Vscode: Add setting to automatically hide the side bar

[Nimzozo]

Would it be possible to add a option to automatically hide the files explorer after a configurable duration ?

[isidorn]

ping @bpasero

[bpasero]

Honestly this seems like a weird setting. There is a keyboard shortcut to just hide the explorer (Cmd+B).

[Tyriar]

@bpasero seems reasonable, auto-hide similar to how the taskbar in all major OS' can be setup to hide and display when you hover over the edge?

[bpasero]

@Tyriar that makes a lot more sense to me compared to having a fixed timeout :)

[bpasero]

Even more interesting would be in that mode to maybe not push the editor to the right, but rather overlay the contents, since it is getting dismissed quickly after when moving focus out.

[Nimzozo]

That's right. Maybe I have badly explained.

[lllopo]

Visual Studio panels 'auto-hide' : you click on it - it shows, you click outside - it goes is pretty neat and more than enough. As of 'push editor to the right' - this more a separate option to 'dock' the panels or not. Would be also nice to have, though.

[volkanunsal]

This would be super useful. It would also be neat to hide the sidebar entirely. The big icons are simply too distracting. I never use the debugger, and never use Git from the sidebar, and the search icon isn't very useful either.

[Tyriar]

@volkanunsal that's the "activity bar" with the icons, this one is relevant for what you want https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/1105

[Venryx]

I'd prefer this way as well, having it auto-hide when the user clicks outside of the sidebar.

Visual Studio allows this approach, and it's really convenient as it lets me have many different types of panels easily accessible, without cutting out from the main text editor size. (most of the time, you only need a panel open very briefly to change or check something, then you jump back into the code and don't need it on-screen any more)

It would also be nice to let extensions add their own panels to the activity/sidebar, as in Visual Studio --
although that's another subject.

[Venryx]

Went ahead and made an extension for this: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=venryx.vscode-vtools

It's not perfect -- it only closes the side-bar when the user changes the selection (eg, clicking or dragging at a new location) -- but it achieves the basic function.

Built-in support is still ideal, but this should help until then.

[richrundmsft]

Always having explorer open seems such a waste of space -- I want the focus to be on the document I'm working on, but by default 20% of my screen is taken up by Explorer.

The ctrl/cmd + B option to show/hide isn't very discoverable - my first instinct was to try and use View -> Explorer [ctrl/cmd + shift + E] to be a toggle (but it isn't).
I ended up doing a web search to find out how to hide the panel (and ended up on this thread)

[sjy]

Perhaps VS code should be available to be customized to auto-hide side bar just like the bahavior of Dock in Mac

[Samic8]

I would really like this feature. I find having the sidebar open distracting, but often I forget to close. Same goes for the terminal

[reynoldsbd3]

I would also love to see Visual Studio's "auto hide when focus changes" behavior implemented here.

[zer09]

Also a suggestion, that it should look like a floating panel, so it wont resize the document page width when it shows or hide.

[Deji69]

Why do we still not have this? I've literally been waiting years... I found an extension made with the purpose of doing this, but it doesn't work. This is easy stuff and should be built-in so it always works.

[Tyriar]

@Deji69

[Deji69]

@Tyriar Are you suggesting that this project being open source, the request being relatively easy to fulfil (so much so that 3rd parties have done so via extensions that were broken by updates), and easily over 2 years of people asking for this feature count for nothing?

[Tyriar]

@Deji69 I'm suggesting that this is one issue among over 5000 and resources are limited, since you asked why it still hasn't happened.

[volkanunsal]

The absence of this feature is probably the only reason I'm still using SublimeText.

[n6ither]

And now emails are raining again..

[Deji69]

@Tyriar I would happily learn how to contribute just to do it... will that change anything?

[Tyriar]

@isidorn would we accept external PRs for this?

[Deji69]

is:open created:<=2016-04-01 comments:>10

According to this query, the number of issues as sought after and neglected as this one is a mere 72. So surely that means it should come somewhat soon..?

[isidorn]

@Tyriar depends on the PR quality - so if nice clean and easy will consider it. In the meantime there is the extension which users can use.

[Tyriar]

@Deji69 not sure why you would only classify issues created just before this one to be sought after, comments:>10 and sort:reactions-+1-desc are more realistic queries.

