How to Remove Google’s Unwanted 4GB AI Model from Your Mac (Working Fixes)

Conserving storage space on an aging MacBook Air is a constant battle, especially as files, media, and software accumulate over time. So when security researcher Alexander Hanff reported on May 4 that Google Chrome was automatically downloading a 4GB AI model called Gemini Nano onto users’ computers without consent or notification, it was frustrating news for many.

I rely on my 2020 M1 MacBook Air, which still performs well, but the idea of paying a hefty hard-drive tax for software I don’t use or want was unacceptable. Chrome isn’t even my primary browser—I’m a Firefox user—and Gemini Nano isn’t my preferred AI tool (that would be Claude). Simply deleting the file named weights.bin doesn’t work; Chrome just redownloads it. Most of the advice circulating online also failed in my testing, though some solutions may apply to both Macs and PCs. The most technical fixes are Mac-specific, as that’s where the issue has been most studied and where I was able to test them thoroughly.

Google introduced Gemini Nano in Chrome version 126, released in June 2024. Hanff’s forensic analysis of how the model operates on Macs brought the issue to the forefront this week, prompting a wave of tech advice articles. In response, Google issued a statement claiming there’s a simple toggle in Chrome settings to disable and remove Gemini Nano—though that may not work for everyone.

What is Gemini Nano?

Gemini Nano is designed to accelerate in-browser AI features by running tasks locally on your computer instead of sending data to Google’s cloud. This could improve writing and editing experiences within Chrome. If you find this useful, you may want to keep it installed. However, if you prefer to remove it, you might need to take more involved steps than what Google or the press has suggested.

What didn’t work

Google provided a statement to me and other media outlets, which read, in part:

“In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to easily turn off and remove the model directly in Chrome settings. Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update. More details in our help center article.”

Nearly two years after the model’s introduction, Google’s “kill switch” appears to be rolling out slowly. I tested the latest version of Chrome (Version 148) on two macOS setups and one Windows 11 machine. Only the Windows version included the new toggle, labeled “On-device AI,” which successfully disabled and removed the model. A Google spokesperson declined to provide additional details for Mac users or an estimated timeline for when the feature might arrive on macOS.

I’m not alone in this frustration. Several tech journalists who covered the story also reported not having access to the toggle on their Macs. As a result, the internet is flooded with workaround guides for removing Gemini Nano that don’t actually work—at least not on my two macOS systems. Much of the circulated advice focuses on Chrome “flags” to toggle features on or off, but these methods have proven ineffective in my testing.