How to Toggle Sidebar in OneDrive Photos App in Windows 11

Step 1Open the OneDrive Photos Experience

There are two ways to open the app. Use whichever is faster for you.

1. Click the Start button and type OneDrive in the search🔍 bar.
2. Pick the app from the results list. The OneDrive window opens.

You can also start from the taskbar:

1. Click the cloud icon in your taskbar🖥️. If you don’t see it, click the small arrow for hidden icons first.
2. Choose your pictures from the main hub window.

If the app asks you to sign in, use the Microsoft account that holds your OneDrive photos. Without signing in, your cloud memories won’t appear.

Once the OneDrive hub is open, look at the left navigation pane for a Photos shortcut or a picture icon. Click it to open the photo viewer window. Your cloud memories and local computer folders show up together in this window.

If you can’t find the shortcut, widen the window. A narrow window can collapse the pane down to icons only.

Step 2Locate the Toggle Sidebar Button

The sidebar control sits at the very bottom of the left vertical menu panel. It is right below your links for Gallery, albums, and memories. It is a small button with horizontal lines, and it controls how the side menu behaves while you browse.

1. Move your mouse over the sidebar area if the menu is hidden or minimized. The panel slides out and shows a text label next to each icon.
2. Move your mouse to the bottom corner of the expanded panel.
3. Hover over the toggle button. A tooltip may pop up to confirm you are on the right switch.

If no tooltip appears, that is fine. Not every build shows one. Go by the button’s position and its horizontal-line icon.

Step 3Keep Your Sidebar Always Open

Lock the sidebar in place when you want your navigation links visible at all times while you look at your pictures.

1. Hover over the left edge to open the expanded menu, if it isn’t already open.
2. Click the toggle sidebar button at the bottom of the expanded menu.
3. Check the result. The navigation pane now stays anchored to the left side of your photo window, and the photo gallery grid resizes to fit the remaining screen space.

With this setting on, you can browse your Moments, check your Favorites, or open your Recycle Bin without hunting for hidden menus. It saves you an extra click every time you change categories.

To undo it, click the same button again. The sidebar goes back to hiding until you hover.

Step 4Switch Your Sidebar to Open on Hover

Switch the sidebar to open on hover when you want your pictures to have the most room. This is the reverse of locking it.

1. Make sure the menu is open and locked on the left.
2. Click the same toggle button at the base of the sidebar.
3. Watch the panel. The app releases the locked panel, it slides shut, and small icons remain on the left margin.

Now test the new setup:

1. Move your mouse to the narrow left edge of the window. When your pointer touches the side, the menu slides open.
2. Move your mouse away to view your pictures. The panel hides itself again.

If the menu doesn’t open, push the pointer right against the edge of the window. If the window isn’t maximized, the edge you need is the window’s edge, not the screen’s.

Summary

You can choose between a locked menu for quick navigation and a hidden menu that opens on hover for maximum viewing space. The toggle button at the bottom of the left panel controls both. Switch back and forth whenever your task changes, since nothing is lost either way.