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Google Chrome is the most popular web browser in the world, but it isn’t necessarily the most efficient. While Chrome offers users the most compatibility with Google’s products and services—not to mention a huge library of extensions—it has a habit of hogging more system resources than other browsers, which may end up slowing down weaker hardware, or draining your laptop’s battery. As it happens, the browser might also be responsible for putting a strain on your hard drive.
As reported by The Verge, Google Chrome might be taking up more storage than it needs to on your Mac, PC, or Chromebook—at least if you subscribe to one of Google’s AI plans. That’s due to its AI features, specifically Gemini Nano, Google’s “lightweight” AI model used for scam detection, autofill, writing tools, and suggestions. It seems when a user has these AI features turned on, Chrome installs a 4GB “weights.bin” file to the browser directory. That’s because Gemini Nano runs on-device, rather than in the cloud. In order to accomplish that, it needs resources on your computer to run its processes.
It’s not clear exactly what is causing this file to be so large, but it isn’t necessarily surprising. AI processes can be intense, especially if the models are running on-device. Even though Gemini Nano is “light,” 4GB sounds about right to me for the features highlighted here. There’s actually an upside, too, since on-device processes are better for user privacy: For cloud-based processes, your data needs to leave your device, potentially exposing your information. Google’s help center site mentions the features these models power, and discloses that Chrome will download files to run those processes, but doesn’t specify the exact file size.
If your computer has a large SSD or hard drive, you might not mind that added 4GB of storage—especially if you like Gemini’s features in Chrome. However, a lot of us don’t have the storage space to spare, especially on machines with small hard drives to begin with. The entry-level MacBook Neo, for example, ships with 256GB of storage. Anyone who stores a local library of photos, videos, or other large files knows the challenge of trying to manage an SSD of this size. That 4GB of storage Chrome is taking up actually matters, particularly for users who do not rely on Google’s AI features.
How to free up Chrome’s unnecessary storage space
As The Verge notes, you can delete the weights.bin file from the OptGuideOnDeviceModel directory on your computer. This will temporarily delete the 4GB of data, but it isn’t a permanent solution. If you keep these AI features turned on, Chrome will just download the files again in the future, and your hard drive will be 4GB heavier.
As such, your long-term solution is to disable these features instead. To do so, click the three dots in the top-right corner of a Chrome window, then hit “Settings.” Here, head to “System,” then make sure “On-device AI” is checked off. Note that this option may not be available if you aren’t a Google AI subscriber, or if an organization like your school or company manages your Chrome profile. In these cases, Chrome likely didn’t install the weights.bin file on your machine. For example, I don’t have the option on either my personal Chrome profile or my work Chrome profile on my Mac.