How to completely remove Apple Intelligence (from a MacBook Pro)

doris50 wrote:

I totally agree. The Apple Intelligence offer was also "placed" automatically in my system settings by Apple. I had already asked on this forum if anyone knew how to get rid of it. I had no intention of accessing it; however, it installed on the next system update. I am still upset about that and I, too, want it off my computer.

IdrisSeabright explained it very well. You don't own MacOS. Apple Intelligence is an integral part of the operating system. As with any operating sytem, whether it comes from Apple or Microsoft of Google, you can't choose only the parts you want. You get what is baked into the system. Don't use it if you don't want to use it. But remove it, you cannot.

doris50 wrote:

I totally agree. The Apple Intelligence offer was also "placed" automatically in my system settings by Apple. I had already asked on this forum if anyone knew how to get rid of it. I had no intention of accessing it; however, it installed on the next system update. I am still upset about that and I, too, want it off my computer.

When you agree to the installation of an update to macOS, you are agreeing to all of it. Your option is to not upgrade. You can't pick and choose which things you want. Once installed, you cannot remove pieces of macOS as the OS is installed on a restricted volume.

You can look for the instructions on how to downgrade macOS (it's possible but challenging).

Or, you can just not use the feature.

I was just emailed that: "When you agree to the installation of an update to macOS, you are agreeing to all of it. (1) Your option is to not upgrade. You can't pick and choose which things you want. Once installed, you cannot remove pieces of macOS as the OS is installed on a restricted volume....(2) Or, you can just not use the feature."

As to (1), I tried that years ago with Apple and after a while my email quit working and I had to upgrade to use email.

As for (2), I haven't run across anything that tells me how to avoid using it. I already have to scan messages I create on my iPhone and in my emails for words that have been automatically changed without my knowledge or consent.

mikehASC wrote:

I would have thought that from the tenor of my post you could deduce that I have never enabled Apple Intelligence. When I found out about its presence (through its disk space usage), System Settings showed that it was disabled, so I am confident it has never been enabled.

I apply every macOS update as soon as it is available. My current release is Sequoia 15.2, to which I updated on December 11, 2024. To my recollection, none of the Sequoia updates gave me an option of whether to install Apple Intelligence.

From reading other online material, I suspect that most of the disk space is taken up by the data for the AI models. Since this is just data, I see absolutely no reason why these files could not be deleted.

As for your speculations about what I have already been able to do with Apple Intelligence, you are quite wrong; I have never used any of these features, particularly Siri, and have no interest in doing so

They can't be deleted because they are build in the OS, which in your case is MacOS. The simple answer is you don't have download the full Apple Intelligence suite of options if you don't want to use it. But delete it completely off your Mac, is a no. What I don't understand is the 9GB increase you refer to. I have an M1 MacBook Pro, with all the features of Apple Intelligence installed and fully functional in my MBP and memory barely moved after downloading the update and loading Apple Intelligence.

Without enabling Apple Intelligence, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to those features being enabled, so that is clear.

As for the separate issue of the size of Mac OS, you have no control over that. For example, there are also all the Emojis included that you cannot delete even if you do not use them. In addition, the Apps such as Chess cannot be removed either. You could have the same argument that those should not be taking up storage space on your computer and the answer is the same. If you feel the size of MacOS is too large, then send Apple feedback.

And to conclude, MacOS is locked on a read only partition of the Hard Drive, where absolutely no changes are possible. Of course this is for security that prevents any modified System files that were problematic years ago, and Windows also adopted this technique to significantly reduce the viruses that have long plagued the early days of Windows. It is no longer possible to replace a system file/app with one that has altered its code for nefarious reasons and that is a good thing.

I have seen the conspiracy theories that Apple does not allow the installed apps to be removed, because Apple wants to track you. This is complete nonsense. Of course apps such as Chess are not required for the operation of the OS and it also cannot be deleted because it is part of the OS install locked on your read only partition. Luckily due to this protection, it also cannot be replaced by a fake Chess app that appears to be the same as the installed app.

I'm not sure you can stop these reminders. But this is a user to user only forum, so contact Apple directly to ask them. If you're in the US, you can call Apple at: 800-MY-APPLE. You can use the Support button at the bottom of this page. You can visit the Genius Bar at your Apple Store.

The Post you referred to back in September was before the update had been released and was purely speculative of how it would work. Now you know that it is turned off by default and you have none of the features installed unless you choose to turn them on

As the same post also explains, you have had Machine Learning on your device for a very long time and is the same thing as Artificial Intelligence, just without the label and incorporation of ChatGPT. That is why you are able to pick out Faces in pictures along with the other uses such as Siri Suggestions, Map Suggestions and Typing Predictions.

So the question is, did you turn on Apple Intelligence or not? If turned on the additional models were downloaded to your Mac.

We don't own the OS on any system we own. Apple owns MacOS. And we don't have the ability, nor right to uninstall things which are built into the OS. That's how it works with EVERY technology company. It sounds like you have more than enough available space on your Mac. I'm not sure what a few GB would do for you anyway?

Since Apple Intelligence can't be deleted from the computer, go to: System Settings > scroll down on left to: Apple Intelligence & Siri > click either Apple Intelligence or Siri or both to turn OFF.

Also, if you cannot erase your browsing history in Safari because both places for deleting are grayed out after updating (must do this on your computer and also on your iPhone because they share the information) - go to: System Settings > scroll down on the left to: Screen Time > Content & Privacy (shut it OFF)

doris50 wrote:

Since Apple Intelligence can't be deleted from the computer, go to: System Settings > scroll down on left to: Apple Intelligence & Siri > click either Apple Intelligence or Siri or both to turn OFF.

But I don't want to turn it off.... Perhaps you meant to reply to someone else?

Also, if you cannot erase your browsing history in Safari because both places for deleting are grayed out after updating (must do this on your computer and also on your iPhone because they share the information) - go to: System Settings > scroll down on the left to: Screen Time > Content & Privacy (shut it OFF)

Nor do I need to do this.

mikehASC wrote:

I'm curious to know whether you speak purely on your own behalf, or whether you are speaking for Apple as a corporation.

I am, of course, quite aware that if I wish to use this rather nice piece of hardware I have to use macOS, and that to use macOS I have have to agree to the terms of the EULA without any negotiation of those terms. What I don't understand is why it is Apple's interest to antagonize a customer unnecessarily. I have other laptops on which I run Linux, which has other faults but does not force me to do anything.

I am not overly concerned about the loss of storage (which is not really significant, though it was noticeable enough to alert me to what had happened), but I do take pains in general to keep the crud on my disk to a minimum. To paraphrase an old quip, a GB here and a GB there and pretty soon we're talking real storage.

I cannot speak for Apple. I am a user, just like you are a user. And this is a user to user only forum, which Apple doesn't actively participate (except to moderate posts to the terms of use).

I don't think Apple is trying to antagonize you, but if you feel they are, you should likely share that with them here --> Feedback - macOS - Apple