7 Sidebar Windows 11 May 2026

Users can add, remove, resize, and customize widgets from a built-in gallery. Widgets connect to Microsoft Start, Outlook, Calendar, To Do, and third-party apps (e.g., Spotify, Phone Link). The board adapts to user interests, showing personalized news headlines alongside interactive data like stock tickers or local traffic incidents.

Clicking the chevron opens a small floating panel (roughly 250–300px wide) that lists all overflowed app icons in a vertical list with their labels. It has a clean, modern look with rounded corners and an acrylic background. The panel disappears when clicking outside. 7 sidebar windows 11

One of the most powerful sidebar-like features is the clipboard history (enable it in Settings > System > Clipboard). When you press Win + V , a small panel appears showing your last 25 copied items (text, HTML, images). You can pin frequently used items, delete them, and sync across devices. This panel remains open until you close it, acting like a persistent data sidebar for copy-paste workflows. Users can add, remove, resize, and customize widgets

While not a permanent fixture, the Snap Layouts panel and Snap Assist together create a transient but powerful side-based interface for arranging workspaces. Advanced users can use FancyZones (PowerToys) for a more permanent, customizable snapping sidebar. Clicking the chevron opens a small floating panel

From this sidebar, you can start a chat, share a file, join a meeting, or manage contacts. It shows presence indicators (available, busy, away) and integrates with your Microsoft account (personal or work/school). Notifications from Teams appear in the Notification Center, but the sidebar gives full conversation access without opening the main Teams app.