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How to Open Helperbird in the Firefox Sidebar

On Firefox the owl icon opens Helperbird in the sidebar rather than a popup. How to open it, the other ways in, and what to check if the owl does nothing.

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  • getting started

Firefox is the one browser where Helperbird lives in the sidebar. The owl icon opens the sidebar instead of a popup.


Click the Owl Icon

Click the Helperbird owl in your Firefox toolbar. The sidebar opens beside the page with the full Helperbird menu inside.

Clicking the owl a second time does not close the sidebar. The owl only opens it. To close it, use one of the ways below.


Other Ways to Open the Sidebar

  • Press Ctrl + B on Windows and Linux, or Cmd + B on a Mac.
  • Click the sidebar icon in the Firefox toolbar.
  • Go to View, then Sidebar, in the menu bar.

All three toggle whichever panel you had last, so you may get Bookmarks or History. Use the dropdown at the top of the sidebar to pick Helperbird.


What to Expect

  • The sidebar holds the full Helperbird menu: every feature, the search box and the settings.
  • Helperbird does not open the sidebar for you after you install it. You open it the first time.
  • Drag the sidebar's inner edge to make it wider or narrower.
  • Firefox remembers the panel you picked, so Helperbird is still there next time.
  • The Floating Toolbar cannot open the sidebar. Its Settings button is on Chrome and Edge only.

If the Owl Does Nothing


On Chrome, Edge and Safari

Chrome and Edge use a side panel instead of a sidebar. It is a different browser feature and it opens a different way. See how to open Helperbird in the Chrome or Edge side panel.

Safari has neither. On Safari the owl icon opens the Helperbird popup.


Need Additional Help?

Having trouble opening Helperbird in the Firefox sidebar? Reach out to our Helperbird support team and we'll walk you through it!

Printed from the Helperbird Help Center · Updated August 12th, 2026

Questions? We are happy to help — helperbird.com/support

Reviews from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons and G2

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much like when I got glasses

Let me tell you, I didn't know how badly I needed this until I got it. It was much like when I got glasses, I had just assumed that was how everyone saw the world...then it wasn't. Thank you Helperbird for the efforts you put forth in this lovely extension for everyone to use. The fact that you can use so much on the free just goes to show that this is something to help aid people not just some money grab. However with the pricing it still couldn't be a money grab. Thank you all again for the efforts you put forth so others can enjoy the internet more fully.
Matthew BurnsHealth care worker
This app does wonders!!
Sandra FoxHelperbird user

turned a 28-page reading assignme...

I have ADHD and yesterday Helperbird and the text-to-speech function (available in free version) turned a 28-page reading assignment from a two-day task to roughly two hours, maybe three at the absolute most. It helped tremendously! And I loved that the text-to-speech has such a fluid voice compared to a lot of others I've used! Honestly, the fact that this was created by someone who knows the struggles is something I love, because then it has neurodivergency in mind. I've tried too many things in the past that were created by neurotypical folk trying to be helpful to us and I do appreciate it, but it doesn't work as well because our brains work different. Highly recommend!
Addison BrownHelperbird user
Helperbird logo: a stylized owl with large round yellow eyes and a beige face.

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