Add a custom Search Engine to exclude AI Overviews from Google results: why it matters for teams

A simple browser tweak can stop AI-generated “AI Overviews” from appearing in Google search results: Create a custom search engine that appends the udm=14 parameter to queries. The method forces the search results page to show the classic Web tab instead of the AI block, giving users a more predictable results surface and reducing exposure to answers the author found sometimes incorrect in technical queries. The technique and step‑by‑step screenshots were published on May 27, 2026, and the author verified the approach across multiple mainstream browsers.

The core implementation uses the Google search URL that includes udm=14: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14. In that URL the %s placeholder is replaced by your query, and udm=14 is the specific query string that suppresses AI Overviews in the tested setup. Once added as a custom engine, you invoke it from the address bar by typing your chosen shortcut, pressing Tab, entering the query and pressing Enter; results then appear in the Web tab without the AI results block.

Firefox requires creating a new Search Shortcut (Settings > Search > Search Shortcuts >Add). Supply a name, the URL above and a keyword such as aig; typing aig, pressing Tab and then entering your query runs Google without the AI results. Because Firefox does not allow editing the default Google entry, this separate custom engine is required to avoid AI Overviews there.

In Chrome the same URL can be added at Settings > Search engine >Add. Use the same https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14 URL and pick a shortcut and display name (the example used was “AI‑Less Chrome”). The address bar workflow is identical: enter the shortcut, press Tab, type your query and press Enter to get the classic Web results.

The author tested the approach in Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Edge and Safari. Safari is the only browser that requires an extra step: you must first install an extension called Customize Search Engine from the Apple App Store before adding a custom engine. The technique lets you continue using major search providers while avoiding their integrated AI features instead of switching to a different search engine that omits AI entirely.

Practical implications include easier fact‑checking and a more consistent results surface. Removing AI Overviews reduces encounters with occasionally incorrect synthesized answers in technical queries and avoids the additional server‑side processing that triggers AI generation. The write‑up also highlights environmental considerations, noting AI datacenters’ ongoing energy and water use as one reason some users may prefer classic search outputs.

Technical tips: keep the %s placeholder in the URL so your query is substituted correctly; use a short, memorable shortcut (for example, aig) and remember the Tab workflow in the address bar. The approach is straightforward to set up and reversible — remove the custom engine when you want the default behavior back-and it was validated by the author in the published guide on May 27, 2026.