[DarkLite1]

Ended up here too after extensively searching the web on how to hide the complete panel (Side bar) on the left permanently. It consumes so much space on a small laptop display, very annoying. Glad to see I'm not the only one who wants this request and you're looking for a solution. Really appreciate the effort guys.

[serend1p1ty]

I am waitting for the feature.

[athahersirnaik]

This feature has been implemented

[lllopo]

This feature has been implemented

Hmmm ... I'm on the latest insiders and such feature is nowhere to be seen.

[athahersirnaik]

Sorry, not this one, wrong window and message

[kanlukasz]

I would prefer the sidebar to be open all the time.

I think that the option satisfying everyone would be something like:

• "workbench.startupSidebar"

with the following options:

• [ ] always _(sidebar will always be open each time on startup)_
• [ ] never _(never show sidebar on startup)_
• [ ] one _(remember state from previous session)_

---

Releated ticket:
https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/63354

[rolurq]

I would prefer the sidebar to be open all the time.

I think that the option satisfying everyone would be something like:

• "workbench.startupSidebar"

with the following options:

• [ ] always _(sidebar will always be open each time on startup)_
• [ ] never _(never show sidebar on startup)_
• [ ] one _(remember state from previous session)_

Releated ticket:

63354

I don't think the key is in the startup, at least for me, the desired behavior is during the app normal runtime, maybe what you want is a separate feature from this one.

[DarkLite1]

I tend to agree with @rolurq . While developing one might decide to have the bar closed. But then when the code is done and a debugging sessions is started it might be convenient to open the side bar to see what's happening. So it's not (only) a decision during startup.

[Venryx]

Auto hide does not make any sence instead of this there should be a floating (small) icon by clicking user can easily hide/show explorer very easily

That's your opinion, but a lot of people disagree. To me, it's distracting and annoying to have to press a hotkey after each time I use the side-bar to perform an action. I'd rather it just disappear as soon as I click away (eg. back into the code editor).

[isidorn]

fyi @joamoreno and @sbatten since this is a popular feature request.

[Ciliane]

i want the same thing too, sidebar appears when you hover over it

[LeonhardFeiner]

I would like to suggest similar behaviour like the Microsoft Office ribbon interface:

• single click on icon => it opens until you click outside
• double click on icon => it opens pinned and stays until the next double click on the same icon
• double or single click on other icon while being pinned => changes content but stays pinned

[ciltocruz]

Go go go!
This would be very interesting. This functionality already exists in other software like Eclipse, Netbeans or similar.

The sidebar should be floating until it disappears by losing focus.
It could also remain fixed if there was an icon that leaves it anchored.

The example of the partner mentioning the "Office ribbon" is perfect.

[mydmdm]

This feature is really friendly for the users with only small display screen. @Venryx v-tools is helpful, however, it fails in my vsc for some time

[Ahmed-Abdelhak]

if you use Visual Studio and then come to VSCode, you will pain a lot !

i really want this feature, as it is on VS2017 , 2019

[diegochavez]

Just use vtools plugin works fine, it's easier that add more complexity on vscode code base.

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=venryx.vscode-vtools

[lllopo]

Just use vtools plugin works fine, it's easier that add more complexity on vscode code base.

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=venryx.vscode-vtools

It definitely doesn't work fine ... when it works at all.

[diegochavez]

Just use vtools plugin works fine, it's easier that add more complexity on vscode code base.
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=venryx.vscode-vtools

It definitely doesn't work fine ... when it works at all.

Well after install you need to restart your vscode because it affects some behaviour on the interface. I been using for long time.

[lllopo]

@diegochavez I know this very well. First and foremost - it doesn't work well. It relies on focusing the editor to hide the sidebar, instead of hiding it on any click outside of it. This is definitely not enough by any means and even so - it even doesn't kick in well each and every time when you focus the editor. Doesn't mentioning there were vast periods of time when the plugin was not compatible with the insiders editions, so - unusable.

[piercy]

Would be really handy if vscode supported this. I've started to develop on a portrait display. I very rarely use the file explorer, instead use shortcuts to open files but i do use the search window. On a portrait display, and auto hiding sidebar is beneficial due to the limited amount of horizontal real estate. I know i could just use a landscape display, but editing code files on a portrait display is quite nice, so sticking with it for now.

