Edge got a new sidebar button and users are not happy, here is how to turn it off

Microsoft Edge users, have you noticed a new button in the upper-right corner of the browser? Following the recent updates, those with Copilot turned off are now dealing with a button that toggles on or off the browser's sidebar. And unlike the previous iteration, where the sidebar button in the bottom-right corner would disappear after disabling the sidebar, the new one is permanent. Moreover, it moves the menu button to the left, thus messing up your muscle memory.

Of course, people on Reddit and X are not having it, so there are already plenty of complaints.

Sadly, there is no apparent option to hide the new sidebar button, and the only easy method to get rid of it is to turn on the Copilot button (how convenient for Microsoft). Still, Edge users are not left dead in the waters, and there is a command you can use to remove the permanent sidebar button. The solution is not as elegant as a regular toggle, but at least you can make it work.

Here is how to turn off the sidebar button in Microsoft Edge:

1. Go to Settings > System and performance and toggle off Startup boost.
2. Close Microsoft Edge.
3. Right-click your Microsoft Edge shortcut on the desktop (create one if you do not have it) and click Properties. Tip: you can select a shortcut and press Alt + Enter to get to the Properties window faster.
4. Click the Target field, place one space, and type --disable-features=msGenericIconSidebarButton
5. Save the changes and launch the browser using your modified shortcut. The sidebar button should no longer be there.

Again, this solution is not very elegant because it only works when you launch Microsoft Edge using the modified shortcut. Any other method to invoke Edge, including clicking a link, will open the browser with the new button back in its wrong place.

If you are not happy with the new sidebar button, share your feedback with Microsoft. Open Edge and press Alt + Shift + I or open Menu > Help & Feedback > Send Feedback.

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