How to Remove the Sidebar from the New Gmail Web View

Have you seen the latest Gmail upgrade, which makes some cosmetic modifications to the platform? The addition of a short sidebar on the left-hand panel is the most noticeable modification. At the same time, some people who are heavy Gmail users may find it handy. There will be other users who aren’t particularly tech-savvy. As a result, they might not need the feature. As a result, I’ll teach you how to disable the Gmail sidebar in this post.

You’ll need to navigate to the Gmail settings to try out the new Gmail sidebar. It is represented by a cog icon. You should see the option “Try the New Gmail” if you tap on it. To use the new or experimental features that Google has launched for Gmail, click on it.

Remember that you’ll need to turn on the experimental features in Gmail’s settings. Only then will you be able to access new or practical features that Google publishes for testing. Also, if a feature is experimental, Google has the right to withdraw it at any time.

Why Do You Need to Disable the Gmail Sidebar?

Only Google Meet, Google Chat, and Spaces are displayed in the new Gmail sidebar on the left-hand panel. Users who just use Gmail to receive and send emails will be unable to benefit from the new feature.

With the new sidebar design, they still have to hover the mouse/trackpad over the shrunken sidebar on the inbox symbol. The numerous email functionalities, such as sent mail, drafts, trash, starred emails, and so on, will then increase.

In the new Gmail sidebar, none of these attributes are shown. As a result, users who solely use Gmail to send and receive emails and don’t use the communication tools and services included in Gmail may wish to turn off the Gmail sidebar.

How to Disable New Gmail Sidebar?

There are two ways to disable the new Gmail sidebar view on your PC. In the parts below, I’ve explained both of them. Try each one to see which one works best for you.

1. Revert to the Original Gmail View

If you are not a tech expert and are a layman user, you can utilize the traditional Gmail instead of figuring out how to use the revamped Gmail.

Here’s how to get back to the classic Gmail look on your desktop.

1. Open Gmail and log into your account.
2. Click on the cog icon to open the Gmail settings.
3. If you are using the new Gmail, you should see the option “Go Back to The Original Gmail View. “
4. Click on it, and you will be back with the old design.

Note that if Google determines that the Gmail sidebar feature is functional for everyone worldwide, it will become a permanent feature on the platform. You’d be able to switch back to the old Gmail if you wanted to.

1. Open your Gmail account.
2. Click on the cog icon.
3. Select See All Settings.
   
4. Under the General tab, click on Original View from the options.
5. Scroll to Save Changes and click on it.
6. Relaunch Gmail on your browser.

2. Disable Google Meet and Chat to Remove the New Gmail Sidebar

You can also try this method to disable the Gmail sidebar. To do so, you must completely delete the Google Meet and Google Chat options.

1. Open the Gmail for web and log into your respective account.
2. Click on the cog icon to expand a menu.
3. From there, select See All Settings.
   
4. Navigate to the tab Chat and Meet.
5. Set the option to Off for Chat.
6. Now, scroll to Meet. Select the option Hide the Meet Section in the main menu.
7. To proceed with the changes, click on Save Changes.
   
8. Close Gmail and reload it.

Wrapping Up

That’s all for this guide. The new Gmail sidebar feature is useful if you need to quickly access the Meet and Chat services. Otherwise, for something as basic as checking or drafting an email, the classic Gmail view should be more than enough. So, which one would you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.