# Access common chat channel actions from the sidebar context menu
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667
**Category:** Announcements
**Tags:** chat
**Created:** [January 5, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667 "2026-01-05T13:36:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/1 "2026-01-05T13:36:21Z")
We’ve now made it easier to access common actions for chat channels on desktop with a sidebar context menu. This works for both public and direct message channels:
From here, you will be able to do the following actions:
- Change the notification level for the channel, including muting or unmuting
- Go directly to the channel settings
- Star or unstar the channel (see the [recent announcement if you missed it](https://meta.discourse.org/t/star-your-favorite-chat-channels-for-easy-access/390713))
- Leave the channel
Previously, the only way to do access these actions (except for starring) was to visit the channel settings page, or the channel index in the case of leaving a channel:
 
This method still works, but the new sidebar context menu will make these settings more discoverable and accessible.
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### Author:  [@NateDhaliwal](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NateDhaliwal)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/2 "2026-01-05T13:47:41Z")
Love the new interface! Looks great!
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### Author:  [@Magie](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Magie)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2026, 2:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/3 "2026-01-14T14:13:08Z")
Hi @martin
I noticed that the **behavior changed** for **chat groups** (not channels).
Before this update users could click on the small cross (“X”) to the right of the chat group name. That would **close** the group in the sidebar. But if the users searched for their group, they could find it again.
Now, clicking on the context menu and selecting the “x leave channel” makes the user actually leave the chat group unable to find it ever again.
On our side it leads to some problems and confusion. Users having lots of chat groups in their sidebar which they can’t close otherwise they will never find them again. Or accidentally leaving them.
Is this meant to be that way?
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/4 "2026-01-14T23:34:17Z")
Oh interesting, I thought the behaviours were equivalent. I will look into this and do a bug fix 👀
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/7 "2026-01-18T23:39:32Z")
@Magie a fix for this has been merged now:
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/37165](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/37165)
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/8 "2026-01-18T23:39:38Z")
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/9 "2026-01-18T23:39:41Z")
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### Author:  [@Magie](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Magie)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/10 "2026-01-21T17:34:51Z")
Hi @martin
Thank you so much for the update. It works. 💐
Just wondering about the translation. Now both seem to have “leave channel”. Are they both using `js.chat.channel_settings.leave_channel`?
I think differentiating would be useful. So one can be “close” and the other can be “leave channel”.
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2026, 5:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/11 "2026-01-21T17:39:09Z")
He has already worked on changing that:
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/37230](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/37230)
Once that’s merged, there will be a separate “Close channel” text for DMs.
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/12 "2026-01-22T17:55:38Z")
Is there a reason why removing a DM chat from the sidebar opens another chat channel?
I understand that if you do that while the channel is open, a redirect to another channel is necessary. But in case there is not, it’s a little unexpected.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/13 "2026-01-22T17:57:46Z")
Yes this behavior is awkward in drawer mode, it was probably made before we had the drawer.
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/14 "2026-01-22T18:00:56Z")
> [@j.jaffeux](#):
>
> it was probably made before we had the drawer.
Was drawer mode made that recently? I don’t think this happened before the new menu was added. The `x` in the sidebar didn’t do that
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/15 "2026-01-22T18:02:47Z")
Ok maybe it’s a regression then, I don’t think the behavior of trying to load another channel when closing one in full page is new, but maybe we had a protection against this in drawer mode and lost it.
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/16 "2026-01-22T18:07:41Z")
Actually, I find it even more confusing when I have used full-screen mode before. I understand why redirecting is important while the chat channel is open, but I had no chat on my screen. So why do I need chat after removing one from my sidebar?
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/17 "2026-01-23T17:10:10Z")
Yes that seems like a bug somewhere in this new behavior, didn’t have time to dig this but we will next week.
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### Author:  [@Don](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Don)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2026, 6:10am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/18 "2026-02-16T06:10:27Z")
Hello 👋
This feature works great on desktop, but I noticed a layout issue on mobile.
The “three dots” icon (more options) is hidden by default on mobile. It only becomes visible after I tap on that specific area. I think it would be great to have a mobile version of this.
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2026, 6:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/19 "2026-02-16T06:14:37Z")
TBH this was not intended to be used on mobile, it’s desktop only for now. I’m not even sure how you are showing it there considering chat has a different UI on mobile.
Mobile will require a rethink of various menu actions, swipe behaviour, etc. etc. and we won’t be doing that anytime soon.
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### Author:  [@Don](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Don)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2026, 6:21am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/access-common-chat-channel-actions-from-the-sidebar-context-menu/392667/20 "2026-02-16T06:21:36Z")
> [@martin](#):
>
> I’m not even sure how you are showing it there considering chat has a different UI on mobile.
Tapping on the right side of the channel name triggers the menu and makes it visible.