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    How can I get rid of the sidebar?

    Opera for Windows
    sidebar side bar
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    • Ceico
      Ceico last edited by leocg

      The sidebar that pops on the left randomly (I assume after updates?) is annoying. How can I prevent it from ever appearing again?
      Please!

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        nazozt 1 Reply Last reply
      • burnout426
        burnout426 Volunteer last edited by

        There's no way to permanently disable it. If a new sidebar feature is introduced in the new version you update to, the sidebar will show again. There have been multiple new features lately (like workspaces and Instagram) and more are coming (like custom site panels and Twitter).

        I'd just goto the URL opera://settings/keyboardShortcuts and set F4 for "Show Sidebar" so that F4 toggles the sidebar. If it shows again, just hit F4 to hide it.

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        • sgunhouse
          sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer last edited by

          If they add something new (most recently Instagram) to the sidebar, they want you to be able to see it. It shouldn't appear after regular (minor) updates unless you have something enabled that is trying to notify you - if it appeared recently, try disabling some of the items in the sidebar.

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            Ceico rjrapier 2 Replies Last reply
          • burnout426
            burnout426 Volunteer last edited by

            Not sure if it'll help at all, but:

            Maybe click the 3 dots at the bottom of the sidebar and disable everything. Then, hide the sidebar.

            Then, maybe goto the URL opera://settings/privacy and disable "Show promotional notifications".

            Then, maybe goto the URL opera://flags/#history-onboarding, disable the flag and restart Opera.

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              Ceico 1 Reply Last reply
            • Ceico
              Ceico @sgunhouse last edited by

              @sgunhouse I have disabled all the items in sidebar multiple times. Every now and then (and recently more often than not) some items re-appear (e.g. facebook messenger and twitter).

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              • Ceico
                Ceico @burnout426 last edited by

                @burnout426 thanks, let's see what happens 🙂

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                • kzendra
                  kzendra last edited by

                  Version:68.0.3618.104

                  Every few days (today amongst other) opera shows sidebar and Messenger and / or Instagram icon on it. I remove icon and disable sidebar, bnut it pops up again. Computer was running, opera was open (two separate windows) and sidebar showed on the one that was active.
                  Is there a way to kill the sidebar once for good?

                  Reply Quote 1
                    1 Reply Last reply
                  • meleoi
                    meleoi last edited by

                    But it's one of Opera's best features, I just hope developers add Gmail and Outlook to the sidebar to make it more work focused.

                    Reply Quote 0
                      careware 1 Reply Last reply
                    • careware
                      careware @meleoi last edited by

                      @meleoi said in How can I get rid of the sidebar?:

                      But it's one of Opera's best features, I just hope developers add Gmail and Outlook to the sidebar to make it more work focused.

                      I don't think it's one of opera's best features. In either case...it's an annoyance....if you set it to disabled...err that means I want it to be disabled...not annoyed ever 5 days when it pops out again... if you didn't want that feature you'd be annoyed too....

                      Opera is going down hill 😞 Let the user be in control people...or user's will go where they can be...

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                        newworldman 1 Reply Last reply
                      • A Former User
                        A Former User last edited by

                        Right-click on the sidebar, un-check the apps. I read this solution from a member's post to a thread with the similar issue. And so far it works. I tested by going on twitter and instagram, and the apps did not pop up even after that.

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                          Ceico 1 Reply Last reply
                        • Ceico
                          Ceico @Guest last edited by

                          @Llysh Facebook Messenger pops up every now&then and the sidebar is back. I don't really care about the icons, I want the whole sidebar gone for good.

                          And that will never happen 😞

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                            A Former User 1 Reply Last reply
                          • A Former User
                            A Former User @Ceico last edited by

                            @Ceico Hi! 🙂 By unchecking the icons, and then hiding the sidebar, (at least for me) it stops the sidebar entirely from returning. I even tested again myself just to be sure. So far, it still works. 🙂

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                              A Former User Ceico 2 Replies Last reply
                            • A Former User
                              A Former User @Guest last edited by

                              @Llysh I did this many times in the last months, but eventually the sidebar opens automatically. It's really annoying.

                              Reply Quote 1
                                1 Reply Last reply
                              • rjrapier
                                rjrapier last edited by

                                I don't know how many times I have had to hide the damned sidebar, not to mention remove facebook messenger form it. It gets extremely annoying that these settings do not stay set.

                                Reply Quote 1
                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                • Ceico
                                  Ceico @Guest last edited by

                                  @Llysh well, others have written it already, so I will only confirm.

                                  Remove all icons, hide sidebar, wait a bit and after next Opera update, the sidebar is back.
                                  Hiding the sidebar is simply not permanent.

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                                  • careware
                                    careware last edited by leocg

                                    I tells ya what if they don't fix this soon, i'm going to another browser.... been using Opera for like 15 years now.... and this is the most annoying of their features... Ever haha....

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                                    • rjrapier
                                      rjrapier last edited by

                                      It's not just that it keeps coming back, but messenger in particular, sometimes others, keep getting added back to it. This is a setting that should stay permanent through upgrades, and like you, I am getting annoyed enough by it to switch back to a different browser.

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                                        careware 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • careware
                                        careware @rjrapier last edited by

                                        @rjrapier It's a strange thing you know. How things like this happen to organisations. I'm almost 100% certain that anyone in their right mind would acknowledge that this is poor design, a huge glaring bug, or just something that shouldn't be. Yet it somehow gets through testing and released to the public.

                                        I can only guess there is some opinionated guy in charge at Opera who refuses to budge on his/her idea, and all his subordinates just go yeah ok boss, whatever you say sir...

                                        I mean...that's how it works at my workplace...the boss is an idiot and everyone just does as he says because it's easier to.

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                                        • A Former User
                                          A Former User last edited by

                                          Aw. Apologies then. I thought it would work, but you guys are right. The sidebar still pops up. Especially with messenger. 😞

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                                          • jbeddingfield
                                            jbeddingfield last edited by

                                            My sidebar keeps coming back upon every Opera startup. If I close Opera right now and reopen it, the sidebar is back.

                                            GGs.

                                            -Recently saddened long time user.

                                            Reply Quote 0
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