/Tech7h ago

The Pragmatic Engineer's Gergely Orosz criticizes Google Docs for forcing a persistent, non-disableable Gemini AI bar on paid users

Workspace currently lacks any option to hide the bar.

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Timothy B. Lee
Gergely Orosz#1155
Original post
Gergely Orosz@GergelyOrosz#1155inTech

When I'm in a doc the last thing I want is this

The Gemini team ofc wants to juice usage numbers. But what if I don't want or need Gemini, at all, in my paid Google Workspace product?

Gergely Orosz@GergelyOrosz

I am so fed up with products I pay for polluting the user interface with AI-related visual clutter

Google Docs now has a Gemini button hovering with no way to turn off. I do NOT want it or need it.

How can I get rid of it @OfficialLoganK? I am fed up with these growth hacks

7:38 AM · Jun 11, 2026 · 9.2K Views
Sentiment

Many users objected to the undisableable Gemini button added to Google Docs, calling the forced feature useless, comparing it to other intrusive AI pushes, and praising workarounds to remove it.

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16.7%
Neg
83.3%
6 comments with sentiment.
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Gergely Orosz@GergelyOrosz

Amusing because it's true, because I tried it

It doesn't do anything useful, there's no history, things randomly erase. It has all hallmarks of an alpha product.

And no way to turn it off. Love Google Docs, but I'm souring on it because of this garbage

ChrisM@ChrisMasterton

@GergelyOrosz @OfficialLoganK Don’t worry if you accidentally click it, it doesn’t really do anything. Good save, google!

2hViews 5.2KLikes 14Bookmarks 0
LIKES15
Timothy B. Lee@binarybits

I too wish I could turn this stupid "feature" off.

Gergely Orosz@GergelyOrosz

I am so fed up with products I pay for polluting the user interface with AI-related visual clutter

Google Docs now has a Gemini button hovering with no way to turn off. I do NOT want it or need it.

How can I get rid of it @OfficialLoganK? I am fed up with these growth hacks

2hViews 2.7KLikes 15Bookmarks 0
Teapot Dome was Amateur Hour!🇺🇦@HarrenGWarding

@GergelyOrosz The only thing that’s worse is the hovering copilot button that can’t be disabled reliably on the Office 365 applications installed ON MY LAPTOP.🤦‍♂️

7hViews 98Likes 2
Robbert Stevens@robbertstevens

@GergelyOrosz Last time I created a Google Doc with Gemini and I asked it to update the doc it created a V2 instead of updating it

7hViews 87Likes 1
Conventional Wisdom@convenwisdom

@GergelyOrosz Have you seen this for Gmail? Cleans up all of this crap in Gmail (and lots more). It is amazing and I’m guessing there is something similar for Google Docs. I feel like there is no chance Google will back down soon so these things are the answer.

https://simpl.fyi/

7hViews 80Likes 1
Roman V.@rmn_vlkv

@GergelyOrosz You can use Gemini to generate a plugin that removes Gemini icon from Google docs 🙂

7hViews 60Likes 1
Jan Giacomelli@jangiacomelli

@GergelyOrosz You just don't know it yet, but you need it. You need it badly😅

7hViews 91
Roman V.@rmn_vlkv

@GergelyOrosz

7hViews 81
Dayne Tran@RealDayneTran

@GergelyOrosz this is giving Microsoft forcing Copilot down Windows users’ throats

6hViews 77
Matt McK@mattmcknight

@GergelyOrosz It's so easy to write Chrome plugins now to reshape websites to your desire...

4hViews 20