How to stretch sidebars over full height in IDE (widescreen mode)

October 26, 2026 11:29 Updated

Question

Configure the tool window layout to stretch sidebars (e.g., with Solution Explorer and Copilot chat) over the whole height of the screen while keeping the bottom window (for unit tests, build, etc.) in the middle and aligned with the code window.

Answer

Change the View Mode of the tool windows to adjust their placement and behavior:
- For the tool windows on the sides (e.g., Solution Explorer, Copilot Chat), ensure they are docked properly. Move them back to their respective sides, then dock them as "Right Bottom" or other relevant options to extend their height.
Example configuration for the right-hand side:
- Dock the Copilot Chat tool window to "Right Bottom".
Experiment with the WideScreen Mode and Side-by-Side ToolWindow Layouts:
- Refer to documentation.
If Float mode is unwanted, ensure that the default dock mode is retained.
Evaluate the layout based on the expected screenshot (see example below):