How to Remove the Sidebar in Facebook Chat + Quick Fixes

Download Article

Close the side panel on Facebook

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: February 10, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

Using the Website

|

Troubleshooting

If you're annoyed with the list of contacts that appears on the right side of your Facebook news feed, you can easily hide it. If you're worried about the sidebar in the Messenger chat itself, we'll show you a few workarounds you can try. Here's how to remove the sidebar in Facebook chat or Messenger.

Hiding the Facebook Chat Sidebar

To hide the sidebar, click the Messenger icon, and then click •••. Toggle off Show contacts. If you want to remove the Messenger sidebar, try making the browser window smaller so Facebook prioritizes the main chat section.

Section 1 of 2:

Using the Website

Download Article

1
Sign in to https://www.facebook.com. Once you are signed in, you will see your Facebook news feed.
- While the Facebook sidebar had issues in the past, it should have been resolved. Use this method to make the sidebar smaller by hiding the contacts tab. Otherwise, see the troubleshooting section for tips on how to reduce the sidebar size.
This is the speech bubble with a lightning bolt in the top-right corner. A pop-up menu will open.

Advertisement
This is at the top of the Messenger window.
4
Toggle off
"Show contacts". This collapses the sidebar so it's no longer visible. A tab labeled "Contacts" will remain.
- If you want to re-enable the sidebar, click the three dots and toggle the "Show contacts" switch back on. You can also click the arrow icon.
- If the sidebar is still there, see the troubleshooting section for workarounds.

Section 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting

Download Article

If the sidebar is still there, minimize the window or make it smaller. Facebook will resize itself based on the available window space; if you shrink it enough, it will hide the sidebar and only show the main conversation panel.
2
Zoom in on the webpage. If you're using a desktop browser, press CTRL and + (Windows) or CMD and + (Mac) to zoom in. Press the keyboard shortcut as many times as needed to make the sidebar disappear.
- When the page is zoomed in enough, the sidebar will disappear to make room for the main content.
3
Refresh your webpage. If the sidebar looks unnecessarily large and is obstructing the main part of the screen, it may be a bug. Refresh the webpage, or close your browser and load Facebook again.
- You can also check for browser updates.
4
Use the app instead. If the big sidebar on the Facebook website is giving you trouble, try using the Facebook app or Messenger app instead. Mobile apps are usually streamlined for easier access, so you won't need to deal with unnecessary panels blocking your view.
- You can download Facebook or Messenger for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.
5
If you're using the app, rotate your screen. Some apps behave differently when in landscape mode or portrait mode. If the sidebar is too large while in landscape mode, switch your device into portrait mode.
- Some devices may need to be unlocked before they can switch positions.
6
Report a bug to Facebook. If something is missing from your sidebar, or if it's expanding too far into your screen, you may be looking at a software bug rather than a feature. In this case, you can report the problem directly to Facebook to help them fix it.
- To report a bug, select your profile picture and select Help & support. Then, select Report a problem and follow the on-screen instructions.
7
Submit a request to Facebook. Since the sidebar is an integrated feature, you won't be able to remove it entirely. However, you can send a request to Facebook to have an option to hide or permanently remove it.
- Use the Facebook website to send feedback about this feature.^{[1]
  X
  Research source} Just select the Messenger feature, include your feedback, and then click Send.