(Ongoing Updates) Implement MS Edge-Style Sidebar in Brave

Brave Feature Requests
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(Scroll down or use the links for updates, will stop proving updates here when Brave officially releases this to stable build, which will make me extremely excited at the time) The Brave browser’s sidebar is impressive, but I wish it could open in a split view, similar to Edge’s setup, instead of launching as a full window, which can be frustrating. A huge thanks to Simon Hong on GitHub for his contributions—without him, this feature wouldn’t be possible. I’ve wanted something like this for years, especially since Edge falls short on privacy. Brave is the way to go!

While Brave’s Split Screen feature is nice, a true Edge-style sidebar is what many users, including me, really want. For those unfamiliar, Simon Hong is an engineer at Brave, and you can check out his profile:

Github: https://github.com/simonhong

Brave Community: @simonhong

My quick message to Simon if he reads this: Thank you, Simon — your support has been instrumental. Without your involvement, this feature might not have come together as quickly as it has. I’m looking forward to seeing the final result and will share it below once it’s ready. Much appreciated!

Stay tuned for more updates on this feature! I am very excited about it personally-can’t stop thinking about it! :slight_smile:

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Im also not using brave for that reason. Im very used to do AI searchs on the sidebar while i have my work or emails open in the main tab. With brave, the side bar works like another book mark bar which is sad.

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@zeusshomaly just to confirm, actually using Split View wouldn’t fit what you want, right?

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I got to agree with you! I use Brave however and I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! But it just needs this to be much better!

And not just AI searches, let users pin whatever they want like Facebook, Instagram ,etc :slight_smile:

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I already use split view mate, but I would like the brave’s sidebar to be like edge’s as well :slight_smile: Cheers! This would change my life, except for that Brave is perfect as is!

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Okay guys! Good news, I found a comment Brave replied to on X (Twitter) and the post author who replied the comment deleted his comment, but he basically wanted the same thing as us. An improved sidebar to be like Edge that opens it to the side which would make me truly so happy :slight_smile:

Here is the link: https://x.com/brave/status/1915448454542676027

Brave then responds, ‘That’s actually something we’re exploring. In the meantime, we do now offer a split view feature to give you a similar experience’ to the now deleted post author reply.

I swear I saw it myself, and the author was like ‘Brave’s sidebar needs improvement’ then Brave @'ted him responding ‘In what way?’ then he mentioned the sidebar needs improvement like Edge to open to the side then Brave responded the ‘That’s actually something we’re exploring. In the meantime, we do now offer a split view feature to give you a similar experience’.

So, better soon then later guys! GET READY!!! If not, we should ask Brave’s team to at least say they’re working on this :slight_smile:

Brave confirmed this feature is in development via that link I shared (https://x.com/brave/status/1915448454542676027). I’ll update this post with any news, as I follow Brave on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, and TikTok. Feel free to share updates too, as it’ll be appreciative and helpful until the feature is fully rolled out. Exciting progress by Brave! It’s about time, Brave brings what users truly want.

This feature would change so many lives, including mine, having the ability to watch Instagram Reels for example and emailing a boss for example at the same time with Brave is the best thing anybody could imagine!

You may think use Split Screen, yes I am aware of it! I am glad Brave added it, but this Sidebar-like-Edge feature is what users truly want, especially me. :slight_smile:

Kind regards, Zeus.

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UPDATE: Brave’s CEO even liked my reply when I said thank you for this feature in the works!

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AMAZING UPDATE (However, it’s a bit old, 2 years ago): I also found in Github this image that shows a flag (now doesn’t exist, but in 2023 it did) to confirm it is in development.

Source: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/34597

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New UPDATE AGAIN: This is the latest source to it’s development progress :slight_smile:

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I left a reply to BraveSupport on X (Twitter) and they replied to me! it was about the same thing :slight_smile: See this image:

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If for some reason you cannot read it, here is Brave’s reply in writing:
Brave: Thanks for providing the feedback :slight_smile:

Me: It is my pleasure. This would make me so so excited. I love Brave so so much. When it rolls out, please let me know. Edge is honestly really bad these days. Brave is #1 for life.

Having the ability to use the sidebar like Edge on brave would be lots of people’s dream wish.

I also hear on github, Simon Hong, one of your editors is in active development with this feature

Me:

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Before I forget, I hear you guys replied to someone back on X who deleted his comment about it and he said something like ‘Brave sidebar needs improvement’ then you guys said in what way, then he replied ‘The sidebar needs to turn into edge’s.’ Then you guys responded back, that’s something were actually exploring! for now use split view! yes! I wanna thank you guys for split view too. But I cannot wait for the new Brave like edge sidebar with letting it sync across devices with brave sync, pin unlimited apps, etc :slight_smile:

Where you said this: https://x.com/brave/status/1915448454542676027

– And that’s it! This is even better meaning they are actively working on this!

