Google Search in Safari on Mac Without AI Overviews

To search Google in Safari on a Mac without seeing AI Overviews, open Google’s web results view by adding &udm=14 to the search URL, or use Google’s Web filter when it appears. This reduces AI-generated and other prominent result features, but it does not guarantee a completely plain page or remove every kind of clutter.

What “no AI” Google search means

Google’s AI Overviews are generated summaries that can appear above or among ordinary search results. They are different from featured snippets, knowledge panels, ads, shopping results, and other elements Google may show. Turning off or bypassing an AI Overview does not necessarily remove those other features.

There is no general Safari setting that makes Google show only traditional links. Safari controls how websites are displayed and can block some tracking or content, but the search page’s layout is largely controlled by Google. For a quick search, the practical approach is to request Google’s Web results view rather than change Safari itself.

Use Google’s Web results view

Google has offered a Web filter that focuses on text-based web links. Availability and placement can vary by location, device, and search, so it may not appear in the same place every time. When available, it is the simplest option:

1. Open Safari and search on Google as usual.
2. Look below the search box or among the search category links for Web. If it is hidden, check the More menu.
3. Select Web to see the web-results view for that search.

If you do not see the filter, use the URL method. After Google displays results, tap or click the address bar, go to the end of the URL, and add &udm=14. If the URL has no question mark and query parameters, start with ?udm=14 instead. Press Return. The resulting URL will commonly resemble https://www.google.com/search?q=your+search&udm=14.

The parameter requests a particular Google results mode; it is not a Safari feature or a permanent Google account preference. Search links and the exact behavior can change, so if it stops working, try the Web filter or check that the address still includes udm=14.

Make the cleaner search easier to reuse

For occasional searches, editing the address is usually enough. If you often want this view, save a working search URL as a Safari bookmark, then replace its query with your new search when needed. A bookmark for one search will not automatically turn every Google search into Web mode.

You can also create a bookmark for a Google search page that includes the parameter, but be careful when editing it: the words after q= are the search query, and spaces are commonly represented as + or %20. Keep udm=14 as a separate parameter after an ampersand. For example, a search for “Mac Safari settings” could be represented as q=Mac+Safari+settings&udm=14.

Safari’s Reader feature is not a substitute. Reader reformats supported articles after you open them; it does not change Google’s search-results page. Likewise, hiding a result or using a content blocker may affect individual page elements, but neither reliably makes Google’s results equivalent to Web mode.

What the Web view changes—and what it does not

The Web view is intended to emphasize conventional web links and reduce some of Google’s richer search features, including AI summaries when the view is available and applied. It is useful when you want to choose sources yourself, compare pages, or get past a large summary before reaching links.

It is not a promise of “no clutter.” Google may still show sponsored links, site labels, snippets, or other interface elements. Results can also differ because of your query, region, language, SafeSearch setting, and whether you are signed in. A search for a business, weather, or a current event may naturally produce special result features even when you prefer ordinary links.

Also, an ordinary text result is not automatically more accurate than an AI summary. Check the source, publication date, and supporting evidence, especially for fast-changing information. Web mode changes presentation; it does not certify the quality of the pages it lists.

Other ways to reduce search clutter

• Use more specific search terms. Adding a model name, date, or phrase in quotation marks can make relevant pages easier to find, though it will not guarantee a particular layout.
• Choose a search engine with a simpler results page. This changes the provider rather than altering Google, and results, features, and privacy practices vary by service.
• Use Safari’s content-blocking options thoughtfully. Content blockers can hide some page elements, but broad blocking may break site functions and cannot reliably target a feature that changes over time.
• Open a result directly. If a summary is not useful, selecting a source link takes you to that publisher’s page, where Safari’s Reader may be available for supported articles.

Private Browsing is not an AI-removal switch. It limits some local browsing history and session data, but it does not require Google to use a different results layout. Similarly, clearing Safari history or cookies is unlikely to permanently remove AI Overviews.

Common problems

The URL parameter disappears: Google may redirect or rebuild the page address. Try selecting Web from the results interface, or add the parameter again after the search loads. A bookmark may need updating if its saved URL no longer works.

There is no Web option: The filter may be inside More, or it may not be shown for that search or in your current interface. Use the parameter method instead. Google’s labels and layout can change without any change to Safari.

An AI feature still appears: Confirm that the search URL includes udm=14 or that the Web filter is selected. If it does, reload the page or run the query again. Some AI-related features may be presented separately from the standard overview, and no URL method guarantees that every AI feature will disappear.

A content blocker breaks the page: Temporarily disable it for Google or adjust its settings, then reload. Avoid installing unknown extensions simply to remove one search feature; extensions can request access to browsing data, so review permissions and use sources you trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I permanently turn off Google AI Overviews in Safari?
Safari does not provide a setting to disable Google’s AI Overviews. Google’s available controls can change, and using Web mode is a practical way to request conventional web results, not a permanent system-wide off switch.

What does udm=14 do?
It is a Google search URL parameter associated with the Web results view. Add it after the search query as a separate parameter, using &udm=14 when the URL already contains a question mark.

Does this remove ads from Google?
No. Web mode is intended to emphasize web links, but it does not guarantee an ad-free page. Ads and other Google features may still appear.

Will this work on an iPhone or iPad?
The URL method can be tried in Safari on other devices, but Google’s interface and available filters may differ. The same parameter is not a guarantee of identical results on every device.

Is Google Web mode the same as Safari Reader?
No. Web mode changes the type of Google results being requested. Safari Reader reformats certain pages after you open them and does not affect Google’s search layout.

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