Is Chrome’s 4GB ‘weights.bin’ file spyware? Google clarifies (Updated)

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Is Chrome’s 4GB ‘weights.bin’ file spyware? Google clarifies (Updated)

TL;DR

• Users noticed Google Chrome silently downloading a 4GB file called “weights.bin” in the background, sparking privacy concerns.


• This file actually helps run Gemini Nano on-device, improving privacy by processing AI requests locally rather than� sending data to the cloud.


• Users frustrated by the storage hit can stop the downloads by disabling specific Chrome flags before deleting the model folder.

Update: May 6, 2026 (3:13 PM ET): A Google spokesperson has provided� Android Authority with the following statement:

We’ve offered Gemini Nano for Chrome since 2024 as a lightweight, on-device model. It powers important security capabilities like scam detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud. While this requires some local space on the desktop to run, the model will automatically uninstall if the device is low on resources. In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to easily turn off and remove the model directly in Chrome settings. Once disabled the model will no longer download or update. More details in our help center article.

Source: Is Chrome’s 4GB ‘weights.bin’ file spyware? Google clarifies (Updated)