Google without AI: settings, extensions and other engines

If you love the power of Google Search but don’t love the recent AI-generated overviews and summaries, there’s good news: you can still enjoy a clean, classic search experience. Even better, you can make your searches more ethical and privacy-friendly at the same time.

Why Avoid AI in Google Search?

Google has increasingly integrated AI-generated summaries (often called “AI Overviews”) directly into search results. While these can be useful, many users prefer:

• Direct links to websites
• Less clutter and fewer summaries
• Original sources instead of AI interpretations
• More control over their search experience

If that sounds like you, here are several practical ways to use Google without AI.

1. Use Search For Trees (Google Results, No AI Overviews + Tree Planting)

A great place to start is Search For Trees. It uses the Google search engine underneath, but removes AI-generated answers. On top of that, it plants trees with 60% of its generated search revenue. That means your everyday searches can directly contribute to reforestation projects around the world.

You get familiar Google results — without AI clutter — while helping the planet.

2. Use the “Web” Filter

One of the easiest ways to remove AI-generated results is to select the Web filter in Google Search.

After performing a search:

1. Click on the filter options (like Images, News, etc.).
2. Select Web.

This removes AI summaries and shows traditional blue-link results only — similar to how Google looked years ago.

3. Use the udm=14 Trick

There’s also a simple URL trick that forces Google to show classic web-only results.

Add the parameter:

&udm=14

to your Google search URL.

For example:

https://www.google.com/search?q=your+query&udm=14

This loads a stripped-down version of Google Search focused purely on web results, without AI overviews.

Pro tip: You can create a custom browser search engine with udm=14 added automatically so every search stays AI-free.

4. Install “Bye Bye Google AI”

If you prefer an automated solution, consider installing the browser extension Bye Bye Google AI.

This extension hides or removes AI-generated elements from Google’s interface, giving you a cleaner and more traditional search experience without manually changing settings each time.

It’s available for popular browsers and works quietly in the background.

5. Use Startpage for Google Results Without AI

Another strong alternative is Startpage.

Startpage delivers Google search results but focuses heavily on privacy. It removes tracking and profiling while presenting clean search results — typically without AI summaries dominating the page.

Benefits of Startpage:

• Google-powered results
• Strong privacy protection
• No personalized tracking
• Clean interface

6. Use Alternative Search Engines

If you want to move away from Google entirely while avoiding AI-heavy interfaces, consider:

• DuckDuckGo (with minimal AI integration)
• Brave Search (independent index)
• Search For Trees (Google results + tree planting)

Each offers a slightly different balance between privacy, independence, and simplicity.

7. Adjust Your Search Habits

You can also reduce AI interference by:

• Scrolling directly to organic results
• Using more specific search operators (e.g., quotes for exact matches)
• Adding -ai or similar filters in some contexts: Some people report that this works removing AI overviews. When searching on a query with keyword AI, it removes the keyword AI again. That’s more what it seems to do. And because of the niche-keyword, it seems that no AI-overview is triggered (my hypothesis).
• Bookmarking the Web-filtered version of Google

Final Thoughts: A Cleaner, Smarter Way to Search

AI in search isn’t inherently bad — but it’s not for everyone. If you prefer traditional search results, more transparency, or stronger privacy, you have options.

Start with Search For Trees if you want Google-powered results without AI — while helping fund global tree planting. Combine that with the udm=14 trick, the Web filter, or tools like Bye Bye Google AI, and you can fully control your search experience again.

Search should work for you — not decide how information is presented to you.