AI assistants are becoming increasingly integrated into smartphones, giving them the ability to search app content, summarize messages, retrieve information, and interact with other applications. However, this deeper integration also raises privacy concerns, particularly when sensitive information is stored in encrypted messaging apps, personal notes, emails, and other private applications.

Apple and Google offer settings that let users restrict how their AI assistants access information from other apps. Apple has introduced a dedicated Excluded Apps setting for Siri AI in iOS 27.2, while Google Gemini provides connected-app permissions and separate controls for screen context and notification access on Android.

The two platforms handle these restrictions differently. Here’s how to prevent Siri AI and Google Gemini from accessing sensitive app data without necessarily disabling the assistants entirely.

Why restrict AI access to your apps?

Smartphone AI assistants can become more useful when they understand what’s happening across your device. For example, Siri AI can search information in supported apps, retrieve details from conversations, and respond to questions about your personal data.

Similarly, Gemini can connect with Google services and supported third-party applications to retrieve emails, photos, calendar events, and other information. It can also interact with Android notifications and use content displayed on your screen when the relevant permissions and features are enabled.

However, this convenience introduces additional privacy considerations.

End-to-end encrypted messaging apps, for example, are designed to prevent anyone other than the communicating participants from accessing conversation contents. But when an AI assistant reads a message or processes information displayed on the screen, that information may be handled outside the messaging app’s normal encryption protections.

Apple uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute for different AI operations, while Google processes Gemini interactions according to its privacy policies and settings. These protections do not mean that information necessarily stays on your device.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has highlighted this issue and encouraged operating system developers to give users straightforward controls over which applications their AI assistants can access.

How to block Siri AI from accessing specific apps on iPhone

Requirements: An Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone running iOS 27.2 or later.

Apple introduced a dedicated Excluded Apps setting in iOS 27.2, making it considerably easier to prevent Siri AI from accessing information inside selected applications.

Previously, users had to navigate multiple settings to restrict Siri’s access to individual apps. The new exclusion list provides a more straightforward way to manage that access.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Select Excluded Apps.
4. Tap Add Apps.
5. Select the applications you want to prevent Siri AI from accessing.
6. Tap the blue checkmark to confirm your selection.

Once added to the exclusion list, an application is unavailable to Siri, Search, and Siri suggestions.

You can repeat this process whenever you want to restrict access to additional applications.

What happens when you exclude an app?

Excluding an application prevents Siri AI from accessing its contents. However, this also means that certain Siri capabilities will no longer work with that application.

For example, if you exclude Apple Messages, Siri AI will no longer be able to read or respond to your messages. Similarly, excluding Signal prevents Siri AI from using information inside the messaging application, including through its on-screen awareness feature.

This is an important distinction because on-screen awareness previously provided another way for Siri AI to interact with information displayed inside applications.

If you change your mind, you can remove an application from the exclusion list:

1. Open Settings > Siri > Excluded Apps.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the red minus icon next to the application.
4. Select Delete.
5. Confirm your changes using the checkmark.

The application will once again be available to Siri, Search, and suggestions.

How to block Google Gemini from accessing apps on Android

Google Gemini offers connected-app controls that let you decide which supported applications and services the assistant can access.

Unlike Apple’s dedicated exclusion list, Google’s approach relies on managing individual connected-app permissions. It also requires additional attention to screen context and notification access.

1. Disconnect sensitive apps from Gemini

Start by reviewing the applications connected to Gemini.

1. Open the Gemini app on your Android phone.
2. Tap your profile picture or account initial.
3. Select Settings.
4. Open Personal Intelligence > Connected Apps.
5. Review the applications connected to Gemini.
6. Revoke access to applications containing information you don’t want Gemini to retrieve.

For example, you can disconnect supported Google services and third-party applications that contain personal information.

You can revisit this section whenever you want to change which applications Gemini can access.

Keep in mind that the available connected apps depend on your account, device, region, and supported integrations.

2. Disable Gemini’s screen context access

Disconnecting an application does not necessarily prevent Gemini from accessing information displayed on your screen.