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Brave has again responded back to me on Facebook!

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What I said: Thank you so much! I hear you guys are exploring on improving the Brave sidebar to be exactly like Edge’s :slightly_smiling_face: I want to say thank you! on Edge we can open it to the exact side which is far better than another bookmark panel (as it is now on Brave) :slightly_smiling_face:

This change will make lots of users happy. I even wrote a request about it on Brave community and it’s pretty popular:

What Brave said: [Zeus Shomaly] you’re welcome! And I agree, would be a cool upgrade for our sidebar

I then responded, [Brave Software] Absolutely !:slightly_smiling_face: I am very excited about it. I cannot stop thinking about it!

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HUGE UPDATE: I found a screenshot of the feature in usage thanks to Simon Hong on Github. it’s 2 years old unfortuently.

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Link: https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/21081 - the only issue is with this specific link the author Simon Hong closed it. But hey at least I found the image right?

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A HUGE UPDATE!

SimonHong responded to me on Github and said this

@zeusshomaly Thanks for supporting brave! We’re working on sidebar’s web panel feature actively.
We’ll add this feature in Brave nicely and show it to you. :slight_smile:

I then responded, No way! Thank you so much simonhong! You are an amazing man! I can’t wait for this feature. I am so so so so excited!

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Source to this reply: https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/28777#issuecomment-2861093695

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I don’t really know how to word this next update, but Simon Hong is still working on it and it’s more self-explanatory now as it says ‘SideBarController’

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Link to update: https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/28734

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UPDATE: Brave themselves on Github said it’s released on nightly build version v1.80.59, but I updated Brave Nightly to that version on my PC (Computer) and it’s still not there via a flag or testing it with a site and expecting it to open to the site. But doesn’t matter, at least brave themselves responded saying the version release, this might come super soon!

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Brave themselves even added it to the 1.80.x - Nightly milestone themselves which is due by June 24, 2025. This is so so exciting! I am very happy :slight_smile:

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*This might mean Edge-like sidebar is coming to Brave super soon!

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(long awaited update) Simon said ‘We’re going to there. but needs some more work’.

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The reply can be seen here: https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/29112#discussion_r2099098662:~:text=%40zeusshomaly%20NP.%20We're%20going%20to%20there.%20but%20needs%20some%20more%20work.%20%3A)

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Regarding that reply with @ Simon Hong just recently on Github about the improved sidebar for Brave, I asked if it’s possible for the sidebar apps (by adding them manually, you know what I mean, adding Facebook for example in the sidebar) to sync across devices in Brave Sync under ‘Sidebar Apps’. Anyways, I asked him if they could integrate such a feature, but then he said no, there is an issue. It is currently unknown if we’d get this or not, instead we might have to manually add each app from each device (computer to computer, if you got a desktop/laptop like me). Still an update tho… Technically…

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Link to what Simon said: https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/29112#discussion_r2099098662:~:text=can’t%2C%20no%20biggie-,there%20is%20an%20issue,-for%20it%20brave

Issue what he’s on about link: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/21860 (has been since 2022 I hear)

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You look a bit confused with my previous reply of ‘I already use split view mate, but I would like the brave’s sidebar to be like edge’s as well :slight_smile: Cheers! This would change my life, except for that Brave is perfect as is!’. I am sorry if it sounded a bit off, thank you for commenting, I love Brave’s split view, it’s a great new feature, but having a sidebar similar to Edge’s will also be handy for those who don’t use Split view :slight_smile: Edge’s sidebar is SUCH a life saver… Edge just does it so so well! Edge is a ‘fine’ browser, nothing will beat Brave in terms of privacy however. @SimonHong from Github, see profile, here, has been in active development of this feature and i’m eternally grateful as he told me ‘We are actively working on this, just needs some more work’ recently.

Profile link: https://github.com/simonhong

Simon, if you see this, you are a legend buddy! Without your help, we would not reach this far of the new upcoming sidebar upgrade!

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So yeah, that is the all updates for now, everyday I am digging REALLY HARD for updates on this.

Simon, you are a legend mate! Without you, we wouldn’t get this feature ‘as quick’ as we expected.

Since Simon did respond to me recently saying ‘We’re going to there, but needs some more work’… The ‘We’re going to there’ is an obvious sign he’s working on it even to this day! We just need a little longer until it appears in brave://flags, or even brave’s X account or something :slight_smile: We got this guys! Just ‘sometime’ longer! WE CAN DO THIS :slight_smile:
I swear, when this feature comes out, I will SCREAM in excitement. I waited ages for such a thing. I’ma be so happy on the day! [I will alert you all here, I promise :)]!

Any update today?

  • No.

Will post if there is any update, any time of course :slight_smile:

Anyways, sorry for repeating myself, I am too excited about it!