RemoveMacAI open-source tool deletes Apple Intelligence models on macOS 27
A new open-source command-line tool, RemoveMacAI, turns off Apple Intelligence features and deletes the models on macOS 27, which no longer has a single settings toggle. Its developer says it frees about 12GB; The Verge found 35.05GB listed on its writer's Mac.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2A new open-source command-line tool called RemoveMacAI turns off Apple Intelligence features on macOS 27 and deletes the AI models from the disk. The VergeLC “deleting Apple’s AI features with a new open-source command line tool called RemoveMacAI” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “a command-line tool that allows macOS 27 users to “turn off Apple Intelligence on macOS 27″” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 2The Verge says earlier macOS versions had a single Settings toggle for disabling Apple Intelligence, which was removed in macOS 27; the features are now split across several settings panes and the models stay on disk. The VergeLC “There used to be a single Settings toggle for disabling Apple Intelligence, but that was removed in macOS 27.” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “macOS 27 Golden Gate doesn’t have a toggle for turning off Apple Intelligence.” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 2The developer, known as Om Lahore on GitHub, wrote that a user must otherwise find about a dozen settings, several under Screen Time, and that the foundation models stay on disk at about 12GB even when everything is off. The VergeLC “You have to find about a dozen settings, and several of them are under Screen Time.” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “a developer known as Om Lahore on GitHub last week created RemoveMacAI” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Left · 2According to the developer, the tool turns off Siri, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, the ChatGPT extension and all the summaries, deletes the models and stops macOS from downloading them again; Dictation still works because it is a separate setting. The VergeLC “It turns off Siri, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, the ChatGPT extension and all the summaries” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “Dictation still works because it’s a separate setting” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 1The developer says it works through a configuration profile the user approves in System Settings plus Apple's own asset service, so System Integrity Protection stays on and nothing in /System is touched directly. Ars TechnicaLC “It uses a configuration profile you approve in System Settings plus Apple’s own asset service” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 2The changes are reversible: a "removemacai revert" command removes the profile, and macOS downloads the models again when a feature is turned back on. The developer also says users can remove only some features, and claims the changes persist across macOS updates. The VergeLC “There’s also a “removemacai revert” command that can turn everything back on” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “The dev also said that it’s possible to remove only the Apple Intelligence features that you don’t want and to keep the others.” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Left · 2The 12GB figure may understate the space used: The Verge's writer saw Apple Intelligence listed at 35.05GB on a MacBook Air, and Ars Technica says the models can take up over 30GB. A "removemacai status" command shows the size of each model. The VergeLC “Apple Intelligence is listed as taking up 35.05GB of space” Read at The Verge ↗ Ars TechnicaLC “the models can actually take up over 30GB, The Verge noted” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 1Ars Technica reports that some Reddit users say the tool works and that it had 1,700 GitHub stars at the time of writing; it also quotes a Hacker News commenter comparing the situation to de-crufting Windows. Ars TechnicaLC “Some users on Reddit have reported that the tool works, and it has 1,700 stars on GitHub as of this writing.” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the tool as a practical fix for storage and control after Apple removed the single toggle; The Verge is a short how-it-works item, Ars Technica adds technical detail and user reaction.
- Emphasis
- Storage savings, one-step convenience, reversibility, and the larger real-world model size.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither reports an Apple response or independent testing of the tool's claims, such as persistence across updates.
- Charged language
- “crapware”
- For example
-
“Getting some extra storage space on your Mac could be as easy as deleting Apple’s AI features” — The Verge
“regain the amount of control they have over Apple Intelligence’s presence on their computers that Apple previously offered” — Ars Technica
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- RemoveMacAI is an open-source command-line tool for macOS 27.
- macOS 27 has no single toggle to disable Apple Intelligence.
- The developer says it removes about 12GB of models, though actual usage may exceed 30GB.
- The tool is reversible with a revert command.
- The tool was first spotted by MacRumors via a Reddit post by the developer.
RemoveMacAI product
Its developer presents it as a one-step, fully reversible way to do what the old toggle did, without disabling System Integrity Protection.
““fully reversible,” per the GitHub page” — Ars Technica
“I wrote RemoveMacAI to do all of it in one go.” — The Verge
Apple Intelligence product
No Apple statement is quoted; coverage notes Apple has removed the single toggle in macOS 27 while increasing its focus on AI features.
“despite growing focus from Apple on AI-driven device and software upgrades” — Ars Technica
Left2 articles
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An open-source tool lets you delete 12GB of Apple Intelligence data on macOS
Neutral Brief explainer of the tool, its commands, and the observation that the models may take far more than 12GB.
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Command-line tool quickly removes Apple Intelligence from macOS 27
Sympathetic Presents the tool as restoring user control Apple took away, citing user reports and a Windows-style de-crufting comparison.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 14:47 First The VergeLC An open-source tool lets you delete 12GB of Apple Intelligence data on macOS
- 5 Oct 20:14 +5h 28m Ars TechnicaLC Command-line tool quickly removes Apple Intelligence from macOS 27
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.