Microsoft Edge is getting rid of sidebar apps as Windows 11 decluttering continues

Microsoft Edge is about to lose one of its more quirky features as Microsoft continues to clean up its software experience. The company has confirmed that the sidebar app list in Edge is being “retired” in the near future, starting with Microsoft account users. Microsoft revealed in an announcement that this is a part of an effort to simplify Edge, but there’s still no word on the exact retirement date yet.

What are sidebar apps, and why is it being removed?

Edge’s sidebar basically lets users pin web apps and sites into a side panel, making it possible to quickly open things like Outlook, shopping tools, search, or other web apps without leaving the current tab. Microsoft’s own support page had described the feature as a way to streamline access to favorite sites and apps.

But now, the feature is simply being removed. Microsoft claims that new apps can no longer be added to the sidebar, and apps already pinned in the app tower will be removed in a future update. The change will roll out gradually and will be included in future Edge updates. The browser will share this via notifications to users who use this feature before it fully disappears.

Copilot is staying, of course

Microsoft’s support page makes it clear that Copilot is not affected by the sidebar app list retirement. The company says it will continue improving and enhancing Copilot inside Edge, which means the browser’s AI assistant survives while third-party or user-pinned sidebar apps are being phased out.

This has irritated some Edge users, especially those who actively use this feature. The sidebar app list was easily one of the features that helped Edge feel distinct from other Chromium-based browsers, as it gave users a quick mini-app setup inside the browser. And for people who actually built workflows around it, Split Screen is not an exact replacement.