A new open-source command-line utility called RemoveMacAI lets Apple silicon Mac users running macOS 27 disable Apple Intelligence, remove downloaded on-device AI models, and prevent the operating system from automatically downloading them again.
Developed by Om Lahore and released under the MIT license, RemoveMacAI addresses storage and manageability concerns for users who have disabled Apple Intelligence but still have the associated models stored on their devices.
According to the project documentation, macOS 27 no longer offers a universal switch for Apple Intelligence, meaning that downloaded models can remain stored locally even after related features are turned off.
RemoveMacAI disables a wide range of functions linked to Apple Intelligence. These include Siri, “Hey Siri,” Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, the ChatGPT extension, smart replies in Mail, message and notification summaries, inline text predictions, Spatial Photos, Photos Clean Up, and Xcode predictive code completion.
The tool also removes associated local assets, including Apple Intelligence foundation models and model sets used for image generation, Genmoji, Spatial Photos, photo cleanup, and Xcode code completion. However, it does not remove dictation speech models, as dictation is managed separately.
For security-conscious administrators, the project states that it removes these models through Apple’s asset service rather than by directly deleting protected files from the /System directory. System Integrity Protection remains enabled throughout this process.
The utility employs a configuration profile to apply Apple restriction keys where available and enforce relevant settings where no dedicated restriction key exists. It then redirects downloads for each removed asset type to a closed local port, preventing macOS from automatically restoring the models.
This approach matters because removing model files alone may only provide a temporary solution if the operating system detects that an Apple Intelligence feature needs the underlying asset again. RemoveMacAI aims to make storage recovery persistent, even across macOS updates, by retaining the configuration profile and the download block.
The project also emphasizes reversibility; users can run `removemacai revert` to remove the profile and restore prior settings, allowing macOS to download models again as needed.
RemoveMacAI supports an interactive mode through the `removemacai` command, which displays the current status and requests confirmation before making changes.
The project also offers commands to inspect model storage, simulate changes, retain selected features, list feature names, and revert the configuration.
The developer provides both a Homebrew installation method and a one-line installer that downloads the latest release, verifies its SHA-256 checksum, and executes it from a temporary directory. Releases are built through GitHub Actions and include build provenance attestations that users can verify using GitHub’s attestation tool.
RemoveMacAI supports Apple silicon systems running macOS 27, specifically noting testing on macOS 27.0 and providing compatibility guidance for 27.0.1. macOS 26 and earlier versions are not supported.
Administrators should test the tool before deployment, as it intentionally disables features that some users or managed workflows may require, including Visual Intelligence, natural-language editing in Calendar, Foundation Models framework applications, and Shortcuts actions that utilize Apple’s on-device models. The `–dry-run` option offers a safer way to review the expected impact before applying any changes.
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