Disabling this Google Pixel core freed up to 10GB of storage space for me - here's how
Source: ZDNet
Every so often, I have to check that I have plenty of storage space on my Pixel 9 Pro. It’s not that I regularly run out of space (or even come close), but it’s always best to be safe. After all, if an Android phone runs out of space, it will not perform well.
I’ve seen many Android (or iPhone) users whose devices are filled with photos and videos they don’t want to delete. What do you do?
Also: I found a free Google Maps alternative that doesn’t track my location (or kill my phone battery)
On Android, there’s something you can disable that will free up to 10 GB of space.
It’s all about AICore
Before disabling AICore, it helps to understand what the feature does.
AICore enables self‑hosted AI models, such as Gemini Nano. These models can take up a lot of storage. The Large Language Models (LLMs) are used for features like Magic Composer, Pixel Studio, Call Notes, Pixel Screenshots, smart replies, audio summarization, and image/sound understanding.
AICore has two main responsibilities:
- Keeping the AI model up to date.
- Connecting the model to various apps.
Because of its size and background activity, AICore can consume significant storage, system memory, and battery power.
How to disable AICore on a Pixel phone
1. Open Settings
Open the Settings app by tapping the Settings launcher in your App Drawer or pulling down the notification shade twice and tapping the gear icon.
2. Open Apps
Scroll to Apps in the Settings menu.
3. View all apps
Tap See all X apps (where X is the number of installed apps) to display the full list.
4. Locate AICore
Find AICore near the top of the list (unless you have many apps that start with numbers or the letter “A”).
5. Disable AICore
On the AICore page, tap Disable and confirm by tapping Disable app.
6. Uninstall updates
Tap the three‑dot menu in the upper‑right corner and select Uninstall updates. This clears additional space taken by updated model files.
Although you cannot delete AICore entirely, disabling it and uninstalling its updates can recover several gigabytes of storage.
Also: This Android trick lets me access my phone faster – here’s how it works
After disabling AICore, you may notice a slight improvement in performance and battery life, and AI‑related notifications will disappear.
Disabling AICore does not remove all AI functionality, but it does affect certain features. For example, Pixel Screenshots relies on AICore and will stop working once the service is disabled. If you need that feature, keep AICore enabled.
Also: Your Android phone’s most powerful security feature is off by default and hidden – turn it on now
If you later find that you need the disabled features, you can re‑enable AICore by returning to the same Settings location and tapping Enable.