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RemoveMacAI is a GitHub project for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 27 that disables selected Apple Intelligence features and removes their downloaded models. Its developer says a configuration profile blocks the models from downloading again until the changes are reverted; macOS may take time to delete released files and update Storage settings.
The GitHub project RemoveMacAI offers Apple silicon Mac users running macOS 27 a way to turn off Apple Intelligence features, remove their downloaded models and block those models from downloading again. The tool addresses two limits described by its developer: macOS 27 has no single switch for all the features, and turning them off does not itself remove models already stored on disk.
According to the project documentation, RemoveMacAI applies a configuration profile containing Apple’s restriction keys and settings for features without a restriction key. macOS requires the user to approve the profile in System Settings. The tool then removes models through Apple’s asset service. The developer says the profile redirects future requests for those models to a closed local port, preventing macOS from downloading them again while the profile remains in place.
The project lists Siri features, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, the ChatGPT extension, summaries across several apps and notifications, Mail smart replies, inline text predictions, Spatial Photos, Photos Clean Up and Xcode predictive code completion among the affected features. It also says removal covers Apple’s foundation models and models for image generation, Genmoji, Spatial Photos, Photos Clean Up and Xcode completion. Users can name features to retain with the –keep option; the project gives Spatial Photos and Photos Clean Up as examples.
RemoveMacAI can show the current state, list feature names and report model sizes, and offers a dry run before applying changes. Its documentation says model sizes that Apple’s asset service cannot report appear as unknown. If removal fails or cannot be confirmed, the command exits with status 1 and leaves the configuration profile active; the project advises checking warnings and running its status command. A revert command removes the changes. The project says removing the profile restores previous settings and macOS can download models again when a feature needs them.
What Model Removal Changes
The project targets a gap between turning off features and freeing the storage used by their models. For users who do not want Apple Intelligence functions, removing those downloaded files may recover disk space, while the profile is intended to stop macOS from fetching them again. The amount available to recover varies: RemoveMacAI can report sizes for some assets, but says others may be unknown.
There is a timing limitation for checking the result. The developer says Apple’s asset service releases models immediately, but macOS deletes the files on its own schedule. During that interval, System Settings may still count the models under Apple Intelligence in Storage. A user may not see the storage total change as soon as the removal process finishes.
Disabling the listed features also affects software that relies on Apple’s on-device models. The project specifically names Apple’s Foundation Models framework, the Use Model action in Shortcuts, Visual Intelligence and natural-language editing in Calendar. That makes the choice relevant beyond Apple’s built-in feature controls: third-party or system workflows using those models may also stop working.
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How the macOS 27 Tool Works
RemoveMacAI’s documentation says the tool is designed for Apple silicon and supports macOS 27. It is not listed as supporting macOS 26 or earlier. The project reports testing on macOS 27.0 and specifies version 0.2.3 or later for macOS 27.0.1. These version notes matter because the tool changes system settings through a profile and interacts with Apple’s asset service.
The developer describes two installation options: a shell installer that downloads a release and a Homebrew package. The project says the installer verifies the release’s SHA-256 checksum, runs it from a temporary directory and does not install a permanent application. It also says releases are built from their tags using GitHub Actions and carry build provenance attestations, which users can verify with GitHub’s command-line tool.
The project’s account says it does not modify files under /System, leaves System Integrity Protection enabled, makes no network requests and collects no data. It credits the pared tool by 4evy with prior work mapping the asset service, model sets and settings keys. These are statements in the project’s documentation; the supplied material does not include an independent audit of the tool or its effects.
“All changes can be reverted.”
— RemoveMacAI project documentation
Apple Silicon Mac storage management
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Storage Counts and Feature Effects
The available source is the project’s own documentation, not an independent test of RemoveMacAI. It does not provide measured storage savings across Mac models or users, and some asset sizes may be reported as unknown. The actual space recovered in a given case therefore cannot be established from the supplied information.
It is also not clear how long macOS will take to delete released model files and refresh the Storage display on an individual Mac. The project says updates do not undo the profile, but the source material does not provide independent update testing. Users should also account for the named dependent features and apps before applying the changes. The documentation says dictation is separate, while services such as a process named Siri may remain loaded; in macOS 27, it says the Spotlight window runs under that process name.
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Check Status After Removal
Users considering the change can first use RemoveMacAI’s status and feature-list commands, then run its dry-run option to see the proposed changes. The tool asks for confirmation before proceeding and opens System Settings so the user can approve its configuration profile. Those steps let a user review the reported state and choose whether to keep specific features enabled.
After removal, the project recommends checking warnings and running the status command if model removal fails or cannot be confirmed. Storage settings may continue to show Apple Intelligence while macOS finishes deleting files. To restore the prior configuration, the documentation directs users to run the revert command; users who installed through Homebrew can then uninstall the package. The next practical check is whether macOS has completed deletion and whether the features the user relies on still work.
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Key Questions
Which Macs and macOS versions does RemoveMacAI support?
The project lists Apple silicon Macs running macOS 27. It says it was tested on 27.0 and that version 0.2.3 or later should be used on 27.0.1. macOS 26 and earlier are listed as unsupported.
Does removing the models immediately change the Storage total?
Not necessarily. The project says Apple’s asset service releases the models right away, while macOS deletes the files on its own schedule. System Settings may keep counting them under Apple Intelligence until deletion is complete.
Will dictation still work?
According to the project documentation, yes. It describes dictation as a separate setting and says its speech models are not removed.
Can I leave some Apple Intelligence features enabled?
Yes. The project says users can pass feature names with –keep. Its example keeps Spatial Photos and Photos Clean Up while turning off the other listed features.
How can I undo the changes?
The project provides a revert command that removes its configuration profile and restores previous settings. It says macOS can download models again when a feature needs them; Homebrew users can uninstall the package afterward.
Source: hn
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