Just the Browser: How to Remove AI, Telemetry, and Bloat From Chrome, Edge, and Firefox

Like it or not, artificial intelligence is quietly taking over modern web browsers. Google Chrome pushes Gemini wherever it can fit, Microsoft Edge injects Copilot into nearly every corner of the interface, and even Firefox—long considered the privacy-friendly option—is starting to experiment with AI assistants that very few users actually asked for.

Add telemetry, sponsored content, constant reminders to set a browser as default, and background services running without consent, and you end up with browsers that do far more than simply load web pages.

But what if you didn’t have to switch browsers to escape all that noise?

That’s exactly what Just the Browser offers: an open-source script for Windows, macOS, and Linux that strips Chrome, Edge, and Firefox down to their core functionality. With a single command, it disables built-in AI features, telemetry, sponsored content, and other unnecessary extras—cleanly, officially, and reversibly.

Let’s break down how it works, what it disables, and whether it’s actually worth using.

What Is Just the Browser?

Just the Browser is a project created by Corbin Davenport, a developer well known for his critical stance on modern browser bloat. Instead of modifying browser code or maintaining forks, he took a far smarter approach.

The script relies on enterprise policies—also known as group policies—built directly into Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. These policies are primarily designed for corporate IT environments, allowing administrators to enforce or disable specific browser features across many machines.

The key insight?
These same policies work perfectly well on personal computers.

How It Works (Without Breaking Anything)

Just the Browser does not:

• Patch browser binaries
• Modify source code
• Inject third-party hacks

Instead, it simply places official configuration files where the browser already expects them:

• Windows: Registry keys
• Linux: JSON policy files
• macOS: .mobileconfig profiles

On startup, the browser reads these policies and applies them automatically. The result is a cleaner, quieter browser experience—with zero hacks and full reversibility.

What Just the Browser Actually Disables

Let’s look at what gets removed, browser by browser.

Firefox: Minimal and Clean by Design

Firefox is already the least bloated of the three, so changes here are relatively light but meaningful.

Just the Browser disables:

• Firefox Studies – Stops Mozilla from enrolling your browser in experimental feature tests
• Telemetry – Completely blocks usage data sent back to Mozilla
• Default Browser Prompts – No more nags asking Firefox to be your default browser
• Firefox Home Content – Removes sponsored links, promoted stories, and recommendations
• Generative AI Features – Disables sidebar chatbots, AI tab grouping, and link previews
• Search Engines – Removes Perplexity AI from the default search engine list

The result is a noticeably quieter Firefox that behaves like a traditional browser again.

Chrome: Cutting Google’s AI Everywhere

Chrome is where Just the Browser really earns its keep. Google has aggressively integrated AI across the entire browser, and this script removes most of it.

Disabled features include:

• Google AI Mode – Removes AI-powered search from the address bar and New Tab page
• Generative Themes & Wallpapers – Disables AI-created browser visuals
• Gemini Integration – Completely disconnects Chrome from the Gemini app
• Local AI Model Downloads – Prevents Chrome from downloading on-device AI models
• Help Me Write – Disables AI writing assistance
• AI History Search – Removes AI-powered browsing history search
• Tab Compare – Disables AI-based tab comparison
• AI DevTools – Turns off AI-assisted debugging tools
• DNS over HTTPS (Google) – Forces Chrome to use the system DNS instead
• Default Browser Prompts – Stops Chrome from asking to become your default browser

Chrome remains fully functional—but significantly leaner and less intrusive.

Edge: The Most Aggressive Cleanup

Microsoft Edge is, by far, the most overloaded browser. Unsurprisingly, it also benefits the most from Just the Browser.

The script disables:

• First-Run Splash Screens – No welcome screens or onboarding popups
• Microsoft Account Prompts – Stops login popups on Microsoft-owned websites
• Copilot / Bing Chat – Removes Copilot links and suggestions entirely
• MSN Content – Cleans news, articles, and clickbait from the New Tab page
• Sponsored Sites – Disables promoted shortcuts
• AI Theme Generation (DALL·E) – Blocks AI-generated themes
• Automatic Data Import – Prevents Edge from pulling data from other browsers
• Web AI APIs – Blocks AI APIs like summarization, rewriting, and language models
• Local AI Model Downloads – Prevents background AI model installs
• Text Prediction (Turing) – Disables predictive typing in long text fields
• Shopping Features – Removes coupons, price comparisons, and express checkout
• Visual Search – Disables image hover menus and context search
• PDF Recommendations – Stops Edge from asking to become the default PDF viewer
• Microsoft Rewards – Removes reward notifications
• Copilot Toolbar Button – Completely removed
• Acrobat Button – Hides “Edit with Acrobat” in PDFs
• Telemetry & Diagnostics – Fully disabled
• Startup with Windows – Prevents Edge from running in the background

What remains is a shockingly fast, distraction-free version of Edge.

Installation: One Command, Done

Installation couldn’t be simpler. There’s nothing to download manually—just a single command.

On Windows

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
2. Paste the following command:

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/corbindavenport/just-the-browser/refs/tags/v1.1/main.ps1")))

On macOS and Linux

Open the Terminal and run:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/corbindavenport/just-the-browser/refs/tags/v1.1/main.sh)"

Choosing Your Browser

After launching, you’ll see an interactive menu:

• 1 – Chrome
• 2 – Edge
• 3 – Firefox

Select the browser, press Enter, and the script installs the correct policies automatically. Restart your browser, and you’re done.

You can verify applied policies by visiting:

• chrome://policy
• edge://policy
• about:policies

Undoing Everything

Changed your mind?
The script includes a Remove settings option that cleanly deletes all applied policies. No leftovers, no manual cleanup.

Important Things to Know

• This does not block AI on websites themselves. Google’s AI Overviews or AI-powered sites still work normally.
• You may see a message saying “This browser is managed by your organization.” This is normal and harmless—it simply means policies are active.
• On Linux, Firefox is fully supported. Chrome and Edge policies exist but may require manual installation in some cases.

Conclusion:

Absolutely—if you like your browser fast, quiet, and focused.

Just the Browser delivers exactly what it promises: a clean browsing experience without AI clutter, telemetry, or constant nudges. It’s open source, transparent, reversible, and built entirely on official browser mechanisms.

No forks.
No hacks.
No maintenance headaches.

It won’t replace hardened browsers like LibreWolf or Ungoogled Chromium, but it offers something they don’t: the ability to keep your existing browser, extensions, bookmarks, and habits—minus the bloat.

If modern browsers feel like they’re doing too much, Just the Browser brings them back to what they should be.