How to disable all artificial intelligence in Firefox and regain control

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In recent months, Firefox has been packed with artificial intelligence features : sidebar chatbots, improved link previews, smart tab grouping, automatic translations, and more. For some users, all of this sounds fantastic, but for many others, it's quite the opposite: more noise, increased resource consumption, and serious privacy concerns.

If you're among those who prefer a classic browser, without AI "magic ," you're in luck. Mozilla has begun responding to community complaints and now allows you to turn off all of Firefox's artificial intelligence at once , or disable only the parts you don't want. Let's take a detailed look at the options available today and how to clean up the browser from AI, both in current and future versions.

Why many users want to disable AI in Firefox

The rise of artificial intelligence has led virtually all major technology companies to try to incorporate it into their products : browsers, operating systems, office suites, mobile phones… Firefox is no exception, but its user base is particularly sensitive to privacy and control over what the software does.

One of the biggest fears is that, by activating these features, the browser will start sending data to third-party servers like Microsoft, OpenAI, or Google—something unavoidable if you use integrated chatbots or cloud-based services, such as Google's AI summaries . This data can include complete queries you type into the chatbot, browsing metadata, session identifiers, and even information that will later be used to train models for up to 30 months.

Furthermore, there's a saturation factor: many users complain about pop-ups or AI suggestions appearing seemingly out of nowhere , for example, when navigating backward or forward, or when visiting completely trivial websites. This is not only distracting, but also gives the impression that the browser is "trying to think for you" without your permission.

On the other hand, many people are annoyed that these features are enabled by default with an update . Although they are theoretically optional, if they turn on automatically after an update, they no longer feel like something under your control. Ultimately, some prefer to continue using their own judgment to find information and solve problems without an algorithm interfering.

In this context, Mozilla has understood that, if it wants to maintain its reputation as a privacy-focused browser, it needs clear, visible, and simple controls to disable AI , instead of forcing people to accept it, as happens in other major browsers.

The global “Block AI enhancements” button in Firefox 148

The most significant new feature comes with Firefox 148 , the desktop version in which Mozilla adds a master switch to disable all AI functions . It's the closest thing to a "general power-off" button you'll find in a major browser today.

This new control is called something like “Block AI Enhancements” or “AI Security Switch,” and according to the official documentation, it will be available starting February 24th . It was first tested on the Nightly (experimental) channel and will then be rolled out to the stable channel, which is the one most people use.

To use this button, first make sure you have Firefox version 148 or higher installed . You can check your version by clicking the three-line menu in the upper right corner, then "Help," and then "About Firefox." If an update is available, it will be downloaded and applied automatically.

Once updated, return to the hamburger menu and go to “Settings .” In the left column, you’ll see a new section called something like “AI Controls .” This is where Mozilla has concentrated everything related to these features so you don’t have to hunt for them through the menu.

Within that panel, you'll find the famous "Block AI enhancements" button . Activating it disables all generative AI features at once , both current and any that may be added in the future. It also prevents you from seeing pop-ups or "suggestive" reminders about new smart features.

A key point is that this preference persists across updates ; Firefox shouldn't unexpectedly reactivate AI in a new version. And if you ever change your mind, you can return to the same panel and modify the option whenever you want.

Granular control: which AI features you can turn on or off

In addition to the global switch, Mozilla has added finer control over each AI-based feature in Firefox 148 , for those who don't want everything turned off, but also don't want everything turned on. This is quite interesting because not all users have the same needs.

In the “AI Controls” panel, just below the master button, you’ll see a list of specific tools that you can manage separately . Depending on your region, you may have more or fewer options available; for example, in Spain, the most common ones mentioned so far are:

• Browser translationsThey allow you to automatically translate web pages that are not in your language, without having to copy and paste text into external services.
• Chatbot in the sidebar: integrates icons of popular chatbots into the Firefox sidebar so you always have them just a click away.

In other markets, especially the United States, the list is broader and includes things like generating alternative text for images in PDFs , intelligent grouping of tabs with AI-suggested names, or rich previews of links with key points on the page.

Mozilla's idea is that you can, for example, keep translations active if you find them useful , but disable the sidebar chatbot if you find it intrusive. Or vice versa: keep the chatbot and turn off anything else that feels like "excessive automation."

This approach contrasts sharply with other browsers, where AI usually comes as a package deal: take it all or leave it all . Here, however, you have the option to keep only what truly adds value for you.

How to disable AI in Firefox from about:config (advanced method)

If you don't yet have Firefox 148, are using a Developer/Nightly version, or simply prefer a more radical and technical control over AIYou can use the famous advanced settings panel: about:configFrom there it is possible to disable one by one the “flags” related to artificial intelligence.

The process is similar on Windows, Linux, or macOS. First, write about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Firefox will display a warning such as "Accept the risk and continue!". Confirm to access the advanced settings.

