[Tip] How to Disable Side Panel Search in Google Chrome

In newer versions of Google Chrome web browser, the Google Search results page now opens in a Side Panel instead of a new tab. If you want to disable the new Side Panel search feature and want to restore the classic search results opening in new tab behavior in Chrome, this article will help you.

Google has started rolling out the new “Google Search Side Panel” or “Search Web in Side Panel” feature to Chrome 116 and later versions. Recently the feature was enabled for selected users in Chrome 115 version. In this article, we’ll discuss methods to disable or remove the new Google Side Search feature in Chrome web browser.

What is Side Search Feature in Google Chrome?

Side Search or Side Panel Search is a new feature introduced in Google Chrome 106 and later versions. It displays the Google search results page in form of a sidebar at the right-side of the browser window. The user can click on desired website link present in the search sidebar and the website will launch in the current tab. With the help of this new Side Search feature, a Chrome user can easily switch between search results links and compare the information given on different websites.

How does the New Side Search Panel Work in Google Chrome?

The Google search results page opens in Chrome’s Side Panel in following 2 situations:

1. User Selects “Search Google for” Option from Context Menu

When you select or highlight some text on a web page and select “Search Google for” option from the right-click context menu, Chrome opens the search results page in Side Panel. In older versions of Chrome, the search results page used to display in a separate tab instead of the Side Panel.

Following screenshot shows right-click search results showing inside the Side Panel in Chrome browser:

2. User Searches for Some Text on Google Search Website in Chrome

When you search on Google.com using the address bar (omnibox) or New Tab Search box in Chrome, it displays the search results page in the current tab. If you click on a website link given on the search results page, you’ll notice a new message “See more search results” with Google icon in the address bar as shown in following screenshot:

Once you click on the icon, Chrome launches new Side Search panel at the right-side containing search results page. You can check search result websites right from the Side Panel and the search results page will remain opened in the sidebar.

If you don’t like the new Side Panel search functionality and want to disable the Google Search results opening in Side Panel instead of a new tab in Chrome, following methods will help you:

METHOD 1: Disable Google Search Side Panel Using Chrome Policy

Google has provided an official policy to disable or remove the Side Panel search feature in Chrome which can be applied using the steps mentioned below:

1. Press “WIN+R” key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to any of following keys:

If you want to disable the Side Panel search feature for all Windows users:

If you want to disable the Side Panel search feature for current user only:

3. Under Policies key, create a new key and set its name to Google

4. Under Google key, create a new key and set its name to Chrome

So the final key path will be:

5. Now select Chrome key and in right-side pane, right-click and select “New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value” option. Set the new DWORD name as GoogleSearchSidePanelEnabled and leave its value set to 0

Now restart Chrome browser and search for selected text on a webpage, the search results page will now open in a new tab.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore the Side Panel Search feature in Chrome, delete the above mentioned DWORD from Registry.

METHOD 2: Disable Side Search Feature Using CSC Chrome Flag

If you don’t want to apply the above mentioned policy, you can modify following hidden secret preference/flag in Chrome to get rid of the Side Panel Search feature:

1. Open Google Chrome web browser and type chrome://flags/ in address bar and press Enter. It’ll open the advanced configuration page.

2. Now type csc in the “Search flags” box.

Look for following options in the results:

3. Select Disabled from the drop-down box for the above mentioned options.

4. Again type focus in the “Search flags” box.

Look for following option in the results:

5. Select Disabled from the drop-down box for the above mentioned option.

6. Google Chrome will ask you to restart the browser. Click on “Relaunch now” button to restart Google Chrome.

That’s it. Now try to search for some selected text and you’ll see search results in a new tab instead of the Side Panel.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore default behavior in Chrome, select “Default” option from the drop-down box for above mentioned options and restart the browser.

METHOD 3: Modify Search Web in Side Panel Flag in Chrome

Following method can also be used to disable Side Search feature in Chrome if the above mentioned method doesn’t work for you:

1. Open Google Chrome web browser and type chrome://flags/ in address bar and press Enter. It’ll open the advanced configuration page.

2. Now type search web in the “Search flags” box.

Look for following option in the results:

3. To disable the search results in Side Panel feature and restore search results in a new tab in Chrome, select Disabled from the drop-down box for the above mentioned option.

4. Google Chrome will ask you to restart the browser. Click on “Relaunch now” button to restart Google Chrome.

That’s it. Now try to search for some selected text and you’ll see search results in a new tab.

METHOD 4: Using Side Search Chrome Flag

Following is another preference/flag in Chrome which can be modified to disable Side Panel Search feature in Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome web browser and type chrome://flags/ in address bar and press Enter. It’ll open the advanced configuration page.

2. Now type side search in the “Search flags” box.

Look for following option in the results:

3. To disable the new Side Search Panel in Chrome, select Disabled from the drop-down box for the above mentioned option.

4. Google Chrome will ask you to restart the browser. Click on “Relaunch now” button to restart Google Chrome.

That’s it. You have successfully disabled new Side Search Panel feature in Chrome.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore default setting in Chrome, select “Default” option from the drop-down box for above mentioned option and restart the browser.

METHOD 5: Change Default Search Engine in Chrome

The new search results opening in Side Panel feature has been implemented for Google Search only which is the default search engine in Chrome. If you change or switch to a different search engine in Chrome, the search results page will start opening in new tab again.

You can change the default search engine in Chrome using following steps:

1. Open Google Chrome web browser, click on 3-dots menu (Main Menu) and select Settings option. Alternatively, you can directly open the Settings page by typing chrome://settings/ in Chrome address bar.

2. In left-side pane, click on “Search Engine” option or tab.

3. In right-side pane, you’ll see “Search engine used in the address bar” option.

Click on the drop-down box and select any other search engine such as Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, etc.

That’s it. Now whenever you select or highlight text on webpages and select Search option from the context menu, the search results page will open in a new tab.

Also Check:

[Tip] Disable New Download Bubble Button in Chrome Toolbar

[Tip] Restore Classic Customize Chrome Window on New Tab Page

[Tip] Disable or Remove Journeys from Side Panel in Chrome

How to Enable / Disable Power Bookmarks UI in Chrome Side Panel