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Tanzim Hossain
Tanzim Hossain

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How to Fix the Copilot Sidebar in Microsoft Edge on Linux

#ubuntu #microsoftedge #githubcopilot

A simple, two-command fix to get the AI assistant working on Ubuntu and other distros.

You’ve installed Microsoft Edge on your Linux machine, ready to take advantage of its features. You click the familiar Copilot icon in the top-right corner, expecting the AI-powered sidebar to appear... and nothing happens.

If you’ve experienced this, you’re not alone. It’s a common frustration for Edge users on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. While the browser works perfectly, this one key feature seems broken. The good news is that the fix is incredibly simple.

The problem comes down to a single missing configuration file called HubApps that is present in the Windows version but absent in the Linux installation. By manually adding this file, you can get the Copilot sidebar working in under a minute.

Here’s how to do it.

Step 0: A Quick Prerequisite Check

This fix uses a command-line tool called wget to download the missing file. Most systems, including Ubuntu, have it pre-installed. Let's quickly check.

Open your terminal and type:

which wget
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If the command returns a path (like /usr/bin/wget), you’re all set. If it returns nothing, just run the following command to install it:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install wget
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Now that we're ready, let's get to the fix.

The Fix: Choose Your Installation Path

The location of Edge's configuration files depends on how you installed it. Find the option below that matches your setup.

Option A: For Flatpak Installations

If you installed Microsoft Edge from the Software Center or using the flatpak command, its configuration is sandboxed in a specific folder.

1. Navigate to the Directory
Open your terminal and run this command to move into the correct folder:

cd ~/.var/app/com.microsoft.Edge/config/microsoft-edge/Default
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2. Download the Missing File
Now, run this command to download the HubApps file directly into the folder:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RPDJF/dotfiles/refs/heads/master/.myconfig/ressources/HubApps
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Option B: For Standard .deb/APT Installations

If you downloaded the .deb file from the Microsoft website and installed it using apt or dpkg, your configuration files are in a different location.

1. Navigate to the Directory
Open your terminal and use this command instead:

cd ~/.config/microsoft-edge/Default
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2. Download the Missing File
Next, run the same wget command to download the file:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RPDJF/dotfiles/refs/heads/master/.myconfig/ressources/HubApps
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Final Step: Restart and Enjoy

That’s all there is to it. The final, crucial step is to completely close all Microsoft Edge windows and restart the browser.

Now, click the Copilot icon. The sidebar will spring to life, fully functional, just as it does on Windows.

It’s a strange oversight that this file isn’t included by default, but thankfully, the Linux community found a quick and easy workaround. Hopefully, this simple guide saved you some time and frustration.

If this guide helped you, feel free to give it a clap or two! Happy browsing.

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