In short. Ecosia users can disable AI Overviews, and desktop AI-free searching also removes AI Chat entry points and disables automatic routing.
Definition: As of October 2026, Ecosia users can switch off AI Overviews, the summaries above search results. Desktop users can also select AI-free searching, which disables summaries and removes entry points to AI Chat, Ecosia's conversational answer feature.
Key facts
- Ecosia's search features guide describes Overviews as summaries combining multiple sources and AI Chat as an interface for follow-up questions.
- Ecosia's AI search help page says AI Overviews are enabled by default and can be switched off in search settings.
- Ecosia's AI-free search announcement identifies the broader control as “AI-free searching”, accessed through Profile and Settings.
- Ecosia's settings guide says preferences use browser cookies and remain separate across devices and browsers, including for signed-in users.
Which setting covers both summaries and chat?
Ecosia's AI-free search announcement gives the route: open Profile, select Settings, then select “AI-free searching”. The website settings address is:
https://www.ecosia.org/settings
The settings guide describes the resulting interface: AI Overviews are disabled, and AI Chat disappears from navigation and the autocomplete dropdown, the suggestions displayed while typing. Automatic routing into chat is also disabled. The interface also returns to a traditional search box.
Ecosia's AI search help page limits this combined control to desktop users and describes mobile support as a future update.
Can summaries be switched off separately?
The AI search help page documents an individual control: open Ecosia search settings, find AI Overviews, and clear its checkbox. The same documentation also identifies a control directly within the overview feature.
This gives users a separate choice about summaries above results. Ecosia's search features guide describes AI Chat as the conversational interface in which follow-up questions continue a topic. The broader AI-free searching setting covers chat entry points as well as summaries.
Why might the preference need setting again?
According to Ecosia's settings guide, blocking or deleting cookies can reset search preferences. Keeping them requires allowing cookies from ecosia.org and retaining them when the browser closes.
The same guide says settings do not sync between browsers or devices, even through an Ecosia account. Each browser therefore needs its own preference. Its instructions end with choosing the preferred settings and clicking Save.
Related terms
FAQ
Can I use the combined switch on mobile?
Ecosia's AI search help page describes AI-free search as available on desktop, with mobile support planned. It separately documents the AI Overviews checkbox where that feature is available.
Can I stop searches from opening chat automatically?
Yes. The same AI search help page says you can disable automatic routing when it first occurs. On desktop, AI-free searching also disables routing.
Why is the Overviews setting missing?
Ecosia's settings guide says you only see this setting when Overviews are available for your selected region and search provider.
Sources
- Ecosia Help Center, AI search help page, updated 9 October 2026
- Ecosia Help Center, “Customize your Ecosia Search through settings”, updated 19 June 2026
- Ecosia, “You can now choose AI-free search”, 2 July 2026
- Ecosia Help Center, “Features to Enhance Your Search Experience”, updated 22 September 2026
Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer