Bing Now Lets You Turn Off AI Answers - Here's How (and the Same Trick for Google)

Bing now has an official off switch for its AI answers - here is the one-word trick that works today, the extension that makes it stick, and the same fix for Google.

Microsoft announced two ways to hide AI answers in Bing on 11 November 2026.

The quickest one needs nothing installed - you just add -ai to your search.

The other is a browser extension, and it comes with a catch worth knowing before you click Install.

The Fast Way: Add -ai to Your Search

Type your search as normal, then add a space and -ai at the end. For example: why is the sky blue -ai.

Bing skips the AI-written answer and shows you the familiar list of links. In Microsoft's words, "Simply add -ai to any Bing search to get results without AI-generated answers."

It works one search at a time, in any browser, and changes no settings. The downside is obvious - you have to remember it every time.

Make -ai Automatic Without Installing Anything

This is our own tip, not Microsoft's: you can teach your browser to add -ai for you. You create a custom search engine that tacks it onto every search, then make it the default.

1. Open the search engine settings. In Microsoft Edge type edge://settings/searchEngines in the address bar; in Google Chrome type chrome://settings/searchEngines.
2. Click Add. In Chrome it sits next to Site search.
3. Fill in the three boxes. Name: Bing without AI, shortcut: bn, URL: https://www.bing.com/search?q=%s+-ai
4. Make it the default. Click the three dots next to your new entry and choose Make default.

Now every search from the address bar arrives at Bing with -ai already attached. To undo it, switch the default back to Bing or Google on the same page.

Firefox can do the same in recent versions, under Settings > Search > Search Shortcuts > Add.

The Official Switch: Microsoft Bing AI Search Choice

Microsoft's other option is an extension called Microsoft Bing AI Search Choice, for Chrome and Edge. It adds a single "Enable AI Features" toggle - switch it off and Bing stops showing AI summaries on every search, not just one.

It is still labelled a preview, so Microsoft says it may change. Windows Central also points out that Bing has no simple switch on its own website - the extension is the only way to get the toggle.

Changed your mind? Remove the extension from chrome://extensions or edge://extensions, then set your default search engine back on the search engine settings page from the steps above.

Which Method Should You Use?

Use Google? Here's the Same Fix

Google has no official off switch for AI Overviews. Two workarounds still give you plain links.

• The Web filter. After searching, click Web in the row under the search box (it may hide under More) to get links only.
• Make it the default. Use the custom search engine steps above with the URL https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14 - that ending opens the Web view straight away.

Prefer a browser that keeps things tidy from the start? Brave uses its own search engine and lets you pick Google or Bing instead, with the same custom search engine option.

Quick questions