Microsoft to Retire Sidebar App List in Edge, Focuses on Copilot

Microsoft will phase out the “Sidebar app list” in Edge, a new notice inside the browser’s Canary version confirms. This change affects the section that allowed users to pin websites like Instagram, Spotify, and Facebook to the sidebar for quick access. Built-in tools such as Copilot, Outlook, and others will remain available.

Microsoft Edge is retiring the Sidebar App List

The notice appears when users click the “+” button in the sidebar. It reads:

“Sidebar app list is being retired.
We’re simplifying Edge. New apps can no longer be added, and the quick access list will be removed gradually in future updates. Copilot is not affected — this helps us focus on making it even better.”

This means users will no longer be able to add or open web apps directly through the sidebar. The change will roll out gradually across Canary and Dev versions before reaching stable releases.

When Microsoft first added the sidebar hub in Edge, it acted as a small “app launcher.” Users could pin websites like Outlook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to create mini web apps that appeared next to their browser tabs. It made multitasking easier because users could check email or open Office web apps without closing the current page.

Later, Microsoft merged these sidebar features with built-in tools like Bing Chat (now Copilot), Calculator, and Outlook integration. The sidebar eventually became a productivity dashboard.

Copilot Becomes the Focus

Microsoft says Copilot will not be affected by this removal. Instead, the company appears to make it the main feature for users who have used the sidebar apps before.

The support page linked in the notice explains that users can still open their favorite sites through Edge’s Edge Bar, pinned tabs, or Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

In summary, future versions of Edge will no longer allow users to add new sidebar apps. The sidebar app list will be retired, while Copilot and other built-in tools will stay. Microsoft recommends using the Edge Bar or installing sites as PWAs for similar access.

Apart from this, Microsoft recently fixed Edge’s cluttered context menus. The company is also testing a change that opens Copilot in the sidebar when users press F1 for Help in Edge.