How to turn off galaxy AI?
Go to Settings > Galaxy AI (or Advanced features > Galaxy AI), open each sub-menu such as Call assist, and switch off what you don't want — then restart, which Samsung says is needed for changes to take effect. There's no master off switch: Galaxy AI is a list of features, each with its own toggle.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Two completely different questions hide inside "turn off Galaxy AI," and mixing them up is why people end up with the wrong setting.
Question one: I don't want the features. Galaxy AI isn't one product — it's a label over a pile of separate features: Call assist, writing help, photo editing, translation, note summaries. Samsung's own support material describes turning them off individually, sub-menu by sub-menu, and notes you should restart the device afterward for the changes to take effect. That restart requirement is a real clue about the architecture: these features hook into system services at boot, so flipping a toggle doesn't always unload what's already running.
Question two: I don't want my data leaving the phone. That's a different setting entirely — the "Process data only on device" toggle. And here's where nearly everyone gets confused: turning it on is the privacy-protective choice. It restricts Galaxy AI to local processing. It does not turn AI off — it keeps AI running while cutting off the cloud. The trade-off is real, because the heaviest features need server-side compute, so some of them stop working or degrade when you enable it.
So the two toggles point in opposite directions and neither one is a master switch. If you want fewer features, work through the Galaxy AI menu. If you want privacy, switch "Process data only on device" on and accept that some features get weaker or disappear. Doing both is coherent; confusing them is how you end up with cloud AI you thought you'd disabled.
Worth noting: Samsung gives you these controls at all because Samsung sells phones. Like Apple, the transaction ends at purchase, so a feature you resent is a liability rather than an asset. Compare that with an ad-funded surface, where your exposure is the revenue and the switch conveniently never gets built.
An example that makes it click
Your new microwave has a bunch of smart modes and a Wi-Fi chip. "Turn off the smart stuff" could mean two things.
It could mean: stop guessing my popcorn time — so you go into the menu and switch off each auto mode, one at a time. Or it could mean: stop phoning home — so you switch on airplane mode for the microwave. Notice that the second one doesn't stop the auto modes; it just makes them dumber, because the clever ones needed the internet. Two different switches, two different goals. Press the wrong one and you'll swear the thing is ignoring you.
How to do it
- Open Settings and tap Galaxy AI. On some models the path is Settings > Advanced features > Galaxy AI.
- You'll see a list of AI features. Tap a sub-menu — for example Call assist — and turn its switch off.
- Repeat for each feature you don't want: writing assist, photo editing suggestions, translation, note summaries, browsing assist.
- Restart your phone. Samsung notes a restart is needed to make sure the changes take effect.
- TO KEEP AI BUT BLOCK THE CLOUD: in Settings > Galaxy AI, turn ON "Process data only on device." This restricts processing to local hardware — some features will stop working or become less capable.
- You can also disable AI features inside individual apps — open Phone, Notes, Camera, or Gallery and check each app's own settings.
- If a Samsung AI app remains, long-press its icon > App info > Disable (or Uninstall where offered).
- To swap the assistant entirely: Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Digital assistant app, then select another assistant or None.
Key facts
- Galaxy AI features are turned off individually at Settings > Galaxy AI, or Settings > Advanced features > Galaxy AI on some models — there is no single master off switch.
- Samsung notes that you should restart the device after disabling AI features to ensure the changes take effect.
- The "Process data only on device" toggle restricts Galaxy AI to local processing; enabling it is the privacy-protective choice and limits features that require cloud compute.
- AI features can also be disabled inside individual apps such as Phone, Notes, Camera, and Gallery.
- Galaxy AI ships on supported devices including the Galaxy S26, S25, S24, S23 and S22 series, Z Fold and Z Flip models, Tab S8–S11 series, and various A-series phones; some older models require a software update.
- Available Galaxy AI features vary by device model and software version.
▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Two totally different questions are hiding inside turn off Galaxy AI, and picking the wrong switch is why people get frustrated. Question one: I don't want the features. Galaxy AI isn't one product — it's a label over a pile of separate things. Call assist, writing help, photo editing, translation, note summaries. So you go to Settings, Galaxy AI — or on some models Settings, Advanced features, Galaxy AI — open each sub-menu, and switch off what you don't want, one at a time. Then, and this part matters, restart your phone. Samsung says the restart is needed for changes to take effect. That requirement is actually a clue: these features hook into system services at boot, so a toggle alone doesn't always unload what's already running. Question two: I don't want my data leaving the phone. Completely different setting. It's called Process data only on device. And here's where almost everyone gets it backwards — turning it ON is the privacy choice. It restricts Galaxy AI to your local hardware. It does not turn AI off. The AI keeps running, it just stops calling the cloud. And there's a real trade-off, because the heaviest features need server compute, so some of them get weaker or stop working entirely. So: two toggles, opposite directions, neither one is a master switch. Want fewer features? Work through the Galaxy AI menu. Want privacy? Turn Process data only on device ON and accept the degradation. Doing both is perfectly coherent. Confusing them is how you end up running cloud AI you thought you'd disabled. And notice Samsung gives you these switches at all. They sell phones — the sale's done, so a feature you hate is a liability. Ad-funded products, where your attention is the revenue? That's where the switch mysteriously never gets built.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Is there one switch that turns off all of Galaxy AI?
No. Galaxy AI is a collection of separate features, each with its own toggle under Settings > Galaxy AI. You have to work through the list.
Should "Process data only on device" be on or off?
Turn it ON if you want AI processing to stay local. It's the privacy-protective setting — but it doesn't disable AI, and features needing cloud compute will degrade or stop working.
Why do the features still appear after I turn them off?
You probably haven't restarted. Samsung specifically notes a restart is needed after disabling AI features for the changes to take effect.
Can I uninstall Galaxy AI completely?
Not as a unit — it's built into One UI rather than being a single removable app. You can disable features individually and disable or uninstall separate Samsung AI apps.
I don't see a Galaxy AI menu. Why?
Your model may not support Galaxy AI, or it may need a software update. Available features also vary by device and software version, so the menu differs between phones.