Alex Ruben
How To Fully Turn Off Google Discover on Android
Google Discover is kinda weird sometimes. It pops up with news, stories, and what they think you wanna see—whether you asked for it or not. Not everyone wants that clutter on their home screen, especially if it’s distracting or just not your thing. If pulling the plug on Discover sounds like a good move, this guide walks through how to turn it off once and for all. Whether you’re rocking a Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or another Android device, these steps should help you get rid of that annoying feed and make your home screen more… you know, just clean.
How to Disable Google Discover in Android
Access your device’s settings
First off, you need to dig into your device’s settings. This is usually pretty straightforward:
- Swipe up from the bottom of your home screen to open the app drawer or find the settings icon.
- Tap on the Settings gear icon—yes, the one usually in the quick menu or in the app drawer.
On some devices, it’s hidden behind a menu icon or you might just pull down the notification shade and tap the gear. Basics apply, though.
Navigate to Google Settings
Now, you gotta find the Google menu. It’s kind of buried, depending on your UI, but here’s how:
- Scroll down and tap Google. On stock Android, it should be easy to spot, but on Samsung or other skins, it might be under Accounts or a similar name.
- Inside Google settings, tap Services & Preferences, or sometimes just All Services.
This is where Google likes to hide the goodies—so look around if necessary.
Access Google App Settings
Next, you need to go into the Google app settings:
- Tap on Search, Assistant & Voice. Might be called something slightly different—like just “Search” or “Google App.”
- Scroll down to find and select More or Other Settings, which is sometimes tucked at the bottom.
Disable Google Discover
This is the core step: turning off Discover. Here’s where it gets interesting:
- Look for the Discover or Feed toggle. Sometimes it’s called Show snippets on home screen or similar.
- Flip that switch off—drag it to the left until it turns gray. If the switch is missing, your device might have a different layout or the option is hidden behind an update.
On some setups, this toggle doesn’t appear directly, especially if you’re on a custom launcher or an older Android version. In that case, try removing the Google Discover page altogether from your home screens or look for alternatives in your launcher settings.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Once Discover is gone, you might find that the home screen looks a lot cleaner—some say even boring. But here’s what’s worth remembering:
- If you want Discover back, just follow the same steps and toggle it on again. Easy as that.
- Not every Android version or device UI exposes this toggle clearly. If it’s absent, make sure your Google app is up to date from the Play Store, because sometimes features are hidden behind app updates.
- In some cases, clearing the cache of the Google app can help if options aren’t showing. Head over to Settings > Apps > Google > Storage > Clear Cache. That might prompt the app to refresh and show more options.
Sometimes it’s a game of trial and error—on one device, it works immediately, on another, a reboot might be needed. Because of course, Android has to make it harder than necessary.
Wrap-up
Clearing out Google Discover isn’t always super straightforward—depends on the device, OS version, and whether you’re rocking clean Android or a heavily skinned version. But with these steps, you should be able to stop the feed from cluttering up your main screen. The result? Less distraction, more focus. Just remember, your mileage may vary depending on your specific setup. Still, it’s a decent way to reclaim some control over what shows up on your home screen.
Summary
- Access device Settings from the home screen or app drawer.
- Navigate to Google settings and find the Search, Assistant & Voice section.
- Look for the Discover toggle and disable it.
- Update the Google app or clear cache if settings aren’t showing as expected.
Final thoughts
Fingers crossed this helps. Disabling Discover can make your home screen way less cluttered, and you won’t have to deal with those random stories showing up when you’d rather just see your icons. If it gets one update moved, that’s a win. Otherwise, keep playing with the settings—sometimes you gotta make changes each Android version while they’re still tossing out updates to keep us all guessing. Good luck!