Hi there! Welcome to the home of Better Sidebar for Gemini & AI Studio.
If you use Gemini or Google AI Studio heavily, you know the struggle: your chat list gets messy, old prompts get lost, and finding that one specific conversation from last week is a nightmare.
We built this extension to fix that. It gives you a clean, organized sidebar with folders, tags, and a powerful search engine that actually works across both platforms—all while keeping your data 100% local and private.
Configurable sidebar width, auto-hide input box, and auto-hide run settings panel — tailor your workspace to your preference.
Creating a new conversation now instantly shows an entry. Set the title before the chat is even created for a smoother workflow.
New Gemini UI configuration options in the settings panel, plus adaptation to the latest Gemini UI redesign.
3 exclusive themes are now available as a Supporter Pack. All core features remain 100% free — this extension is built in spare time, and your support helps keep it maintained and growing.
Here is what Better Sidebar can do for you:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🌟 Multi-Platform Support | Manage conversations across both Gemini and Google AI Studio seamlessly in one unified sidebar. |
| 👥 Multi-Account Profiles | Create separate profiles for work or personal use. Each maintains its own independent database. |
| 🔍 Chained Search | Filter conversations by combining multiple conditions — title, tag, and type — for laser-precise results. |
| 💎 Gem Management | Full Gem integration — browse, filter, create, and start conversations with your Gems right from the sidebar. |
| 📜 Smart Scrollbar | A visual scrollbar for Gemini conversations. Jump directly to any message in long chats. |
| 🤖 Default Model | Set a default model for Gemini and every new conversation will automatically use it. |
| ✏️ True Rename | Rename conversations directly — changes are synced to Google's servers in real time. |
| 🗑️ True Delete & Batch Delete | Delete or batch-delete conversations with real server-side removal. No more ghost chats. |
| 🔐 Persistent Login | Stay logged in across sessions with smart merge for synced data. |
| 📂 Folders & Colors | Drag and drop your chats into nested folders. Assign custom colors to folders and tags. |
| 📝 Prompt Library | Build your personal library of reusable prompts. Supports option variables, prompt composition, and system prompt imports. |
| 🔍 Precision Search | Full-text search across every message in your history. Limit search to the active chat for immediate context. |
| 📓 Notebook Integration | Full notebook support for Gemini — browse, organize, and manage your notebooks right from the sidebar. |
| ☁️ Google Drive Auto Sync | Automatically sync your settings, prompts, and config data to Google Drive in the background. Always backed up. |
| 🎨 UI Customization | Advanced layout controls for Gemini, including width adjustments and Focus Mode. |
| ⚙️ Platform Manager | Use the extension popup to quickly jump between platforms or enable/disable them on the fly. |
| 🏷️ Smart Tagging | Assign custom tags to your conversations, now visible directly in the chat header. |
| ⭐ Favorites & Pinning | Keep your most frequently used chats or specific prompts at the top for quick access. |
| 🔄 Automatic Sync | Your latest conversations are automatically synced behind the scenes when you visit the page. |
| 📊 Timeline View | Visualize your workflow with a "Today", "Yesterday", and "Last Week" timeline. |
| 🖼️ Watermark-Free Downloads | Automatically remove watermarks when downloading generated images in Gemini, including Pro HD images. |
| 📥 Conversation Export | Export your conversations as Markdown, Plain Text, or JSON for documentation or backup. |
| 🌗 Theme Sync | Automatically matches the platform's light/dark mode. |
| 🔒 Privacy First | Everything is stored locally in your browser (SQLite). We don't see your data, ever. |
| 💾 Data Control | Export your data (SQL dump) anytime. You own your data. |
We take this seriously.
- 100% Local: We use an embedded SQLite database running entirely within your browser.
- No Cloud Sync to Our Servers: Your folders, tags, and notes are NOT sent to our servers. Google Drive sync is between you and your own Google account.
- No Training: We do not read your conversations to train any AI models.
When you install, your browser will request permission to "Read and change data on aistudio.google.com and gemini.google.com". This is solely to inject the enhanced sidebar interface and read chat titles for organization. We do not access your other browsing history.
We're just getting started. Here is what's on our mind:
- Full Content Search (Done in v1.1.0!)
- Prompt Library (Done in v1.1.0!)
- Gemini Platform Support (Done in v2.0.0!)
- Multi-Account Support (Done in v2.1.0!)
- Cloud Sync (Done in v2.2.0!)
- Gem Management (Done in v2.3.0!)
- Smart Scrollbar (Done in v2.3.0!)
- True Rename & Delete (Done in v2.4.0!)
- Notebook Integration (Done in v2.5.0!)
- Auto Google Drive Sync (Done in v2.5.0!)
- AI Studio UI Controls (Done in v2.6.0!)
- Supporter Pack (Done in v2.6.0!)
- Additional Platform Support: Maybe bring this to ChatGPT or Claude?
- AI Auto-Tagging: Using a local LLM to help organize your chats automatically.
Get it from the Chrome Web Store
Also available on:
- Firefox Add-ons
- Microsoft Edge: Not yet supported (coming soon).
This project is now open source! If you're a developer and want to help make it better, feel free to open an issue or submit a PR.
1. The extension overlay isn't appearing.
- Refresh the page: Sometimes the extension needs a page reload to inject properly, especially right after installation.
- Check permissions: Ensure the extension has permission to run on
aistudio.google.comandgemini.google.com. - Conflict: Disable other Gemini or AI Studio extensions temporarily to check for conflicts.
2. My chats aren't showing up or I can't find specific messages.
- New chats missing? The extension automatically syncs when you visit the page. If conversations are still missing, go to
Settings->Data & Storageand click "Scan Library" to force a manual sync. - Missing message content? If search can't find text from older chats, you might need to import them. Go to the Search tab and click "Import History". You can upload a Google Takeout zip to fully index your past conversations.
3. I lost my folder structure!
- Don't Panic: Your data is stored locally.
- Check Database: In the
Settings, try exporting your data to see if it's still there. - Restore: If you have a previous backup (DB file), use the Import function to restore your state.
Join our Discord server to chat with other users, get help, or share feedback.
Found a bug? Have a cool idea?
- Check the Issues tab to see if it's already reported.
- If not, feel free to open a new issue!
Note: This is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google.