What Is Chat Mode?
While Agent Mode focuses on complex, multi-step automation, Chat Mode is designed for instant, lightweight AI assistance during your everyday browsing.
Chat Mode runs directly inside your browser side panel, fast, focused, and distraction-free. It helps you analyze, summarize, or translate webpage content.
In other words, Chat Mode is your real-time research assistant that responds instantly to your requests without leaving the page you're on.
What Can Chat Mode Do?
Chat Mode excels at content analysis, extraction, and quick browsing support. Here are some of the things it can do:
🧠 Summarize Webpages Instantly
Need to understand a long article quickly?
Just type: "Summarize this page" or "Read this article and explain it as if I were 10 years old"
Side Copilot will scan the current tab and return a concise summary of the main ideas, saving you time.
🌎 Translate Web Content
Reading a page in another language?
Ask: "Translate the selected content into English" (or any language you prefer).
📋 Extract Key Points or Data
Doing research?
Try: "List the main arguments in this article" or "List all product names on this page, sorted by frequency of appearance." or "Find all quoted statements and list who said them."
Chat Mode pulls out key details while keeping context intact.
How to Use Chat Mode
- Open the Side Space Extension.
- Click the AI Chat button in the top-right corner to launch Side Copilot.
- In the bottom-left corner, ensure you're in Chat Mode (toggle off Agent Mode).
- Start typing your question or command in the chat box, that's it!
You'll get results directly in the sidebar within seconds.
When to Use Chat Mode vs. Agent Mode
| Feature | Chat Mode | Agent Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | ⚡ Instant responses | 🚀 Slightly slower (multi-step logic) |
| Use Case | Everyday tasks, quick help | Complex workflows, automation |
| Best For | Summaries, translations, data extraction, screenshots | Tab management, multi-window operations, research automation |
| Requires Access to Browser Tools | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
This dual-mode system ensures you always have the right level of AI power for the task at hand — whether it's quick assistance or full automation.
Tips for Best Results
- 💡 Be specific with your prompts.
For example, instead of "Summarize," say "Summarize this article in 3 bullet points." - 🧩 Combine Chat Mode with Shortcuts.
Save your most-used actions (like "Summarize page" or "Translate to English") as shortcuts for one-click access. - 🔒 Privacy First.
Chat Mode only processes visible content in your active tab, it never reads unrelated pages or personal data.