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INTERNET

By Lance Whitney • Comment about this article

The sidebar in Microsoft Edge offers you a handy way to access frequently used tools, apps, websites, and other items.

When it comes to browsers, I’m a dedicated Firefox user. But I have to admit I’ve been using Microsoft Edge more often. One Edge feature I like is its sidebar, through which you can easily access Microsoft 365, Outlook, Bing Search, Image Creator, and other tools and apps.

The sidebar is customizable, so you’re able to add and remove different items and even include links to Web pages. Some Edge users may overlook the sidebar, but it can be a helpful way to quickly launch the tools and sites you regularly use.

Edge is built into Windows 10 and 11 and works the same in both versions. If you need to install it for a different version of Windows, head to the Edge download site and click the right arrow next to the Download button. Here, you’re also able to install it for a different operating system, such as macOS.

To get started, fire up Edge and click the plus button on the right, just under the Bing icon. Doing so brings up a right pane where you can now customize the sidebar. Clicking the same button then closes the Customize pane (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Clicking the plus button triggers the right pane for tweaking the sidebar.

By default, the sidebar doesn’t display any icons, so your first task should be to populate it with the apps and tools that you like to use. Scroll down to the Manage section to see all the apps you can add. The current list includes the following:

To add a specific app or tool, just flick on its switch and then click its icon on the sidebar to activate it. After you close the Customize pane by clicking its X, all the icons you’ve added are accessible from the sidebar (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Turn on an app’s switch to add it to the sidebar.

Among the apps offered by Microsoft for the Edge sidebar, the ones I’ve found most useful are Search, Tools, Microsoft 365, Outlook, Image Creator, and Drop. Those are the items I typically keep nestled on the sidebar, but your mileage will naturally vary based on your app use and preferences.

After you click an app’s icon, the app appears in the right pane for you to use (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Click an app’s icon to view and use it in the right pane.

Some apps allow you to vary the width of the right pane. Move your mouse cursor to the separation bar between the main browser window and the right pane. If the cursor turns into a double arrow, then you can drag it to the left to widen the right pane and back to the right to shrink it. How much you can drag it depends not just on the app in the right pane, but also on the webpage in the main browser window  (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Drag the separation bar left and right to change the width of the right pane, for supported apps.

Here, you’re also able to manage the pane itself. At the top of the pane will be a few different icons that vary based on the app. If the pane displays a minimize icon, clicking that is the same as clicking the X to close the app’s pane. Click the app’s icon on the sidebar to view it again (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Minimizing the pane is the same as closing it.

By default, the right pane is typically pinned to the screen. Visually, the pin at the top appears dark. Pinning means that both the right pane and the main browser window display side by side. So if you drag the separation bar to the left, the browser window will be resized accordingly. If you unpin the right pane by clicking the Pin icon, and then drag the separation bar to the left, the right pane will overlay the main browser window (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Pinning the right pane displays it side by side with the main browser window.

A three-dot icon for each pane provides other settings and a way to send feedback to Microsoft. Certain apps offer additional options when you launch them in the right pane.

Search displays an icon to open a link in the left pane. Tools presents a Settings icon that lets you turn off certain tools and control the order in which they appear. Microsoft 365 displays a search tool from which you can search for recent files by name. Outlook provides a button to take you to its home page, where you’re able to access other Microsoft apps and content (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Certain apps offer more options at the top of the pane.

To remove an app, just click the plus icon and turn off its switch in the Customize pane. Alternatively, right-click the icon for the app you want to remove and select Hide from sidebar. From this popup menu, you can also access the Customize pane or close the app if it’s currently running (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Right-click an app on the sidebar to remove it, close it, or access the Customize pane.

You can add your favorite websites to the sidebar to quickly open them. At the Customize pane, Microsoft suggests sites that you may want to add — such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon. Click the Show more link to see more sites, including Facebook Messenger and eBay. Just click a site to add it to the sidebar (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Add a suggested webpage to the sidebar.

To add a different page to the sidebar, browse to it and then click the button for Add current page (Figure 10).

Figure 10. To add another page, open it in the browser and click the button for Add current page.

You may also be able to find a page by searching for it. Start typing the name of a webpage in the search field. As you type, a list of corresponding websites might appear. The list is based on popular sites, so you may not be able to find the one you want. But if you do, select it from the list and then click the Add button to add it to the sidebar (Figure 11).

Figure 11. Try searching for a webpage and then adding the one you want from the list.

The icon for each page you add appears in the sidebar. Click an icon to launch its webpage in the right pane. To open the page in the larger browser pane, click the icon for Open link in new tab at the top. Here, you can also refresh the page, copy the link, pin or unpin the pane, or close the pane (Figure 12).

Figure 12. After launching a webpage in the right pane, you can open it in the larger browser pane and access other settings.

To remove a webpage from the sidebar, click the plus icon to access the Customize pane and click Remove; or, right-click the page’s icon and select Remove from sidebar (Figure 13).

Figure 13. Remove a webpage from the sidebar via the Customize pane, or right-click on it and remove it from the sidebar.

Finally, you can manage the sidebar through Edge’s settings. Click the Settings icon at the bottom of the sidebar, or click the three-dot Settings icon at the top, select Settings, and then go to Sidebar. At the top, you can flip the switch for Always show sidebar to turn its display on and off. Next, keep the switch on for Personalize my top sites in customize sidebar to personalize the top suggested sites based on your browsing history (Figure 14).

Figure 14. Through Edge’s settings, choose whether the sidebar should be visible and whether suggested sites should be personalized.

Turn on the switch for Allow sidebar apps to show notifications to receive notifications from any of the apps you’ve added to the sidebar. Under App specific settings, click each listed app to control specific settings for it. For most apps, you can control site permissions and notifications. For apps such as Microsoft 365 and Outlook, you can determine whether certain content opens in the right pane (Figure 15).

Figure 15. You can control certain settings for each app you add to the sidebar.

Further down, click the button for Manage site notifications to manage notifications for the websites you’ve added to the sidebar.

Whether you use Microsoft Edge all the time or just occasionally, the sidebar is a helpful way to quickly access and open specific apps and websites. Setting up and customizing the sidebar is a relatively painless process. And once you’re done, your favorite apps and sites are just a click away.

Join the conversation! Your questions, comments, and feedback about this topic are always welcome in our forums!

Lance Whitney is a freelance technology reporter and former IT professional. He’s written for CNET, TechRepublic, PC Magazine, and other publications. He’s authored a book on Windows and another about LinkedIn.

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