Want to disable Google Messages Remix? Hope you don't need RCS

Remix, which uses Nano Banana (Google’s Gemini-powered image model), started rolling out to Pixel devices in November and is now available across all Android phones running the latest Google Messages app. It lets you edit and reimagine photos directly in your chats using AI prompts. Long-press any image, hit the Remix button, and you can transform puppies into action figures or redesign entire rooms.​

Sounds fun in theory. But there’s a problem.

According to Google’s official support documentation, there’s currently no direct setting to disable Remix without turning off RCS chat features entirely. And that’s where things get messy for users who just want to send photos without AI interference.

A few users did mention that you could toggle off RCS to turn off Remix, but it isn’t exactly a proper solution. You’d lose read receipts, typing indicators, high-quality photo sharing, and every other modern messaging feature that makes Google Messages competitive with iMessage. You’d be left with basic SMS/MMS, which is a step backward that most users aren’t willing to take.

But if you absolutely want it gone, then that’s the extreme measure you’ll have to take for now.

One user on Google’s official Messages support thread called it “like a virus,” while others report that it adds annoying extra steps when trying to zoom in on photos. The thread has garnered over 400 “I have the same question” responses, with users repeatedly asking how to disable what they see as a forced feature.​

“Stupidest feature yet,” wrote one Reddit user. “This might be the sign for me to leave Pixels if they’re going to force AI into every single tiny aspect of the phone”.​

At most, users can send feedback through the app. Open Messages, tap your profile icon, select “Help & feedback,” and request the ability to disable Remix. A Product Expert on the support forums acknowledged that developers read all feedback but warned users not to expect a direct response.

This isn’t the first time Google has pushed AI features without an off switch. The company has been integrating Gemini across its entire product lineup, and Remix appears to be the latest example of that strategy extending into core communication apps.

For now, Android users who want to avoid Remix are stuck with it — or stuck reverting to 2010-era text messaging.