Why sidebar from Microsoft Edge is retiring

Hello Jahidul Islam, 

I understand that the Microsoft Edge Sidebar app list has been useful for your day-to-day workflow and seeing the retirement notification each time you open the sidebar can be disappointing. 

According to Microsoft’s official support article, the Sidebar app list (App Tower) is being retired gradually. New apps can no longer be added, existing pinned apps will be removed in a future Edge update, and Copilot is not affected by this change. For more information, please visit Streamline access to your favorite sites and apps with Sidebar in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Support 

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors, including external Microsoft employees, cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. My role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.   

In this situation, I recommend submitting feedback directly through Microsoft Edge by selecting Settings and more (...) > Help and feedback > Send feedback. You can describe how the Sidebar app list supports your workflow and why keeping or replacing this feature would be helpful. You may also check existing feedback items in Feedback Hub or Microsoft feedback channels and upvote feedback requesting the same idea. 

Wishing you a smooth experience as you adjust your workflow in Microsoft Edge. Thank you so much for your understanding. 

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The notification refers specifically to the sidebar app list / App Tower, not to all side‑pane functionality in Microsoft Edge.

According to the documented change, Microsoft is simplifying Microsoft Edge by retiring the sidebar app list:

• The sidebar app list (App Tower) is being phased out over upcoming Edge updates.
• New apps can no longer be added to the App Tower.
• Apps currently pinned in the App Tower will be removed in a future update (the notice in the screenshot mentions Edge 149 for that removal).
• This is a product decision to streamline Edge; the documentation does not provide a more detailed technical or business reason beyond “simplifying Microsoft Edge.”

Regarding continued use or replacement:

• The retirement is gradual, but once the change reaches the installed Edge version, the App Tower cannot be kept.
• Some apps that were in the sidebar can still be used in other ways:
  • Many are accessible directly on the web (for example, WhatsApp, Instagram).
  • Some are available through the Edge toolbar instead of the sidebar (for example, Drop, Copilot).
• Copilot and the side pane are not being removed and will continue to be available and improved.

So, the existing sidebar app list will not remain available long‑term, but core side‑pane experiences such as Copilot continue, and many former sidebar apps can be accessed either as regular websites or via other UI surfaces in Edge.

References:

• Streamline access to your favorite sites and apps with Sidebar in Microsoft Edge