Google Docs has more than one kind of AI-adjacent suggestion. Smart Compose and Smart Reply have their own document preferences. Gemini in Docs is a Workspace feature whose availability can depend on account, edition and administrator controls. Start by naming the exact element you want gone.
Identify the suggestion before changing a preference
| What appears in Docs | First setting or owner to check | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Gray completion while you type | Smart Compose in Docs preferences | It does not control every Gemini feature in Docs |
| Suggested reply to a comment | Smart Reply in Docs preferences | It does not remove document editing tools |
| Gemini bar, side panel or generated editing suggestion | Workspace Gemini feature access | An administrator may own the change |
Google’s Docs help distinguishes Smart Compose and Smart Reply: each has a separate preference under Tools → Preferences. Google also says these suggestions can be factually wrong, so turning them off changes a writing aid, not a review obligation.
Worked example: stop Smart Compose but keep comment replies
Starting point: Daniel sees gray text completion in a project brief and finds it distracting. He still wants to use suggested replies in document comments.
Daniel opens a non-sensitive document, selects Tools → Preferences, clears Show Smart Compose suggestions, and confirms the change. He does not touch Show Smart Reply suggestions.
Check the result: Daniel types a unique sentence in the brief. The gray completion no longer appears. He then opens a test comment and confirms that the reply suggestions remain visible.
Correction: If Smart Reply vanished too, Daniel changed both checkboxes. He reopens Preferences, turns back on only Smart Reply, then tests the comment again. One observable test per setting prevents a vague “Docs AI is off” claim from hiding the wrong change.
If you mean Gemini in Docs
The Gemini bar and generated document edits are not the same as Smart Compose. Google documents a service-level setting for Gemini in Docs and related Workspace apps on supported editions. An administrator can open Generative AI → Gemini for Workspace → Feature access, edit the service and save an on/off choice for the correct user group.
Google also states that disabling Gemini for one app does not prevent access to that app’s data from another Gemini-enabled Workspace app. For a work account, describe the data path you want to stop, not only the icon you dislike.
Use a small test document
Before asking IT to change access for a group, create a document with no sensitive information and record:
- the account and browser used;
- the visible feature, such as Smart Compose, Smart Reply or Gemini side panel;
- the expected result after the policy change;
- whether another Workspace app can still reach the same sample content.
That last check matters because a service-level change and a data-access goal are different requests.
Questions about Docs settings
Can I turn off Smart Compose in Docs?
Yes. Google documents the path as Tools, Preferences, then the Smart Compose suggestion setting. It affects suggestions in the main editing window and comments.
Can I turn off Smart Reply without turning off Smart Compose?
Yes. Google documents separate preference controls for Smart Reply and Smart Compose in Docs.
Why does the Gemini bar remain after I change a Docs preference?
Smart Compose and Smart Reply preferences do not control every Gemini feature. On a managed Workspace account, Gemini feature access may be an administrator setting.
Will a Docs-only Gemini setting stop Gemini from using that document elsewhere?
Not necessarily. Google says people can still ask Gemini about data from an app that has Gemini turned off when another app remains enabled. Discuss the intended data path with the administrator.
Use Gemini in Google Docs when you want a reviewable rewrite rather than fewer suggestions. For Gmail controls, continue with How to Turn Off Gemini Features in Gmail.