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

Just The Browser is a free, open-source tool that applies configuration files to Chrome, Edge and Firefox to remove AI features, telemetry, sponsored content and product integrations. The ZDNET author tested the tool and found it simple to use: download a script or config file, run it and follow the prompts.

On macOS the script leads you to System Settings > General > Device Management where a listing shows the features the tool disables; the settings cannot be changed there. The project’s GitHub and provided scripts work across the three major browsers, and the author describes the process as fast and effective for removing unwanted features.

In testing, results varied by browser and platform. On a clean Edge install on macOS Just The Browser removed Copilot mode according to edge://policy, but an AI query box and suggestions still appeared on the New Tab Page. On Linux the author applied a managed_policies.json for Chrome in /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed and found the AI Mode removed from the URL bar with no visible AI indicators.

The author also noted limitations: some telemetry settings in Chrome — for example, sync options labeled "Make searches and browsing better" and "Improve search suggestions" — remained enabled after running the tool, so it may not fully stop all data collection.

Key Topics

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