Google Workspace Admin Runbook: Disable Gemini & AI Features

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Google Workspace Admin Runbook: Disable Gemini & AI Features

Overview

This runbook provides exact Admin Console navigation steps to disable Google Gemini and AI-related features across a Google Workspace domain. Settings apply to all services where Gemini is available.

Access Required: Super Admin role in Google Admin Console
Time to Complete: 15–20 minutes
Propagation Time: 15–30 minutes for settings to take effect across domain

Part 1: Access the Admin Console

  1. Navigate to https://admin.google.com in a web browser
  2. Sign in with your Super Admin account
  3. Confirm you see the Admin Console home page with the navigation menu on the left

Part 2: Navigate to Gemini Feature Controls

  1. In the left navigation menu, scroll down to Generative AI
  2. Click Generative AI
  3. From the submenu that appears, click Gemini for Workspace
  4. You should now see options including:
    • Feature access (primary setting)
    • Gemini app
    • Advanced settings (if applicable)

Part 3: Disable Gemini by Service

Step 1: Open Feature Access

  1. From the Gemini for Workspace menu, click Feature access
  2. You will see a page titled Gemini for Workspace feature access
  3. You may see an Organizational unit dropdown at the top—use this to select which OU to apply settings to, or leave as All for domain-wide changes
  4. Below this, you will see a list of all Workspace services

Step 2: Disable Each Service (One by One)

For each of the following services, perform these steps:

Services to disable:

  • Gmail
  • Google Drive
  • Google Docs
  • Google Sheets
  • Google Slides
  • Google Forms
  • Google Drawings
  • Google Vids (if visible)
  • Google Meet
  • Google Chat
  • Workspace Studio (if visible)

For each service:

  1. Locate the service name in the list
  2. To the right of the service name, you will see a status button or dropdown
  3. Click the status control (usually says On or has a toggle/dropdown)
  4. Select Off or toggle to the Off position
  5. Confirm the change by clicking Save if a dialog appears
  6. Move to the next service in the list

Step 3: Verify All Services Are Off

  1. After disabling each service, confirm the Admin Console shows Off or Disabled next to each service name
  2. Do not refresh the page yet; complete all services first
  3. After all services show Off, click Save at the bottom of the page (if there is a global Save button)

Part 4: Additional Gemini Controls

Disable the Gemini App (Optional but Recommended)

  1. From the Gemini for Workspace menu, click Gemini app
  2. Look for a toggle or setting labeled Gemini app access or similar
  3. Set it to Off or Disabled
  4. Click Save

Note: The Gemini app is treated separately from Gemini in Workspace services, so you must disable it here if you also want to block standalone Gemini access.

Check NotebookLM (If Your Edition Includes It)

  1. From the Generative AI menu, look for NotebookLM or Generative AI features
  2. If available, click it and review the access settings
  3. If you want to disable it, follow the same pattern: set access to Off and Save

Check Meeting Note-Taking with AI (If Your Edition Includes It)

  1. From the Generative AI menu, look for Meet or Meeting recordings
  2. If you see an option for AI-generated notes or similar, click it
  3. Set to Off if present and click Save

Part 5: Review Google Workspace Smart Features

Google separates “Gemini for Workspace” (the new AI features) from “Google Workspace smart features” (email suggestions, Smart Reply, etc.). You may want to disable both for the broadest opt-out.

To disable Google Workspace Smart Features:

  1. In the left navigation menu, scroll to Security (or User & admin depending on your Console version)
  2. Look for Workspace smart features or Privacy controls
  3. Click Manage Workspace smart feature settings
  4. Review the available toggles:
    • Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet
    • Smart features in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, etc.)
    • Smart features in other Google products
  5. For each toggle, set it to Off if you want broad personalization opt-out
  6. Click Save

Part 6: Verify and Wait for Propagation

Immediate Verification

  1. Refresh the Admin Console page
  2. Navigate back to Generative AI > Gemini for Workspace > Feature access
  3. Confirm all services still show Off or Disabled
  4. Check the other Gemini settings you changed (Gemini app, NotebookLM, etc.)

