Microsoft launched a brand new replace for its net browser, Edge 119, via its Steady Channel (one among Microsoft’s launch channels for brand spanking new variations of Edge) on November 3.
This replace launched many new options, together with SplitScreen and an improved Sidebar app. Microsoft has additionally snuck in an attention-grabbing quirk into the settings of the sidebar: the toggle for turning Edge’s sidebar on and off has seemingly disappeared. This has brought about alarm for some customers as some assume this implies you can’t disable (or allow it) in some circumstances.
Earlier than this replace, there was an “All the time Present Sidebar” setting that allowed you to allow or disable the sidebar in Edge which might be discovered by coming into edge://settings/sidebar into Edge’s deal with bar. Model Edge 119 strikes this toggle to Copilot’s settings. Windows Copilot is Microsoft’s new AI-fuelled assistant that the corporate is positioning to operate all all through Home windows and lots of Microsoft merchandise, together with Edge.
There does seem to nonetheless be a method to have the ability to flip the sidebar on and off by turning on the Present Copilot possibility. You’ll be able to hold the sidebar on and select to show off Copilot, which ought to take away the Copilot icon, however doing that may cover the “Auto-hide Sidebar” possibility. You won’t be able to toggle the sidebar as that particular setting will now not be accessible.
Microsoft put out the next description about this sidebar toggle change, according to NeoWin:
“All the time present sidebar:
This setting shouldn’t be out there when Copilot in Edge is off”
This might be complicated to some customers, particularly in the event that they don’t need to use Copilot in the meanwhile. You’ll be able to nonetheless disable Copilot, but it surely looks like it disables even the flexibility to allow and disable the sidebar, which many customers (together with those that aren’t offered on Copilot but) like utilizing. NeoWin goes so far as to posit that transferring this setting to the Copilot settings seems like Microsoft is attempting to push customers in the direction of utilizing it to develop engagement.
No matter the place you stand on Copilot, there’s nonetheless a solution to flip the sidebar on or off (though, a roundabout one at that). To do that, go to:
Settings > Sidebar > Copilot > All the time Present Sidebar
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