New Tool RemoveMacAI Frees Over 12GB by Disabling Apple Intelligence on macOS 27

Image: Ars Technica · Source

RemoveMacAI, a command-line utility by developer Om Lahore, lets macOS 27 users fully disable Apple Intelligence features and delete their AI models, freeing significant storage and regaining system control.

macOS 27 Golden Gate introduced Apple Intelligence features that greatly enhanced user experience with AI-driven capabilities like Siri, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, and a ChatGPT extension. However, unlike previous macOS versions, this release lacks any user-facing toggle to completely disable Apple Intelligence. Consequently, AI model files remain stored on users’ devices by default, consuming significant disk space—estimated between 12GB and over 30GB depending on the installed components.

Responding to this storage and privacy concern, software engineer Om Lahore developed RemoveMacAI, an open-source command-line tool designed to let users fully turn off Apple Intelligence on macOS 27. RemoveMacAI disables major AI-related features, deletes associated AI model files, and prevents macOS from automatically re-downloading them. It leaves dictation intact, as that feature is managed separately by the system.

Technically, RemoveMacAI operates by installing a configuration profile approved by the user within System Settings, leveraging Apple’s built-in asset services. This approach maintains macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP) by avoiding direct modification of system files. The tool’s disabling actions are reversible; running RemoveMacAI’s revert command removes the profile, allowing macOS to restore Apple Intelligence components as features get re-enabled.

Users can selectively disable only the Apple Intelligence features they don’t want while retaining others. As of this writing, the tool has over 1,700 stars on GitHub and garnered enthusiastic feedback on Reddit, highlighting a user desire for greater control over newly integrated AI functions.

RemoveMacAI’s popularity aligns with a broader trend where some macOS users seek to “de-cruft” or streamline their systems by removing preinstalled or unwanted functionalities. It also reflects tension between growing AI integration in operating systems and individual preferences for customization and storage optimization.

Om Lahore’s development of RemoveMacAI underscores the role of independent open-source projects in addressing nuanced user needs unfulfilled by official operating system interfaces. For macOS 27 users who prefer to opt out of certain AI components, RemoveMacAI offers a straightforward, reversible, and effective solution to regain control and recover substantial disk space.