Disabling this Pixel app could free up to 10GB of storage space - how it works
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, but it’s always best to be safe. When an Android phone runs out of space, performance suffers.
Many Android (and iPhone) users fill their devices with photos and videos they don’t want to delete. On Android, there’s a system component you can disable that can free up to 10 GB of storage.
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It’s all about AICore
AICore handles self‑hosted AI models such as Gemini Nano. These models can occupy a lot of storage and are used for features like Magic Composer, Pixel Studio, Call Notes, Pixel Screenshots, smart replies, audio summarization, and image/sound understanding.
AICore’s responsibilities:
- Keeping AI models up to date
- Connecting the models to various apps
Because of its size and activity, AICore can consume significant storage, RAM, and battery.
How to disable AICore on a Pixel phone
1. Open Settings
Open the Settings app from the app drawer or pull down the notification shade twice and tap the gear icon.
2. Open Apps
Tap Apps in the Settings menu.
3. View all apps
Tap See all X apps (where X is the number of installed apps).
4. Locate AICore
Scroll through the list and tap AICore (usually near the top).
5. Disable AICore
Tap Disable, then confirm by tapping Disable app.
6. Uninstall updates
Tap the three‑dot menu in the upper‑right corner and select Uninstall updates. This clears the space taken by the updated model files.
After disabling AICore, you’ll recover a substantial amount of storage. The feature can be re‑enabled later from the same location.
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What you lose
Disabling AICore does not remove all AI functionality, but it disables certain features, most notably Pixel Screenshots. If you rely on that feature, keep AICore enabled.
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