Microsoft is quietly removing one of Microsoft Edge’s most useful features—the Sidebar app list—to make room for its ever-expanding Microsoft Corporation AI assistant, Copilot. The change, first spotted by Edge tracker Leo Varela in the Edge Canary build on November 15, 2025, signals a decisive pivot: Microsoft Corporation is no longer treating its browser as a flexible tool for users, but as a gateway for AI. The notification that pops up when users open the Sidebar says it plainly: "We're simplifying Edge. New apps can no longer be added, and the quick access list will be removed gradually in future updates." And yet, the real message isn’t simplification—it’s consolidation. The space once reserved for pinned websites and productivity tools is now dominated by a single button: Copilot.
Why This Isn’t Just About the Sidebar
The Sidebar wasn’t just a convenience. It let users pin their favorite web apps—Trello, Notion, Gmail, even custom internal tools—right beside the browser, creating a hybrid workspace that blurred the line between apps and websites. For millions of power users, it was a lifeline. Now, Microsoft is pulling the plug. Why? Because Copilot needs more screen real estate, more attention, more integration. And the company is making sure it gets it. Since June 2025, Microsoft has been layering Copilot into every corner of Edge. The New Tab Page now features a Copilot compose box. The address bar auto-suggests AI-powered searches. A new "Journeys" feature automatically summarizes your browsing history and surfaces related content. Even MSN, Microsoft’s news portal, is being rewritten by AI. Each update chips away at user control. What was once a customizable browser is becoming a tightly controlled AI platform.Users Can’t Hide From It—Even If They Want To
You might think you can just turn it off. You can’t. Not really. As of November 2025, the stable version of Edge still lets you hide the Copilot icon to show the Sidebar. But that’s a temporary illusion. Microsoft’s roadmap is clear: the Sidebar is going. And with it, the last vestige of user choice. Alexandr S, a top contributor on Microsoft’s Q&A forum, confirmed in June 2025 that disabling Copilot Vision requires tweaking flags atedge://flags/. But that’s just one piece. To truly remove Copilot from Windows 11, you need to dig into Group Policy Editor, delete registry keys, or use PowerShell commands like Remove-AppxPackage -Package $packageFullName—a process Proton.me documented for enterprise users.
Even then, it’s not foolproof. In Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, Copilot isn’t an app anymore—it’s a web experience routed through Edge. The Start menu shortcut? Just a link to ms-edge://. The deeper you go, the more you realize: Microsoft isn’t offering an option to disable Copilot. It’s offering an option to ignore it.
The Privacy Fallout
The biggest concern isn’t convenience—it’s control. Proton.me, the privacy-focused Swiss company, warns that Copilot doesn’t just track your searches. It ingests your emails, calendar entries, documents in OneDrive, even your Google Drive files if you’ve connected them. And once that data feeds into Microsoft’s AI models, it’s gone for good. "If your data has already been used for model training, there’s no way to undo it," Proton.me states plainly. Users can delete their Copilot activity history, but that’s like deleting your browser history after the police have already copied your hard drive. This isn’t hypothetical. In June 2025, a Microsoft Q&A thread titled "I’ve tried all the advice on here to get rid of Copilot and it just won’t go away" received a chilling response: "Now Copilot is becoming part of the operating system, so it can no longer be removed. If you don't like it, don't use it. It's not causing any problems." That’s not customer service. That’s surrender.What’s Next? The End of User Choice
This move isn’t isolated. It’s the next step in Microsoft’s decade-long shift from software provider to AI operator. The company isn’t just adding features—it’s rewriting the contract between user and platform. You used to choose your tools. Now, Microsoft chooses for you. The irony? Edge’s Sidebar was one of the few features that made the browser feel personal. Now, it’s being replaced by a single, monolithic AI that doesn’t ask for permission, doesn’t respect boundaries, and doesn’t care if you want it. Tech sites like WindowsLatest.com and XDA Developers are calling it a power grab. Reddit threads are flooded with frustration. But Microsoft isn’t listening. Why? Because they’ve already won. Copilot is now embedded in Windows, Office, and Edge. It’s not an add-on anymore. It’s the default.
What Users Can Do
If you’re still holding on to the Sidebar—or just want to minimize Copilot’s grip—here’s what works right now:- Use Group Policy Editor (
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge > Sidebar) to disable the side panel - Run PowerShell:
Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.Copilot" | Remove-AppxPackageto uninstall for all users - In Microsoft 365 apps, go to File > Options > Copilot and uncheck "Enable Copilot"
- Disable Copilot Connectors in your Microsoft account settings to cut off data flow from Outlook, OneDrive, and Google services
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use the Sidebar app list in Microsoft Edge?
No. As of November 15, 2025, the Sidebar app list is being phased out in Edge Canary and will disappear from stable builds by early 2026. You can still hide Copilot to see the Sidebar temporarily, but Microsoft has confirmed the quick access list will be fully removed in future updates. New apps can no longer be added, and existing pins may vanish without warning.
Why is Microsoft removing a popular feature to push Copilot?
Microsoft sees Copilot as its primary revenue driver beyond Windows and Office licensing. By embedding AI into every user interaction—searches, emails, browsing history—it increases data collection, boosts subscription upsells to Microsoft 365 Copilot, and locks users into its ecosystem. The Sidebar was a user-centric tool; Copilot is a corporate one. Sacrificing the former serves the latter.
Is Copilot really part of Windows 11 now?
Yes. Starting with Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100+), Copilot is no longer a standalone app but a web-based experience routed through Microsoft Edge via the ms-edge:// protocol. Even the Start menu shortcut opens Edge. This means you can’t uninstall it like a regular program—it’s woven into the OS’s core navigation layer.
Can I disable Copilot on a corporate device?
Yes, but only with administrative control. IT admins can use Group Policy to disable the Edge sidebar or remove the Copilot package via PowerShell. Proton.me confirms that enterprise environments can still block Copilot using Microsoft Endpoint Manager, but individual users without admin rights have no recourse. Microsoft’s own documentation now advises companies to "manage Copilot deployment centrally."
What data does Copilot collect, and can I stop it?
Copilot ingests emails, calendar events, documents from OneDrive, browser history, and even activity from connected third-party services like Gmail and Google Drive. While you can delete your Copilot activity history via your Microsoft account, Microsoft admits that data already used for AI training cannot be reversed. Disabling connectors helps, but doesn’t erase past ingestion.
Will Microsoft bring back the Sidebar app list in the future?
Unlikely. Microsoft has not indicated any plans to restore the Sidebar app list. In internal communications reviewed by tech analysts, the company has referred to the Sidebar as a "legacy interface" that "conflicts with AI-first design." The focus is now on AI-driven personalization, not user-curated toolbars. This is a permanent architectural shift, not a temporary tweak.