Google offers separate screen-context controls that allow Gemini to use visible text and screenshots when responding to requests.

To restrict this access:

1. Open the Gemini app.
2. Tap your profile picture or account initial.
3. Select Settings.
4. Open Screen context. Depending on your Gemini version, this option may appear under Device controls.
5. Turn off Use text from screen.
6. Turn off Use screenshot.

Disable both options to prevent Gemini from using these screen-context inputs.

Google also offers Intelligent Screen Context, which can infer when information displayed on your screen would be useful for a conversation. Disabling the screen-context options prevents Gemini from using the corresponding screen information through these features.

You can still use Gemini by directly typing or speaking your questions without giving it access to your current screen.

3. Disable Gemini’s notification access

This is another important setting, particularly if you use secure messaging applications.

Gemini can read and respond to Android notifications when the Google app has the required notification access permission. This means that even if a messaging application isn’t directly connected to Gemini, notification previews containing private messages could still become accessible.

For example, Signal may not appear in Gemini’s Connected Apps list because it doesn’t support that direct integration. However, notification access can provide another route to information from the application.

To revoke this permission:

1. Open your Android phone’s Settings app.
2. Navigate to Apps > Special app access > Notification read, reply & control.
3. Select Google.
4. Turn off Allow notification access.

Depending on your Android version and device manufacturer, the menu may instead appear under Apps > Special access > Notification access.

Disabling this permission prevents Gemini from reading and responding to notifications through this integration. However, it also removes notification-related assistant capabilities.

Apple Siri AI vs. Google Gemini: What’s different?

Both companies provide ways to restrict AI access to personal information, but their approaches aren’t identical.

Privacy control	Apple Siri AI	Google Gemini
Restrict individual app access	Dedicated Excluded Apps list	Connected Apps permissions
Prevent screen-context access	Excluding an app also blocks Siri’s on-screen awareness for it	Separate screen-context controls
Restrict notification access	App exclusion can prevent Siri AI from accessing supported app content	Android notification access permission
Keep using the assistant	Yes	Yes
Per-app screen-context restriction	Included through app exclusion	Not currently offered

Apple’s approach is more straightforward because users can exclude an application entirely from Siri, Search, and suggestions.

Google provides more granular controls for different types of access, but users must review multiple settings to reduce the chances of exposing sensitive information.

Neither approach should be confused with completely disabling the AI assistant or preventing every possible form of data sharing. Information that users deliberately share with an assistant, such as screenshots, uploaded files, or copied messages, may still be processed.

Additional privacy considerations

Restricting AI access to applications is a useful first step, particularly if you regularly use encrypted messaging services or store sensitive information on your phone.

However, there are a few additional considerations worth keeping in mind.

• Review connected applications regularly: New integrations and features can change which applications an assistant can access. Revisit the permissions periodically.
• Be careful with screenshots: Even when automatic screen context is disabled, manually sharing a screenshot with an AI assistant can expose everything visible in it.
• Check notification previews: Private messages can appear in notifications, even when the messaging application itself is not connected to an AI assistant.
• Understand cloud processing: On-device AI processing and cloud-based processing have different privacy implications. Don’t assume that every AI request stays on your smartphone.
• Review data retention settings: Connected-app permissions and AI activity history are separate controls. Disconnecting an application does not automatically delete information already stored in your AI activity history.

Take control of what your phone’s AI can access

Smartphone AI assistants can make everyday tasks easier, but they shouldn’t automatically have access to every piece of information stored on your device.

Apple’s Excluded Apps feature in iOS 27.2 provides a much-needed way to block Siri AI from accessing selected applications. Google Gemini users can achieve similar restrictions by reviewing connected apps, disabling screen context, and revoking notification access where appropriate.

The important thing is to understand that these controls serve different purposes. Disconnecting an app, blocking screen access, and preventing notification access are separate steps on Android, while Apple’s new exclusion list brings several Siri access restrictions together.

For users who prioritize privacy, taking a few minutes to review these settings can make a meaningful difference in how much personal information their smartphone AI assistants can access.