SOFTWARE 2 min read

How to Stop Chrome From Silently Installing a 4GB AI Model on Your PC

How to Stop Chrome From Silently Installing a 4GB AI Model on Your PC
Photo by Firmbee.com / Unsplash

Privacy expert Alexander Hanff discovered that Google Chrome automatically downloads and installs the Gemini Nano AI model on users’ devices without explicit consent.

The installation consists of a file named weights.bin (approximately 4 GB), hidden within a folder called OptGuideOnDeviceModel. While Google’s goal is to enhance user experience through on-device data processing, this process consumes a significant amount of internet bandwidth and disk space.

Quick Procedure to Stop and Clean Up

If you simply delete the file, Chrome will re-download it the next time it starts. To stop it permanently and free up your disk space, you must follow these two steps:

  1. Disable the Feature:
    • Copy and paste this into the Chrome address bar: chrome://flags/#optimization-guide-on-device-model
    • Set the flag to Disabled.
    • Restart the browser by clicking the Relaunch button.
  2. Manually Delete the Files: Since disabling the flag only stops the feature but does not remove the gigabytes already downloaded, you must manually delete the OptGuideOnDeviceModel folder:
    • For Windows: Paste this into the File Explorer address bar: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\OptGuideOnDeviceModel
    • For macOS: Open Finder and navigate to: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/OptGuideOnDeviceModel

What Will Stop Working?

Disabling this model will remove Chrome's local (on-device) AI functionalities. Here is what you will lose:

  • "Help me write": The feature for automatically generating and editing text in web forms.
  • Local Page Summarization: The ability to create summaries of web pages without the data leaving your device.
  • Intelligent Tab Grouping: Automatic suggestions for organizing your open tabs.
  • Local Fraud Protection: Real-time analysis of malicious content performed directly by the browser.

Note: Standard Google Search and normal website loading will not be affected. You are simply regaining control over the space occupied on your hard drive.

⚠️ IMPORTANT WARNING

Modifying system settings and "flags" in Google Chrome, as well as manually deleting files from software system folders, carries risks. Everything can go wrong – from unexpected errors during startup to the loss of settings.

These instructions are for informational purposes only. If you do not feel confident working with hidden browser or operating system settings, it is best to seek professional help from an IT specialist. Incorrect actions can lead to software instability, which may require a full reinstallation of the browser.

Andrey Hristov