Most Google Workspace admins can’t disable Gemini without talking to support

Ben Schoon | Jan 31 2025 - 12:30 pm PT

As Gemini is now readily available to Google Workspace subscribers, admins have found that the ability to disable the new AI features is hidden behind a conversation with Google support.

In mid-January, Google announced a price increase for Workspace that would include Gemini AI features by default. Includes features in Gmail, Drive, Meet, and more.

As we previously detailed, new Gemini features in Workspace apps include:

Gmail: Side panel (Q&A), Help me write, Contextual Smart Reply, Summarize
Drive: Side panel
Docs: Side panel, Help me write, Help me create
Sheets: Side panel, Help me organize, Enhanced Smart Fill
Slides: Side panel, Help me create an image, remove background
Meet: Takes notes for me, Create background, Studio Look/Sound
Chat: Side panel

Many of these are quite useful but, understandably, they’re not for everyone. That’s why it’s quite frustrating that, for a number of Workspace admins, the ability to turn off Gemini AI features appears to just not exist by default.

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Google, on a support page, says that the ability to “manage access to Gemini features in Workspace services” is only available to “Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus” accounts.

That appears to be true, as a number of admins have found that the Workspace Admin Dashboard shows no option to turn off Gemini features. Some Enterprise users claim to not have these settings at all too.

However, talking to Google Support, some have found that these settings can be “unlocked” even if they’re not on an Enterprise account. Customer support representatives apparently have the ability to enable a new menu of settings which can be used to turn off Gemini on the Google Workspace Admin Console as pictured below.