Forum Discussion
Any way to keep Copilot always open in the sidebar?
hi Argo445 Yes, Copilot can still be used in the Edge side pane. The recent change is a little confusing because Microsoft is retiring the Sidebar app list/App Tower, but Copilot itself and the side pane are not being removed.
If the goal is to have the sidebar available whenever Edge starts, check:
Edge → Settings → Appearance → Copilot and Sidebar
You can also go directly to:
`edge://settings/appearance/copilotAndSidebar`
Microsoft's current documentation still shows an Always on option for the sidebar, and the Copilot button can be enabled under the Copilot-specific settings.
One limitation, though: having the sidebar always visible is not necessarily the same as having Copilot automatically opened inside the sidebar every time Edge starts. Microsoft's current documentation primarily describes opening Copilot by selecting the Copilot icon in the Edge toolbar.
So, if the requirement is specifically “start Edge → Copilot is already open in the side pane without clicking anything,” there doesn't appear to be a supported general Edge setting for that at the moment.
If the Always on sidebar setting isn't available in the current Edge build, check `edge://policy` as well. On managed devices, an administrator policy can control sidebar availability.
So the short answer is: keep the sidebar Always on, but automatic opening of Copilot at Edge startup doesn't currently appear to be a standard user setting.
Hi there. Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately none of what you mentioned works.
If the goal is to have the sidebar available whenever Edge starts, check:
Edge → Settings → Appearance → Copilot and Sidebar
There is no setting "Copilot and Sidebar" here.
You can also go directly to:
`edge://settings/appearance/copilotAndSidebar`
This just shows a blank settings page.
This is a personal machine so any type of policy settings are not going on here. Thanks for the help though.
- Sep 01, 2026
hi Argo445 check this: Edge -> Settings -> CoPilot and AI -> Show Copilot button in tool bar and ensure they are turned on. here is the screen shot.