01 · The steps
Pick the route that matches your situation
Stop Gemini being your assistant
Exact menu names vary a little by manufacturer and Android version.
- 1Open the Settings app.
- 2Go to Apps.
- 3Open Default apps.
- 4Tap Digital assistant app.
- 5Choose Google Assistant, or None if you want no assistant at all.
Switch from inside the Gemini app
- 1Open the Gemini app.
- 2Tap your profile picture in the top corner.
- 3Look for the option to switch back to Google Assistant.
- 4Confirm the switch.
Stop Google storing your Gemini activity
This is the privacy step, and it is the one most guides omit.
- 1Go to myactivity.google.com and sign in.
- 2Open Gemini Apps Activity.
- 3Turn the setting off.
- 4Delete existing activity from the same screen, choosing a time range or all time.
- 5Set auto-delete if you want future activity removed on a schedule.
Remove Gemini from view
- 1Long-press the Gemini icon on your home screen and remove it from the launcher.
- 2In Settings, Apps, find Gemini and choose Disable if the option is available on your device.
- 3If Disable is greyed out, the build is preinstalled as a system app and cannot be removed without unusual measures we do not recommend.
02 · Read this first
What most guides leave out
Turning off the assistant does not stop data collection
These are two separate systems. Changing your digital assistant stops Gemini responding to you, but anything you already said to it stays in Gemini Apps Activity until you turn that off and delete the history.
You usually cannot truly uninstall it
On most Android phones Gemini is a preinstalled system app. You can disable it, remove the icon and take away its assistant role, but the package itself stays on the device. Guides promising full removal are generally describing rooted phones or third-party tools, both of which carry real risk.
Switching to Assistant may not be a permanent escape
Google has been retiring Google Assistant on mobile in favour of Gemini, so falling back to Assistant is a fix with a shelf life. If your goal is no assistant at all, choosing None is the more durable setting.
Gemini in Gmail, Docs and Drive is separate again
Disabling the phone assistant does nothing to the AI features inside Google Workspace apps. Those are governed by the smart features settings in your Google Account, which have to be turned off on their own.
03 · Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I completely uninstall Gemini from my Android phone?
On most phones, no. Gemini ships as a preinstalled system app, so the realistic outcome is disabling it, removing it from your launcher and taking away its assistant role. Anything promising true uninstallation normally involves rooting the device, which risks your warranty and your security.
How do I stop Gemini opening when I hold the power button?
That is the digital assistant assignment. Go to Settings, Apps, Default apps, Digital assistant app, and set it to Google Assistant or None. With None selected the long-press stops summoning an assistant at all.
Does disabling Gemini delete my previous conversations?
No. Your past conversations live in Gemini Apps Activity in your Google Account. Go to myactivity.google.com, open Gemini Apps Activity, turn it off and delete the existing history from the same screen.
Will disabling Gemini break anything else on my phone?
Removing it as your assistant is low risk and reversible. You lose voice assistant features until you pick another one, and if you select None you will not have a voice assistant on the power button. Nothing else on the phone depends on it.
Sources
Menu names change. If a step no longer matches what you see, the vendor documentation above is the authority.