One of the best things about tablets and folding phones is the taskbar at the bottom of the foldable screen, which houses the most used applications. But did you know that you can have something similar on regular non-folding phones?
Every time I set up a new Samsung or Motorola phone, this is the first thing I enable and customize, and it’s probably the Android feature I use the most. In fact, the side panel (sidebar, edge panel or whatever you want to call it) is a very common Android feature available from several OEMs, although it is surprisingly still missing on Pixel smartphones.
An app taskbar you can access from anywhere
The side panel on Android phones acts as a sort of taskbar on non-foldable phones. When activated, it hides on the side of the screen, identifiable by a small bar. When you slide the bar in, you get access to a customizable set of apps, as well as some recently opened apps and/or (in Samsung’s case), a dedicated set of AI apps.
The good thing about this is that it is accessible from almost all screens. If you’re already in an app, you can open the side panel for instant access to another frequently used app or the entire app drawer.
It is also a good option for multitasking. Frankly, I think activating split-screen mode can be tricky, but with the side panel, you can drag an app to the side of the screen or open it freely on top of another open app.
Samsung also offers a set of additional side panels that you can activate that are more than just apps. You can access your clipboard, favorite contacts, weather, navigation tools, and more. The side panel can essentially become a one-stop shop if used correctly.
How to enable the side panel on a Galaxy phone
1. Open the Settings application.
2. Tap Show.
3. Activate Edge panels and tap the option to enter the Edge Panels menu.
4. Tap Panels and select the panels you want to add.
5. Tap Edit under the Application paneland then tap the apps you want to add to the panel. Do the same with him people panel if you want to add it.
6. Optional: Touch the three dots icon in the upper right corner and activate split screen, Galaxy AI, Show recent appsand Show application names.
7. In the Edge panels menu, tap Drive.
8. Choose the position of the screen you want the controller to be on, the color, transparency, sizeand broad.
9. Hold and drag the handle to your preferred position so that it is easy to access.
Download Good Lock to get even more benefits
Now you can swipe from the bar on almost any screen to access your favorite and most used apps or features! But if you want to customize your panel even more, you can do so by installing Samsung’s Good Lock app from Play Store or Galaxy Store. Once downloaded, scroll through the plugins and install the Home Up module.
Once installed, open Home Up and activate the Edge panel. Here you’ll find additional settings you can apply to the panel, such as the ability to integrate multiple panel types into a single panel so you can access apps, contacts, and shortcuts, the ability to scroll through the recent apps section, and an expanded view that adds columns of apps.
A user in Android 17 has shown that the next A user interface 9 update will allow even more customization for the edge panel. An update to the Home Up module will allow users to add backgrounds and colors, change the corner radius, and even adjust the blur effect.
Please note that Samsung has not officially released Android 17/One UI 9 yet, so unless you’re in the betayou will have to wait a little longer for this functionality.
A pixel is missing
As I noted, it’s not just Samsung that has a side panel for easy access to apps. It is also available in Motorola phones. You can access it by navigating to Settings > Gestures > Sidebarand then activate the function. Then touch the Settings icon to add apps, tools, and contacts to the bar. It basically combines three Samsung panels into one.
For OnePlusthe feature is buried in a less obvious place. Navigate to Settings > Accessibility and convenience > Smart sidebarand then activate the function. There you can edit its position, functions and more. Then open the sidebar and tap Edit to add and change the applications you want.
I wish I could tell you how to enable this feature on Pixel smartphonesbut for some reason, Google refuses to add it to the Pixel line. There are several things I don’t like about the Pixel’s UI, but the fact that Google doesn’t give me an app sidebar is one of the main reasons I don’t like using it. There are third-party apps that can add similar features, such as Panelsbut I prefer to use a built-in feature that doesn’t have a paywall.
The closest the Pixel gets is the new one App bubbleswhich allows you to easily multitask across multiple apps with floating bubbles, but it’s not really comparable to having a dedicated sidebar. Hopefully Google will add this in future OS updates or Pixel Drops.
