Limit AI Access to Browser Context in Chrome and Edge

To limit an AI assistant’s access to your browser context, turn off Share current tab by default in Gemini in Chrome or Allow Copilot to read context clues on the web in Edge. These settings control browsing context; Google account activity and Copilot conversation history have separate rules.

Turn off automatic tab sharing in Gemini in Chrome

On a computer, Gemini in Chrome uses the current tab by default after you opt in. You can turn off that automatic sharing for new chats without disabling Gemini or giving up the option to share a tab manually. Google also allows you to share up to 10 additional open tabs. Google’s Chrome instructions give the setting path.

1. Open Chrome Settings and select AI innovations.
2. Select Gemini in Chrome.
3. Under Permissions, turn off Share current tab by default.

This stops the current tab from being shared automatically in new chats. To stop sharing a tab that is already shared, open Gemini’s Show shared tabs control and remove that tab.

Two other Chrome permissions do different jobs. Media understanding controls Gemini’s ability to answer questions about audio or video already played on media websites. Let Gemini browse for you is a separate permission for multi-step tasks on websites. Turning off default tab sharing does not turn off either permission. Google describes these controls separately.

Turn off Context Clues in Edge

Microsoft says Copilot in Edge can use browsing data for context-based requests. Depending on the request and settings, that context may include a page’s URL, title, content or screenshots, as well as browsing history. Microsoft’s Edge instructions give this path:

1. Open the More (…) menu.
2. Select Settings, then Copilot and AI.
3. Turn off Allow Copilot to read context clues on the web.

With the setting off, Copilot does not use browsing data for context-based requests; Microsoft says responses may be more generic. The control is for browser context, not a setting for deleting Copilot conversations.

Browser context and saved activity are separate

Turning off Chrome’s tab-sharing permission does not change Google’s Keep Activity setting. For personal accounts, Google says that when Keep Activity is off, future chats remain with the account for up to 72 hours and are not used to train its AI models unless you submit feedback. When Keep Activity is on, the default auto-delete period is 18 months; you can choose 3 months, 36 months or no auto-delete. Google’s Gemini privacy information covers both activity and Gemini-in-Chrome page content.

Google says page content used by Gemini in Chrome is temporarily logged to the Google Account and does not appear in Gemini Apps Activity. That page-content log is separate from the 72-hour period for chats when Keep Activity is off.

Microsoft says Edge browsing context is not saved in Copilot conversation history; the prompt and Copilot’s response are saved there. That statement concerns conversation history. Microsoft’s explanation of Context Clues describes the distinction.

US eligibility and Edge work-account policy

Google’s published list of supported regions for adult users includes the United States for Gemini in Chrome. Access also depends on device, language, age and sign-in requirements, and Google says rollout is gradual. Google lists the eligibility conditions.

Microsoft’s Edge policy EdgeEntraCopilotPageContext applies to Microsoft Entra profiles using Edge’s side pane. If the policy is unconfigured, its default is on outside the European Union and off in EU regions. Users can change the setting unless an administrator manages it. This is an Entra-profile policy, not a general default for every personal Edge account. Microsoft’s policy documentation specifies its scope.