Gmail tries to finish your sentences with grey predictive text (Smart Compose) and offers one-click canned answers under some emails (Smart Reply). Some people love them; others find the grey text distracting or don't want suggestions shaping what they write. This guide shows how to switch each one off, and back on, in Gmail on the web, with real screenshots.
Quick answer
Click the Settings gear > See all settings. On the General tab, pick Writing suggestions off next to Smart Compose and Smart Reply off next to Smart Reply, then scroll down and click Save Changes.
Smart Compose and Smart Reply at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Smart Compose | Grey predictive text as you type an email; press Tab to accept |
| Smart Compose personalization | Tailors those suggestions to your own writing style |
| Smart Reply | Up to three short suggested replies under some emails, like “Thanks!” |
| Where | Settings gear > See all settings > General tab |
| Options | Writing suggestions on / off, Personalization on / off, Smart Reply on / off |
| Default | On (off by default in the EEA, UK, Switzerland and Japan, where smart features start off) |
| Scope | Smart Compose is a Google Account setting, so it applies on every device you sign in on |
Step by step: turn off Smart Compose and Smart Reply
- Open Gmail on your computer and click the Settings gear at the top right.
- Click See all settings at the top of the Quick settings panel.
- Settings opens on the General tab. Stay there; both options live on this tab.
- Scroll down to Smart Compose and select Writing suggestions off.
- Optional: if you want to keep Smart Compose but stop it learning your style, leave it on and set Smart Compose personalization to Personalization off instead. You'll then see generic suggestions.
- A little further down, next to Smart Reply, select Smart Reply off.
- The Smart features checkbox just below is the bigger switch: unchecking Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet turns off Smart Compose and Smart Reply together, but also inbox categories (Primary, Promotions, Social), summary cards and other features. Leave it checked if you only want to lose the suggestions.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. The button stays greyed out until you change something.
Turning them back on
Go back to See all settings > General, choose Writing suggestions on and Smart Reply on, and click Save Changes. If the Smart Compose or Smart Reply rows are missing, check that Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet is ticked first.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find Smart Compose or Smart Reply in my settings?
Both need Gmail's smart features turned on (General tab > Smart features). They're also limited to certain languages: Smart Compose works in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.
Does turning off Smart Compose affect my phone?
Yes. Google says Smart Compose is a Google Account-level setting, so the change applies on any device where you're signed in. Smart Reply has its own switch in the Gmail app settings on Android and iPhone.
How do I accept a Smart Compose suggestion?
Press Tab while the grey text is showing. Keep typing to ignore it.
Is Smart Reply the same as Gemini suggested replies?
No. Smart Reply offers short, ready-made phrases and is available to anyone with Gmail. Suggested Replies come from Gemini in Gmail and draft longer, personalized responses.
Will turning these off change spelling or grammar checks?
No. Grammar, Spelling and Autocorrect have their own on/off options a little higher up the same General tab.
Sources
- Gmail Help: Use Smart Compose in Gmail — turning writing suggestions and personalization on or off.
- Gmail Help: Reply to messages in Gmail — the Smart Reply setting on the General tab.
- Gmail Help: Smart features and controls — what the Smart features checkbox covers and regional defaults.
- Screenshots captured November 13, 2026 in Gmail on the web, cropped to remove account and mailbox details. No settings were changed while capturing them.
Last checked November 13, 2026.
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