A sudden “write with Gemini” prompt can hijack your Google Docs screen. Here are the quickest ways to disable the Gemini bottom bar—and a broader option to turn off Google Workspace smart features from Gmail.
When you open a Google Doc expecting to write and instead get hit with a big invitation to “write with Gemini,” it doesn’t feel like a helpful upgrade. It feels like your screen is taking over.
That’s exactly what happened—an AI text box appeared, and there was no obvious button to make it go away. After some frustration, the fix turned out to be simple, but it’s not exactly where your eyes would land first.
Start by clicking “Gemini” on the top menu bar above your document.
From the drop-down menu, select “bottom bar preferences.”
Then you can choose to turn off the bottom bar. Doing that removes the AI box at the bottom of your screen.
Full disclosure: the search for the setting didn’t go smoothly. While trying to find “bottom bar preferences. ” the “X” icon did get clicked during a Gemini chat—only to close the conversation instead of removing Gemini itself. The screen didn’t change the way it was supposed to. It simply ended the moment where you asked Gemini how to turn itself off.
Other Google Docs users have also said they’re seeing additional Gemini-style features they haven’t encountered yet, including a “help me write” feature that hovers over the cursor while you work. If that kind of interruption sounds unbearable, there’s a wider switch you can flip.
Instead of turning off each individual AI feature one by one, you can disable “smart features” across your Google workspace via Gmail.
First, navigate to your Gmail inbox.
Click the gear icon for Settings.
At the top of the menu, choose “See all settings.”
Scroll about half way down the page to find “Google Workspace smart features,” then click “Manage Workspace smart feature settings.”
You’ll see two options: one that lets you toggle off smart features in Google Workspace (the kind that can trigger Gemini pop-ups in Google Docs), and another that applies to other smart features. The approach is similar either way—you’re choosing what gets allowed to appear.
After toggling off the relevant Workspace smart features option, you should be done with the Gemini pop-ups that disrupt your writing process in Google Docs. You can stop fighting the interface and get back to the article you actually meant to write.
Gemini Google Docs disable AI bottom bar preferences Google Workspace smart features Gmail settings AI pop-ups
So it’s like spyware but for writing? Hate that the AI just shows up.
I clicked the Gemini tab and it STILL popped up?? Maybe my account doesn’t have that option. Google keeps moving the buttons.
I think the “bottom bar preferences” thing is wrong, because I turned off smart features in Gmail and the doc was still doing the AI box. But then I refreshed and it worked so idk. Also clicking the X during a Gemini chat probably just closes it temporarily or something.
Google Workspace smart features??? I swear this is why my stuff keeps changing. I don’t even use Gemini but somehow I got the “help me write” hover thing and it’s so distracting. Turning stuff off in Gmail feels backwards like why am I managing Docs settings from an email page. I’m just trying to write a sentence and it’s like the computer’s taking over.