Wait for Domain-Wide Propagation

  1. Do not test user access for at least 15 minutes
  2. Propagation typically takes 15–30 minutes
  3. In some cases, it may take up to 1 hour
  4. Users may need to refresh their browser or restart their app

User-Level Verification (After Waiting)

  1. Ask a test user to open Gmail, Docs, or another Workspace service
  2. Confirm that:
    • Gemini icons or buttons are no longer visible
    • Smart Reply suggestions no longer appear in Gmail compose
    • Smart Compose no longer appears
    • Any other AI-generated suggestions are gone
  3. If features still appear, wait another 10–15 minutes and ask the user to close and reopen their app or browser

Part 7: Document and Audit

Create an Admin Note

  1. In the Admin Console, go to Generative AI > Gemini for Workspace > Feature access
  2. Take a screenshot of the settings showing all services set to Off
  3. Note the date and time the change was made
  4. Store this for audit and compliance purposes

Check Audit Logs (Optional)

  1. In the Admin Console, go to Security > Audit and investigation > Audit logs
  2. Search for Gemini or Generative AI to see a history of changes
  3. Confirm your recent changes appear in the log

Part 8: Communicate to Users (Recommended)

Send a Domain-Wide Announcement (Optional)

  1. In the Admin Console, go to Settings > General

  2. Look for Announcements or User announcements

  3. If available, post a message like:

    “Effective [DATE], Gemini and AI-powered features have been disabled across our Google Workspace domain per [POLICY]. These features are no longer available in Gmail, Docs, Drive, and other services. Please contact IT if you have questions.”

  4. This helps users understand why features are missing and reduces support tickets

Troubleshooting

Settings Don’t Appear to Have Taken Effect

  • Wait longer: Propagation can take up to 1 hour in rare cases
  • Clear browser cache: User should clear cache and refresh
  • Restart app: Mobile app users should close and reopen the app
  • Re-check Admin Console: Confirm your Admin Console settings still show Off

Can’t Find Gemini Settings in Admin Console

  • Check your role: Only Super Admins can access Generative AI settings
  • Check your Console version: Some organizations have limited editions that may not include these controls
  • Check your edition: Gemini features are available in specific Workspace editions (Business Standard and above, or Education editions)

Some Users Still See Gemini Features

  • Check organizational units: Confirm the setting was applied to the correct OU or all OUs
  • Check user-level settings: Users can still have smart features enabled on their personal accounts; they may need to disable those too
  • Check cached sessions: Ask the user to sign out completely and sign back in

Need to Revert Changes

  1. Navigate back to Generative AI > Gemini for Workspace > Feature access
  2. For each service you disabled, click the control and set it back to On
  3. Click Save
  4. Wait 15–30 minutes for propagation

Reference: Service Disable Sequence (Quick Checklist)

For speed on subsequent runs, follow this order:

  1. Admin Console → Generative AI → Gemini for Workspace
  2. Click Feature access
  3. Select organizational unit (if applicable)
  4. Gmail → Off
  5. Google Drive → Off
  6. Google Docs → Off
  7. Google Sheets → Off
  8. Google Slides → Off
  9. Google Forms → Off
  10. Google Drawings → Off
  11. Google Vids → Off (if visible)
  12. Google Meet → Off
  13. Google Chat → Off
  14. Workspace Studio → Off (if visible)
  15. Click Save
  16. Verify all services show Off
  17. Optional: Disable Gemini app, NotebookLM, meeting note-taking
  18. Optional: Disable Google Workspace smart features separately
  19. Wait 15–30 minutes
  20. Test with a user account

Additional Resources

Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: March 29, 2026
Tested On: Google Admin Console (current version)
Author: Jen Story