diff --git a/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx b/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
index 4523231303..b7876608a6 100644
--- a/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import {GifPickerErrorBoundary} from '#/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerE
 import {GifPickerGrid} from '#/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerGrid'
 import {GifPickerHeader} from '#/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader'
 import {GifPickerPlaceholder} from '#/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerPlaceholder'
-import {useGifAutocomplete} from '#/features/gifPicker/hooks/useGifAutocomplete'
 import {useGifPickerData} from '#/features/gifPicker/hooks/useGifPickerData'
 import {type Gif} from '#/features/gifPicker/types'
 
@@ -65,16 +64,7 @@ function GifPickerBody({
   const textInputRef = useRef<TextInput>(null)
   const listRef = useRef<ListMethods>(null)
   const [rawSearch, setRawSearch] = useState('')
-  const search = useThrottledValue(rawSearch, 500)
-
-  const autocomplete = useGifAutocomplete({
-    onSelectSuggestion: text => {
-      setRawSearch(text)
-      // Set the TextInput's displayed value to match
-      textInputRef.current?.setNativeProps({text})
-      listRef.current?.scrollToOffset({offset: 0, animated: false})
-    },
-  })
+  const search = useThrottledValue(rawSearch, 750)
 
   const {
     data,
@@ -107,7 +97,6 @@ function GifPickerBody({
 
   const onChangeSearch = (text: string) => {
     setRawSearch(text)
-    autocomplete.handleTextChange(text)
     listRef.current?.scrollToOffset({offset: 0, animated: false})
   }
 
@@ -118,7 +107,6 @@ function GifPickerBody({
         onChangeText={onChangeSearch}
         onClose={() => control.close()}
         onEscape={() => control.close()}
-        autocomplete={autocomplete}
       />
       {!hasData && (
         <GifPickerPlaceholder
diff --git a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
index 3b979a15a7..19d56cbad0 100644
--- a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
@@ -9,87 +9,65 @@ import * as TextField from '#/components/forms/TextField'
 import {ArrowLeft_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Arrow} from '#/components/icons/Arrow'
 import {MagnifyingGlass_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Search} from '#/components/icons/MagnifyingGlass'
 import {IS_WEB} from '#/env'
-import {
-  GIF_AUTOCOMPLETE_LISTBOX_ID,
-  GifAutocompleteSuggestions,
-  suggestionItemId,
-} from '#/features/gifPicker/components/GifAutocompleteSuggestions'
-import {type GifAutocompleteState} from '#/features/gifPicker/hooks/useGifAutocomplete'
 
 export function GifPickerHeader({
   inputRef,
   onChangeText,
   onClose,
   onEscape,
-  autocomplete,
 }: {
   inputRef: Ref<TextInput>
   onChangeText: (text: string) => void
   onClose: () => void
   onEscape: () => void
-  autocomplete: GifAutocompleteState
 }) {
   const {_} = useLingui()
   const t = useTheme()
   const {gtMobile} = useBreakpoints()
 
   return (
-    <View style={[native(a.pt_4xl), a.relative, a.mb_lg, a.pb_sm, t.atoms.bg]}>
-      <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_center, !gtMobile && web(a.gap_md)]}>
-        {!gtMobile && IS_WEB && (
-          <Button
-            size="small"
-            variant="ghost"
-            color="secondary"
-            shape="round"
-            onPress={onClose}
-            label={_(msg`Close GIF dialog`)}>
-            <ButtonIcon icon={Arrow} size="md" />
-          </Button>
-        )}
-
-        <TextField.Root style={[!gtMobile && IS_WEB && a.flex_1]}>
-          <TextField.Icon icon={Search} />
-          <TextField.Input
-            label={_(msg`Search GIFs`)}
-            placeholder={_(msg`Search GIFs`)}
-            onChangeText={onChangeText}
-            returnKeyType="search"
-            clearButtonMode="while-editing"
-            inputRef={inputRef}
-            maxLength={50}
-            onKeyPress={({nativeEvent}) => {
-              if (nativeEvent.key === 'Escape') {
-                if (!autocomplete.handleKeyDown('Escape')) {
-                  onEscape()
-                }
-              } else {
-                autocomplete.handleKeyDown(nativeEvent.key)
-              }
-            }}
-            // @ts-ignore web-only ARIA props
-            role={autocomplete.isVisible ? 'combobox' : undefined}
-            aria-controls={
-              autocomplete.isVisible ? GIF_AUTOCOMPLETE_LISTBOX_ID : undefined
-            }
-            aria-expanded={autocomplete.isVisible}
-            aria-autocomplete={autocomplete.isVisible ? 'list' : undefined}
-            aria-activedescendant={
-              autocomplete.isVisible && autocomplete.activeIndex >= 0
-                ? suggestionItemId(autocomplete.activeIndex)
-                : undefined
-            }
-          />
-        </TextField.Root>
-      </View>
-
-      {autocomplete.isVisible && (
-        <GifAutocompleteSuggestions
-          suggestions={autocomplete.suggestions}
-          activeIndex={autocomplete.activeIndex}
-          onSelect={autocomplete.selectSuggestion}
-        />
+    <View
+      style={[
+        native(a.pt_4xl),
+        a.relative,
+        a.mb_lg,
+        a.flex_row,
+        a.align_center,
+        !gtMobile && web(a.gap_md),
+        a.pb_sm,
+        t.atoms.bg,
+      ]}>
+      {!gtMobile && IS_WEB && (
+        <Button
+          size="small"
+          variant="ghost"
+          color="secondary"
+          shape="round"
+          onPress={onClose}
+          label={_(msg`Close GIF dialog`)}>
+          <ButtonIcon icon={Arrow} size="md" />
+        </Button>
       )}
+
+      <TextField.Root style={[!gtMobile && IS_WEB && a.flex_1]}>
+        <TextField.Icon icon={Search} />
+        <TextField.Input
+          label={_(msg`Search GIFs`)}
+          placeholder={_(msg`Search GIFs`)}
+          onChangeText={onChangeText}
+          returnKeyType="search"
+          clearButtonMode="while-editing"
+          inputRef={inputRef}
+          maxLength={50}
+          onKeyPress={({nativeEvent}) => {
+            if (nativeEvent.key === 'Escape') {
+              onEscape()
+            }
+          }}
+        />
+      </TextField.Root>
+
+      {/* future: tabs (Trending / Recents / Categories) render here */}
     </View>
   )
 }