A few months ago, Microsoft introduced the sidebar feature for its browser. It lets you pin websites and access various tools, such as image generators, browser accessories, Bing AI, speed tests, and more. Slowly but steadily, the sidebar gets new features and capabilities, some of which may seem a little quirky. For example, the latest update allows separating the sidebar from the main window, creating a permanent taskbar-like panel on your desktop with quick access to your pins.
You can try the updated sidebar in Edge Canary 114.0.1791.0. Update the browser to the latest version and make sure you have enabled the sidebar. After that, click on the separate button with the settings icon in the lower right corner. You now have a taskbar at the bottom and one on the right, and in typical Microsoft fashion, your pins will open whenever you hover the cursor over them (you can’t change it).
Fortunately, it looks like the separate sidebar will be an option that’s disabled by default. And if you don’t like it, click the Close button to reconnect the sidebar to Microsoft Edge. While many will find this change a bit off-putting, the updated sidebar can be a handy tool, especially if you have an ultrawide monitor. After all, you can always disable the sidebar and forget about it.
What do you think about the ability to turn Edge’s sidebar on your desktop into something that looks like a taskbar? Let us know in the comments.