New Mac Tool Frees Up 12GB by Removing Apple's AI
If you don't use Apple Intelligence, you can now delete it and save space.
Apple's latest Mac operating system, macOS 27 Golden Gate, removed the simple toggle to turn off Apple Intelligence. That means the AI models—which can take up 12GB to 30GB of space—stay on your hard drive even if you never use them. For people with smaller SSDs or who just don't want AI features, this is frustrating. A developer known as Om Lahore created a free command-line tool called RemoveMacAI to fix that.
RemoveMacAI does exactly what its name says: it turns off Siri, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, the ChatGPT extension, and all AI summaries. Then it deletes the models and stops macOS from downloading them again. Dictation still works because it's a separate setting. The tool uses a configuration profile you approve in System Settings, so it doesn't mess with your system's core files. And if you change your mind, you can revert everything with one command, and macOS will re-download the models when you turn a feature back on.
The tool has already been starred over 1,700 times on GitHub, showing that many Mac users are eager to reclaim their storage and control. Some compare it to the 'de-crufting' people used to do on Windows PCs. While Apple continues to push AI across its devices, RemoveMacAI offers a simple escape hatch for those who want a Mac without the AI. It's open source, so anyone can check how it works—and it's fully reversible, so there's little risk in trying it.
- Apple's new macOS 27 makes it hard to turn off Apple Intelligence, which can take up 12–30GB of storage.
- RemoveMacAI is a free tool that deletes those AI models and disables features like Siri and Genmoji.
- You can undo it anytime with one command, and macOS will re-download the models if you want them back.
Why It Matters
If you're low on disk space or don't want AI, this tool gives you back control and frees up gigabytes.