Once inside, you'll see a search bar at the top. There you'll need to locate a series of internal preferences that control the various AI functions. Many users who don't want any AI at all recommend this. put all these entries to false:

• browser.ml.enable
• browser.ml.chat.enabled
• browser.ml.chat.menu
• browser.ml.chat.page
• browser.ml.chat.shortcuts
• browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled
• browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled
• browser.tabs.groups.smart.userEnabled
• extensions.ml.enabled
• sidebar.revamp

For each of them, you just have to double-click or use the change icon to alternate between true y falseAs soon as they are in falseThe corresponding functions should stop loading and disappear from the interface, such as the chatbot button in the sidebar or the smart link previews.

Many users report that after changing these flags, there's no need to restart Firefox for the AI ​​elements to disappear; the change takes effect immediately. However, if you want to be absolutely sure nothing is left in memory, you can always close and reopen the browser.

Keep in mind that these internal options might change names in future versions or move to other settings, but Mozilla's philosophy on this issue is to maintain that granular control for those who want to go "into the guts" of the browser.

Remove chatbots from the Firefox sidebar and Copilot

One of the most talked-about new features is the integration of chatbots into the Firefox sidebar . Mozilla's idea is that, from this column, you can open shortcuts to services like Anthropic Claude, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or Le Chat Mistral.

In certain beta versions, for example, Firefox lets you add Microsoft Copilot directly to the sidebar , so it appears as another browser button. From there, you can generate text, images, code, analyze photos, and use other typical Copilot features.

The problem is that when this feature is integrated into a stable version, it's usually enabled by default . If you don't want to see Copilot anywhere, you have several ways to remove it. One of the simplest, if there's an AI section in the settings, is to look for a button that says something like "Remove Copilot" and click it. That will remove it directly from the interface.

You can also right-click on the chatbot's shortcut in the sidebar and uncheck options like "Ask a chatbot" or similar, so the button disappears completely. And if you want to close it completely, you can go to the AI ​​sidebar and close it using the classic X at the top.

With this, basically, You will remove access to all chatbots integrated into the sidebar.Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Mistral, and any others that Mozilla adds. If you've also added false the preferences of browser.ml.chat.enabled And company, you make sure they don't reappear.

Privacy risks and what data is shared when using AI

One of the most frequent arguments from those who choose to disable AI is what happens to the data shared when using these features . Although Firefox as a browser has a strong focus on privacy, the situation changes as soon as an external chatbot comes into play.

When you activate AI assistants within Firefox, some information is transferred to third-party servers . In the case of Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI, or Google Gemini, this can include the questions you type, the content you analyze, browsing metadata, or even anonymous identifiers that allow multiple interactions to be associated.

Furthermore, according to documentation from several of these platforms, data can be stored for extended periods, up to 30 months, to train and improve their models . Even with anonymization techniques, many people are uncomfortable knowing that their activity could end up being used to train a business model.

Mozilla, aware of this concern, has insisted that the functions it runs locally in the browser (such as some translations or basic processing) do not send data to the cloud unnecessarily. But as soon as the service runs on another company's infrastructure, that provider's privacy policy comes into play, and Firefox loses direct control.

For all these reasons, for users who are very concerned about their digital footprint, the most reasonable option remains to completely turn off the AI ​​integrated into the browser (or the system; see how to disable AI to the fullest extent in Windows 11 ) or, at the very least, limit themselves to those functions that you know for sure operate locally without exposing your information to third parties.

Firefox as an example of responsible AI implementation

Despite initial criticism of AI integration into the browser, it must be acknowledged that Mozilla is attempting to differentiate itself from other major companies . While Microsoft and Google, for example, tend to enable AI by default and hide the toggles to disable it, Firefox has moved in the opposite direction.

Executives at the organization have made it clear that every product they develop must allow people to decide how it works , especially regarding privacy, data, and the use of artificial intelligence. This philosophy translates into visible, simple, and persistent controls.

The launch of the "AI Controls" panel and the "Block AI Enhancements" button itself is presented as a direct response to community feedback , where there were many users who wanted nothing to do with AI, along with others who did find it useful but demanded the ability to configure it to their liking.

In fact, Mozilla has been testing these features first in experimental channels like Nightly and encouraging people to send feedback through Mozilla Connect , its feedback platform. Based on that feedback, both the AI ​​integration and the way to turn it off have been refined.

With this move, Firefox is trying to reclaim its image as a browser focused on privacy and user control, moving away from the "algorithmic imposition" model seen in other projects. It's a risky bet, because it goes somewhat against the grain of current hype, but it aligns with the historical culture of its community.

In a landscape where everything seems to have "AI built-in" by necessity, having the real possibility of completely disabling any trace of artificial intelligence in the browser is a breath of fresh air for those who simply want to browse without a machine trying to outsmart them. And, ultimately, that balance between modernization and respecting the user's wishes is what can make the difference in long-term trust.

Firefox's inclusion of a master switch for AI, a dedicated settings panel, and advanced flags in about:config shows that it's possible to embrace artificial intelligence without forcing anyone to use it : if you want to translate pages or play with a chatbot in the sidebar, there it is; if you prefer a classic browser without AI, you can have that too, with a few well-placed clicks.