Turn off Apple Intelligence on macOS 27 and get its disk space back
RemoveMacAI is an open-source tool for macOS 27 that completely disables Apple Intelligence features and deletes their downloaded models to reclaim disk space.
summary is enough The GitHub documentation clearly outlines how the script uses configuration profiles to purge unwanted AI models, making the full read unnecessary unless you plan to run it.
summary
macOS 27 lacks a straightforward toggle to completely remove Apple Intelligence models, which occupy gigabytes of storage even when turned off. The open-source utility RemoveMacAI applies a configuration profile and leverages Apple's asset service to delete these models and block re-downloads. It disables features like Siri integrations, Writing Tools, and image generation while preserving core functions like basic dictation. The HN thread heavily criticized Apple for forcing unrequested AI bloat onto expensive, non-upgradable SSDs, drawing comparisons to Windows debloating scripts.
key points
- RemoveMacAI uses a configuration profile and local port redirection to delete Apple Intelligence models and block automatic re-downloading on macOS 27.
- The script safely targets local asset files without modifying the immutable system volume or disabling System Integrity Protection.
- All modifications are fully reversible by running a built-in revert command that restores default system behavior.
who should read it
Mac users running macOS 27 who want to reclaim storage space consumed by unrequested AI features.
discussion skeptical
consensus
Commenters express widespread frustration that macOS now requires third-party debloating tools reminiscent of Windows, criticizing Apple for forcing heavy AI models onto constrained SSDs.
pushback
A minority argue that AI is a standard modern operating system feature and that complaints about gigabytes of storage are overblown.
Reminds me of all the de-crufting you've always needed to do when you install Windows. Looks like we've gotten to the point on macOS too, where you need to run third party scripts on a new OS installation to gain back control of your system resources and remove unwanted crapware.
It highlights the shifting reality of macOS requiring the kind of aggressive third-party de-crufting previously reserved for Windows installations.
Generated by an LLM from the article and thread. Check the sources before relying on it.