It seems like a useful feature and judging by the amount of comments on here, would go down well with people.

[stefaanv]

Would be a very usefull feature

[stefaanMLB]

I'd much appreciate the option for the explorer to close after a selection (opening a file) has been made in the explorer

[icnahom]

Why is this still not available?

[designdust]

been looking for this since 2016. The first time I use vs-code. Don't know why still not implemented. Somebody, please take the initiative.

[IF-Adin]

Yeah i'd also be in favor of this. Maybe with like a hot corner or something to push it out. vtools works ok, but this should be in vs code.

[Yu-Chieh-Henry-Yang]

+1 for this
Most of the time, I open side bar to global search or open a new file. In most of these cases, I only want to use it temporarily, so it would be ideal if it just pop up when I move my cursor to the left side of the window (just like dock auto hide on Mac OS)

[sirmspencer]

I created a cleaned up version of the auto hide extension after getting an update to vscode to directly close the sidebar and panel (instead of forcing focus then toggling). It feels a good bit smoother than vtools https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sirmspencer.vscode-autohide
Requires 1.43

[stefaanMLB]

Interesting,
Unfortunately it won't install on vscode version 1.42.1

[sirmspencer]

@stefaanMLB Correct, as stated in my post it requires 1.43. I had to get additional commands added to the code base for this improved autohide

[stefaanMLB]

OK, Works now.
Sorry, I overlooked the remark about v1.43.
I love the tool already, THANKS !

[WhenJavaAttacks]

I don't see a way to "star" this issue or such in order to indicate my interest in it, so I'm commenting to do so, but I also have some thoughts to add anyway...

Obviously, for those who don't want it, it should be made optional, and doesn't have to be the default option either.

Personally, I would find it very useful to be able to make the sidebar contents ("sidepane" i assume is what that's called) temporarily pop over with the mouse, then be able to dismiss when clicking back in to the editor (or anything else outside the sidepane for that matter). Heck, I'm completely ok with the behavior in VS or SSMS (with the auto-hide/pin option) where it doesn't automatically appear on hover but you have to click it first. My main point though is that my use of things in the sidebar (Explorer, etc) is almost always brief and temporary in nature, and I prefer to maximize the available code editing space, so (at least for me) it doesn't make much sense to have it persist (and thus take up editing space) when I only need it for a moment.

I realize that this may seem relatively minor when it's just an extra click/key or two to dismiss it, but my main job is software development and I often use VS Code for hours a day, so having "auto-hide" to eliminate those steps would still be pretty useful... I mean, it was apparently already deemed useful enough to add an auto-hide/pin feature to the panes in VS and SSMS, so if nothing else I would assume the same reasoning could apply to justify adding it to VS Code as well. :)

[r-0-0-t]

Vote for the request.
Exactly the feature I am craving for.

[emvaized]

Two years of waiting, and I hope finally we will see this feature rolling out some day!

[Trass3r]

Just use https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sirmspencer.vscode-autohide

[emvaized]

Just use https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sirmspencer.vscode-autohide

It doesn't have the following functionality:
1) Expand on hover
2) Collapse on cursor leave
3) Floating panel, without shifting the editor

[hjwillems]

@emvaized Exactly this, the reason for this is mostly for when im programming on my 15 inch laptop. Regarding to screen real estate i have vscode left and docs right. This means that annoying bar is taking like 30% of the screen real estate! (Without doing anything usefull during typing)
Like emvaized said, expand on hover, collapse on cursor leave just like the gnome bar in ubuntu, or OSX.
I can't believe this issue has been here for many years. What @emvaized said would be the perfect solution!

[Trass3r]

@emvaized PRs welcome.
But there may very well be technical limitations preventing this.

[rayfoss]

With the new cheap ultra portables coming out... not even talking about the surface tablets... but the 14" HP x360 and the Acer Flip 513, both of which have small screens and over 13 hours of battery life... an auto hiding explorer would be nice. Also, for accessibility... we will all lose our vision soon :/

Specially for React and Vue projects that have 1000 line files instead of tons of different files.