You might’ve noticed some of the precious space on your computer’s hard drive disappear recently without a clear cause. Perhaps unexpectedly, Google Chrome could be behind it. A 4 GB file titled “weights.bin” has started appearing on some Chrome users’ computers, even if they haven’t opted in to the installation or downloaded the file in any way. According to an official statement shared with Android Authority, the file is responsible for running Gemini Nano for Chrome as an on-device model. The file helps to run security processes without using the cloud.

It’s possible to remove the model from your device altogether, which is handy if you don’t plan to use it and want that extra space on your drive back instead of purchasing a portable SSD. There are a couple of ways to do so. One option is to switch off the on-device generative AI model in your browser. Doing so is easy. Start by opening Chrome and clicking the three dots in the top-right corner, just below the Close button. From that menu, click Settings and navigate to System, which you can find on the left-hand side indicated by a wrench icon. Finally, locate the On Device AI option and switch it off.

If you can’t see the option, then there’s a good chance it’s already switched off. The file is supposed to automatically uninstall if your device is low on resources, so if you’re already running out of space, then there’s a good chance it won’t be there. Alternatively, you can remove the model altogether by uninstalling Chrome and switching to an alternative browser.

The best way to make sure Google’s on-device AI isn’t running is to switch it off in Chrome’s settings. But if you want to go one step further and make sure that any files associated with Gemini Nano’s on-device AI features are well and truly gone from your device, you can easily do so by digging through your device’s program files. The process is slightly different depending on whether you’re using a PC or a Mac, but it follows a similar premise.

You can check for the files on Windows by finding your Chrome User Data folder:

1. Open File Explorer on your computer.

2. Paste the following file pathway into the navigation bar: C: >Users>[Username]>AppData>Local>Google>Chrome>User Data, replace “Username” with your user name, and hit enter.

3. Look for or search for a folder titled OptGuideOnDeviceModel.

4. If the folder’s there, delete it by right-clicking and selecting Delete, or by left-clicking once and pressing Delete on your keyboard.

If you’re a Mac user, then you can check if weights.bin is installed using Finder:

1. Open Finder from the dock and click Go.

2. Hold down the Option key on the keyboard to bring up the Library and select that.

3. Navigate to Application Support, then select Google, Chrome, and Default.

4. Look for a folder titled OptGuideOnDeviceModel, and delete it by dragging it to the Bin in the dock.

You might not have the folder if you have the model disabled in your Chrome. You might also need to make sure the on-model AI settings are disabled in Chrome itself to prevent it from reinstalling on your device.