web parameter, for example: https://www.google.com/search?q=tuta&udm=14.
2. Right-click on the address bar and select "Add Google Web".
3. Go to Settings > Search and choose Google Web as the default search engine.

On Linux with Firefox you can do the same and more, save a bookmark to that version of Google with the Web parameter to ensure that you always access the AI-free Overview search when you open that URL.

Avoid the AI ​​Overview on mobile (Android and iOS and Safari)

There are also ways to minimize the impact of AI on search on mobile. Although there isn't a universal button to turn it off, You can combine the use of the Web filter with some specific browser settings..

In Chrome for Android or iOS, a practical way to do this is:

1. Open a new tab and do a normal Google search.
2. Tap the menu button (three dots) and enter "Settings".
3. In "Search engine", select "Google Web" if it appears in the "Recently visited" section (after having previously used the URL with the Web parameter).

This tells Chrome that, by default, Use the Google variant without AI Overviewachieving a desktop-like experience.

In Safari on iPhone or macOS, there isn't as much room for custom engines, but The "Web" filter is always available at the top of the results.That's all it takes:

1. Perform a Google search from Safari.
2. In the filter bar (Images, News, Videos, etc.), slide to the left until you see "Web".
3. Tap on "Web" to remove the AI ​​Overview and see only classic results.

If you repeat this gesture every time you do important searches, You'll practically be avoiding AI mode and its generated summaries., at least in that session.

AI Mode history management and privacy control

Even if you manage to reduce the appearance of AI in search results, it is essential Review how your activity is stored and how you can delete it.especially if you've ever used AI Mode or AI Search and don't want that history to keep accumulating.

From the AI ​​Mode interface itself, on your computer, you can:

1. Access AI Mode and, in the left-hand menu, press "History of AI Mode" to view previous queries associated with your account.
2. Select individual searches and click on "Delete" to remove them from that history.
3. At the top, use the option "Delete everything" If you want to completely clear the AI ​​Mode history.
4. Also go to the main page of Google Search History to delete any AI Mode-related activity that has been saved there.

Keep in mind that even if you delete items from the AI ​​Mode history, They may continue to appear for a short time in "My Activity"Google indicates that they should disappear automatically in less than 24 hours, although you can always get ahead of it and delete them manually from that section.

Furthermore, there is an important nuance: if an interaction started with an AI-generated Overview and then you pressed “Drill into AI Mode”You might find two separate entries in your history: one for the original search and another for the subsequent conversation. To erase all traces of that search from both sites, you'll need to delete both entries.

On the other hand, if you want to New searches are no longer used to train Search's generative AIThe key is to disable the Web and App Activity option. This is done from the "My Activity" page in Google, where you can:

• Pause saving of future activity.
• Configure automatic deletions at regular intervals.
• Review and selectively delete past activity.

However, searches that have already been disconnected from your account for training models are saved separately and They are not deleted even if you clear your Search historyThey continue to exist in aggregated and anonymous form to improve AI.

Real advantages of AI Mode… and its less obvious risks

Once you understand how it all works and how to avoid it, it's worth it. Carefully consider what AI Mode offers and what it sacrifices.Because the user experience changes a lot, for better and for worse.

On the positive side, the overall impression after trying it is that AI Mode saves a huge amount of time on complex searchesInstead of opening ten tabs, reading long articles, and watching YouTube videos full of fluff, you get a well-organized summary that:

• Gather equipment, rules, strategies or steps (as in the example of learning to play pickleball or improving at padel).
• It aggregates various sources (blogs, official websites, Wikipedia, videos) and distills them into a manageable response.
• It allows you to ask follow-up questions without changing pages or rewriting everything.

It is also very useful for very specific personal questionsThese are questions that perhaps no one has answered directly in a single article, but which can be pieced together by combining Reddit threads, videos, and specialized blogs. A typical example would be: "I play padel but I lose against lower-level players, what should I do?" The AI ​​synthesizes advice scattered across the web and condenses it into an action plan.

At the level of product or service recommendations, such as "best dentists in Pamplona", the AI ​​Mode Use Google Maps reviews and ratings to suggest specific optionsIt usually does a reasonably good job, ordering by score and number of reviews, although it doesn't always nail the optimal ranking if you look closely and compare all the results one by one.

The big problem is that, With this approach, Google goes from being a simple index of the Web to becoming a guardian of knowledge.You no longer see the sources as clearly, nor do you decide what to read; AI filters, prioritizes, and summarizes. This has several important implications:

• You lose visibility of the original sourcesIf you don't click on the recommended links, you'll only get the version "chewed" by Google.
• Bias increasesThe AI ​​interprets what it thinks interests you and presents it to you in a personalized way, putting you in a tailor-made information bubble.
• The monopoly is reinforcedWebsites become even more dependent on Google's algorithms to be cited or integrated into these generated responses.

And then there's the issue of privacy. Every new AI search feature means that Google collects more data, from more sites, and with more context.If the step is taken to massively connect AI Mode with Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, each search could be supported by your private emails, work documents, and personal photos, creating a highly detailed profile of your life.

Furthermore, recent history demonstrates that many large technology companies They tend to activate AI functions and model training almost by default.without the user being entirely clear about where they have given their consent and for what purpose. We have already seen cases with LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and other services where there is no clear option to completely disable the integrated AI.

Therefore, if you value your privacy and your informational autonomy, you might prefer to combine the best of both worlds: Use AI Mode only for very complex or specific queriesbut maintain by default access to a classic search, either with the Web filter, or with alternative engines such as DuckDuckGo, Qwant, Ecosia, Brave Search, Startpage or MetaGer.

Today, Google's AI Search is very powerful and, used wisely, can greatly help guide you and save hours of scattered reading; however, If you want to maintain control, the most sensible thing to do is learn how to force "Web" mode, manage your history, limit the activity saved to your account, and decide for yourself when to allow AI into your searches and when not..