Browsers and Mail Enable or Disable On-device Generative AI models in Google Chrome on Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Google Chrome saving Generative AI models on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device.

To provide an enhanced browser experience, Google Chrome uses on-device AI models to help power web and browser features. Chrome may download on-device Generative AI models in the background, so features that rely on these on-device models stay ready for use. If you delete on-device AI models, only features that rely on them will be unavailable.

Some AI features in Chrome do not rely on on-device Generative models, and those features may still run even if the on-device Generative AI models are removed.

On-device Generative AI models enable Chrome to perform AI-powered tasks directly on your device.

These models might be used on features, such as:

• Help with writing or rephrasing text
• Warn you about scams
• Summarize web pages
• Organize your tabs

For these models to work on your device, Chrome downloads and saves a 4GB Gemini Nano AI model on your device in your account's %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\OptGuideOnDeviceModel folder.

When you disable on-device Generative AI models it will:

• Free up space: You free up storage space on your device by deleting the OptGuideOnDeviceModel folder storing saved AI models.
• Feature functionality: Features that rely on the deleted models will no longer work.
• Re-download: To use features that rely on on-device models again, turn on the setting. Re-enabling the setting will allow for the download of AI models. This requires an internet connection, and time to complete depends on the file size and your connection speed.

Reference:



Here's How:

1 Open Google Chrome.

2 Click/tap on the Setting and more (Alt+F) 3 dots button, and click/tap on Settings. (see screenshot below)


3 Click/tap on System in the left pane. (see screenshot below step 4)

If you do not see a left pane, then either click/tap on the 3 bars main menu button towards the top left OR widen the horizontal borders of the Chrome window until you do.

4 Turn On (default) or Off On-device AI for what you want. (see screenshot below)


5 You can now close the Settings tab if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink