diff --git a/install.py b/install.py
index aac8b58..df6059a 100644
--- a/install.py
+++ b/install.py
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ import launch
 if not launch.is_installed("send2trash"):
     launch.run_pip("install Send2Trash", "Send2Trash requirement for image browser")
 
-if not launch.is_installed("ImageReward"):
-    launch.run_pip("install image-reward", "ImageReward requirement for image browser")
+# temporarily deactivated
+#if not launch.is_installed("ImageReward"):
+    #launch.run_pip("install image-reward", "ImageReward requirement for image browser")
diff --git a/scripts/image_browser.py b/scripts/image_browser.py
index 98a68f0..40a654f 100644
--- a/scripts/image_browser.py
+++ b/scripts/image_browser.py
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ except ImportError:
 
 try:
     import ImageReward
-    image_reward_installed = True
+    # temporarily deactivated
+    # image_reward_installed = True
+    image_reward_installed = False
 except ImportError:
     print("Image Browser: ImageReward is not installed, cannot be used.")
     image_reward_installed = False