For those of you out there using Gmail: did you know that default settings in your Gmail account under the label “Smart features” allow Google to process your email content and attachments? This data analysis is used to improve the performance of personalized and AI-powered tools within your inbox and across the wider Google ecosystem.

While Google has clarified in the media that your content is not used to train its external, general-purpose AI models like Gemini, the data is processed to improve the specific in-product AI features like Smart Compose and automated sorting.

If you want to maintain maximum privacy and ensure your email data is not used for any form of feature improvement or personalization, you need to manually turn off these settings.

It only takes a minute, but you have to check two separate locations to completely opt-out!

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Part 1: How to Disable Gmail Smart Features and Personalization

This first step stops the use of your email content for features within Gmail, Chat, and Meet.

1. Open Gmail in your web browser.
2. Click the Settings gear icon (⚙️) in the top right corner.
3. Click See all settings.
4. Stay on the General tab and scroll down until you find the section labeled “Smart features and personalization.”
5. UNCHECK the box next to:”Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.”
6. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and click, “Save Changes”.

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Part 2: Stop Smart Feature Use Across Other Google Products

This second, crucial step prevents Gmail data from being used to personalize your experience in other Google services (like Calendar, Maps, or Assistant).

1. Return to Settings: Click the Settings gear icon (⚙️) again and select See all settings.
2. Stay on the General tab and scroll down to the section labeled “Smart features and personalization in other Google products.”
3. Click the button that says Manage Workspace smart feature settings (the exact wording may vary slightly).
4. In the pop-up window, you will see two separate options. Toggle BOTH of these options OFF:
   • Smart features in Google Workspace
   • Smart features in other Google products
5. Click Done or Save to confirm your changes.

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What You Gain by Disabling Gmail Smart Features

By turning these settings off, you gain greater control and privacy, but you will lose some of the automated features:

• ❌ No more Smart Compose (predictive text suggestions as you type).
• ❌ No more Smart Reply (suggested quick replies).
• ❌ No automatic sorting of emails into “Promotions,” “Social,” etc.
• ❌ No automated events like flights or restaurant reservations added to your Google Calendar from emails.

Your core email functions remain unchanged. Your messages remain your own.

🔥 Pro-Tip: Users in the EU, UK, Switzerland, and Japan are typically opted-out by default due to strict privacy laws. Users in the US and most other regions must check and disable these Gmail Smart Features manually.

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ALERT: You stand to lose your Inbox tabs like ‘Primary”, Promotions”, etc. at the top. That’s one convenience that Google has slyly linked to the Gmail AI.