Unlock 7GB of Storage on Your Google Pixel in the UK
Free Up Space on Your Google Pixel
If you’re a Google Pixel smartphone user in the UK, you might be wondering where all your storage space has gone. A pre-installed system app called AICore could be the culprit, using up to 7 gigabytes of storage and several gigabytes of RAM. This can lead to sluggish performance and apps closing in the background.
AICore is a system app found exclusively on Google Pixel smartphones, enabling local, on-device AI models such as Gemini Nano. These models allow features like Magic Compose, Call Notes, and image recognition in Pixel Studio. However, AICore permanently reserves storage and RAM, regardless of whether you use the AI features or not.
The downside is that this reserved memory is not available to other apps, potentially causing your device to seem sluggish under load. On the Pixel 10, for example, Google allocates around 3GB of RAM exclusively to AICore and the Tensor chip’s AI processor. Disabling AICore can help reclaim this space and speed up your phone.
Disabling AICore means forgoing features that use Gemini Nano locally on the device. Pixel Screenshots will stop working, and the Recorder app can no longer automatically summarise recordings. However, the Gemini app itself will continue to function, using Gemini 3 via the cloud. If you rarely use your Pixel’s AI features, you’ll lose practically nothing by disabling them.
Another positive side effect of disabling AICore is that the sometimes intrusive AI notifications will stop completely. To disable AICore on your Pixel smartphone, simply open the Settings app, tap ‘Apps’, find ‘AICore’, and tap ‘Disable’. Then, tap the three-dot menu and select ‘Uninstall updates’ to free up the occupied storage.
Re-enabling AICore is easy if you find you miss one of the disabled features. Simply navigate back to Settings, tap ‘Apps’, find ‘AICore’, and tap ‘Enable’. AICore will then automatically download its updates and restore all AI features. By disabling AICore, you can make the most of your Pixel’s storage and speed, while still enjoying the benefits of its AI features when you need them.
