I hate having Gemini in Google Messages — here’s how to hide it

Many users have expressed frustration over Gemini showing up in Google apps without explicit permission, but Google continues to integrate the AI assistant across various services. Gemini has now made its way to Google Messages, appearing above the start chat icon. If you wish to avoid this shortcut, there is a way to disable it.

To do so, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, go to Messages settings, then General. From there, select Gemini in Messages and turn off the toggle for Show Gemini button. Although this removes the shortcut, it does not fully eliminate Gemini's functionality within Google Messages. The shortcut will still appear when you click the Start chat button, even if you haven't granted Gemini access to your contacts or opted into the service.

This situation highlights Google's limited options for users to control AI features across its apps.