Sidebar / Vertical tabs: Option to Keep Vertical Tabs Visible in Full-Screen Mode

[nation_mangoes]

Summary

Add a setting or flag that allows the vertical tabs sidebar to remain visible while Firefox is in full-screen mode on a Desktop.

Background

Previously, when using Firefox with vertical tabs, entering full-screen mode would keep the vertical tabs and the sidebar visible. This made it possible to switch between tabs without leaving full-screen mode or moving the mouse to the top of the screen to reveal the browser's top bar and sidebar.

With the recent update that hides the vertical tabs sidebar in full-screen mode, accessing tabs has become significantly less convenient.

I really like the idea of being able to go full-screen while keeping the vertical tabs visible. It provides the benefits of full-screen browsing without sacrificing the convenience and accessibility of vertical tabs.

Current Behavior

When Firefox is in full-screen mode, the vertical tabs sidebar is hidden.

To switch tabs, I now have to:

1. Move the mouse to the top of the screen to reveal the browser's top bar and sidebar.
2. Move the mouse over to the side of the screen to access the vertical tabs sidebar.
3. Select the desired tab.

This is particularly inconvenient because the vertical tabs require an additional mouse movement along a very narrow strip along the edge after revealing the browser UI.

Proposed Solution

Provide a setting, preference, or about:config flag that allows users to keep the vertical tabs sidebar persistent and visible while in full-screen mode.

For example:

Keep vertical tabs visible in full-screen mode

When enabled, the vertical tabs sidebar would remain visible while the rest of the browser UI stays hidden.

Benefits

• Allows users to switch tabs directly while remaining in full-screen mode.
• Avoids unnecessary mouse movement to the top of the screen and then to the side for tab selection.
• Gives users control over the full-screen experience rather than enforcing a single behavior.
• Maintains the previous workflow for users who preferred the sidebar remaining visible.

This could simply be an opt-in setting so that users who prefer the current behavior are unaffected.

[the_tea]

I also have the same opinion on this matter,
especially since now when you want to switch tabs on the sidebar, you can't hover the middle of the bar, you have to hover at the very edge and pause to select the tab. But if you have tab groups open, you literally can't switch to the tabs in that group because as soon as the cursor reaches the group, the sidebar hides itself, and you either have to ctrl+tab to switch or exit full-screen.
In short it's very inconvenient to use full screen with the sidebar now and the option to customize it would be great.