Microsoft Edge tests a sidebar that you can pin to your desktop

Microsoft Edge tests a sidebar that you can pin to your desktop

Microsoft Edge is testing a new feature that could make its sidebar even more useful. In Edge Canary version 114.0.1789.0, you detach and mount the browser’s sidebar to your desktop, as spotted earlier by GeekerMag (via Windows Central).

While I didn’t get the chance to try the feature out for myself, GeekerMag’s Viney Dhiman shows how it works in the video embedded below. Simply hit the “Detach from Edge” button at the bottom of the sidebar, and Edge will automatically pin the sidebar to the right side of your desktop.

The sidebar will stay up even when you minimize Edge, allowing you to access Bing’s AI chatbot and other tools without having a webpage open. To reattach the sidebar, simply hit the same button you used to detach it. According to Windows Central, this feature is only rolling out to a subset of Edge Canary and Dev users, so you might not see it even if you have access to either channel.

Edge’s sidebar comes with a variety of tools in addition to the AI-powered chatbot and image generator Microsft recently added. You can also use the sidebar to quickly pull up emails, open Microsoft Office, play games, and access the pinned sites of your choice.

This versatility makes it easy to see why Microsoft is experimenting with making it detachable. For example, if you’re using the Microsoft Word application on your computer, you can keep the sidebar up in case you need to access Bing’s chatbot to help you write or create an outline. You can even use it as a way to monitor your emails at a glance, making it seem like a handy way to gain access to tools without interrupting your workflow.

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