Technology
How to disable Gemini AI on Android and keep control of your apps
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Google is making a push to ensure its AI, Gemini, is tightly integrated with Android systems by granting it access to core apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone. The rollout of this change started on July 7, 2025, and it may override older privacy configurations unless you know how to disable Gemini on Android. Here’s what you need to know.
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A woman looking surprised at her Android phone’s screen. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What’s changing with Gemini on Android
Currently, the official email and support pages aren’t providing consistent information on Gemini’s true behavior regarding this change and how to disable it. However, we do know that Gemini will be able to interact with other apps. For instance, it would be able to make calls through the Phone app or send messages through WhatsApp.
Gemini will still be able to interact with your Android apps even if you turned off Gemini Apps Activity in the Gemini Apps setting. This setting allows Google to save your interactions with Gemini apps. These are used to train the AI by allowing “human reviewers (including service providers)” to “read, annotate, and process your Gemini Apps conversations,” according to the Google support page.
What to know before you disable Gemini on Android
Settings location may vary. Not all users will see the same options in the Gemini app or Google app, as settings can differ based on device model, region, or update status. If you don’t see a particular setting, it may be due to these factors.
How to stop the Gemini app from accessing your Android apps
Google made it vague in the email by saying you can block Gemini from interacting with other apps in the Apps settings. That means if you have Gemini installed on your phone as a separate app, you need to do the following:
- Open the Google Gemini app on your Android phone.
- Tap your profile picture icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Apps in the menu.
- Turn off the toggles for the apps you don’t want Gemini to access, which will then disable Gemini’s ability to interact with those specific apps and change the switch from blue to grey.
Steps to stop the Gemini app from accessing your Android apps. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Alternatively, you can just uninstall the Gemini app from your Android phone.
- Long-press the Google Gemini app.
- Tap Remove in the menu.
If your device doesn’t have Gemini installed already, the recent changes won’t secretly install it. You’re likely safe for now. However, you need to stay vigilant in case future updates try to sneak in Gemini functionality without your knowledge.
How to disable Gemini in the Google app on Android
Gemini can also interact with other apps through the Google app on Android. So it makes sense to disable Gemini on Android in that app as well. Here’s how to do that:
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Tap Settings in the menu.
- Tap Google Assistant.
Steps to stop the Gemini app from accessing your Android apps. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Tap Digital assistants from Google.
- If it’s set to Gemini, select Google Assistant.
- Tap Switch in the pop-up.
Steps to stop the Gemini app from accessing your Android apps. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What happens after you disable Gemini on Android
Even after you disable Gemini on Android, there are a few key things to understand about how your data is handled and what settings might still require your attention:
If you have already disabled Gemini features, they should remain off: Google states that if you previously turned off Gemini’s access to apps, those privacy settings will persist after the update. However, it’s wise to double-check your settings to ensure nothing has changed.
No forced installation: The Gemini app will not be installed automatically if it isn’t already present on your device. You remain in control of whether or not to add it.
Data review by humans: Conversations with Gemini may be reviewed and annotated by human reviewers for quality control and AI training purposes. Even if your activity is deleted, data reviewed by humans can be retained for up to three years, and this data is disconnected from your Google Account before review. Avoid sharing confidential or sensitive information in Gemini chats, as Google explicitly advises against it.
Kurt’s key takeaways
While some users may welcome this change, if you value control and transparency over your data, limiting its access is the best option. Unfortunately, Google’s guidance on the subject is murky, and you can’t fully disable Gemini on Android unless you root your Android phone. But by proactively reviewing and tweaking a few settings, you can regain some control.
As AI systems become more powerful, do you trust companies to put your privacy before their profits? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard
When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”
Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.
This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”
Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
Technology
Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed
UCF commencement speaker Gloria Caulfield (University of Central Florida via Storyful)
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Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’
– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age
– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member
TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.
A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)
BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.
TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.
EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.
FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.
ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.
BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
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Technology
Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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