Just The Browser strips AI from Chrome, Edge and Firefox but some telemetry remains

ZDNET tested Just The Browser, a free and open-source tool that applies configuration files to Chrome, Edge and Firefox to remove unwanted features such as generative AI, telemetry and sponsored integrations.

In a macOS test of Edge run from a clean installation, the reviewer enabled Copilot, ran the script and found Copilot mode removed; however, an AI query box and suggestions still appeared on the New Tab Page. The reviewer checked edge://policy and found that many features had been stripped.

On Chrome, tested on Linux, the reviewer reports the AI Mode in the URL bar was removed and there was no visible indication of AI, but several sync options that send data to Google—such as "Make searches and browsing better" and "Improve search suggestions"—remained enabled, suggesting telemetry was not fully blocked.

The reviewer found the tool fast and easy to use, with different instructions depending on the operating system and some settings not editable during the process. They concluded Just The Browser is effective at disabling AI functionality but does not completely eliminate all AI elements or telemetry in every case, and recommended it as a worthwhile option for users who want to remove browser cruft.

Key Topics

Tech, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Telemetry, Copilot