diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index c018dc3..3a84f0f 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { BrowserRouter as Router, Routes, Route, useNavigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { Settings as SettingsIcon, Sparkles } from 'lucide-react';
 import Sidebar from './components/Sidebar';
 import MainContent from './components/MainContent';
 import MobileNav from './components/MobileNav';
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ function AppContent() {
   const [showThinking, setShowThinking] = useLocalStorage('showThinking', true);
   const [autoScrollToBottom, setAutoScrollToBottom] = useLocalStorage('autoScrollToBottom', true);
   const [sendByCtrlEnter, setSendByCtrlEnter] = useLocalStorage('sendByCtrlEnter', false);
+  const [sidebarVisible, setSidebarVisible] = useLocalStorage('sidebarVisible', true);
   // Session Protection System: Track sessions with active conversations to prevent
   // automatic project updates from interrupting ongoing chats. When a user sends
   // a message, the session is marked as "active" and project updates are paused
@@ -734,28 +736,78 @@ function AppContent() {
     <div className="fixed inset-0 flex bg-background">
       {/* Fixed Desktop Sidebar */}
       {!isMobile && (
-        <div className="w-80 flex-shrink-0 border-r border-border bg-card">
+        <div
+          className={`flex-shrink-0 border-r border-border bg-card transition-all duration-300 ${
+            sidebarVisible ? 'w-80' : 'w-14'
+          }`}
+        >
           <div className="h-full overflow-hidden">
-            <Sidebar
-              projects={projects}
-              selectedProject={selectedProject}
-              selectedSession={selectedSession}
-              onProjectSelect={handleProjectSelect}
-              onSessionSelect={handleSessionSelect}
-              onNewSession={handleNewSession}
-              onSessionDelete={handleSessionDelete}
-              onProjectDelete={handleProjectDelete}
-              isLoading={isLoadingProjects}
-              onRefresh={handleSidebarRefresh}
-              onShowSettings={() => setShowSettings(true)}
-              updateAvailable={updateAvailable}
-              latestVersion={latestVersion}
-              currentVersion={currentVersion}
-              releaseInfo={releaseInfo}
-              onShowVersionModal={() => setShowVersionModal(true)}
-              isPWA={isPWA}
-              isMobile={isMobile}
-            />
+            {sidebarVisible ? (
+              <Sidebar
+                projects={projects}
+                selectedProject={selectedProject}
+                selectedSession={selectedSession}
+                onProjectSelect={handleProjectSelect}
+                onSessionSelect={handleSessionSelect}
+                onNewSession={handleNewSession}
+                onSessionDelete={handleSessionDelete}
+                onProjectDelete={handleProjectDelete}
+                isLoading={isLoadingProjects}
+                onRefresh={handleSidebarRefresh}
+                onShowSettings={() => setShowSettings(true)}
+                updateAvailable={updateAvailable}
+                latestVersion={latestVersion}
+                currentVersion={currentVersion}
+                releaseInfo={releaseInfo}
+                onShowVersionModal={() => setShowVersionModal(true)}
+                isPWA={isPWA}
+                isMobile={isMobile}
+                onToggleSidebar={() => setSidebarVisible(false)}
+              />
+            ) : (
+              /* Collapsed Sidebar */
+              <div className="h-full flex flex-col items-center py-4 gap-4">
+                {/* Expand Button */}
+                <button
+                  onClick={() => setSidebarVisible(true)}
+                  className="p-2 hover:bg-accent rounded-md transition-colors duration-200 group"
+                  aria-label="Show sidebar"
+                  title="Show sidebar"
+                >
+                  <svg
+                    className="w-5 h-5 text-foreground group-hover:scale-110 transition-transform"
+                    fill="none"
+                    stroke="currentColor"
+                    viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+                  >
+                    <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth={2} d="M13 5l7 7-7 7M5 5l7 7-7 7" />
+                  </svg>
+                </button>
+
+                {/* Settings Icon */}
+                <button
+                  onClick={() => setShowSettings(true)}
+                  className="p-2 hover:bg-accent rounded-md transition-colors duration-200"
+                  aria-label="Settings"
+                  title="Settings"
+                >
+                  <SettingsIcon className="w-5 h-5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors" />
+                </button>
+
+                {/* Update Indicator */}
+                {updateAvailable && (
+                  <button
+                    onClick={() => setShowVersionModal(true)}
+                    className="relative p-2 hover:bg-accent rounded-md transition-colors duration-200"
+                    aria-label="Update available"
+                    title="Update available"
+                  >
+                    <Sparkles className="w-5 h-5 text-blue-500" />
+                    <span className="absolute top-1 right-1 w-2 h-2 bg-blue-500 rounded-full animate-pulse" />
+                  </button>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
           </div>
         </div>
       )}
@@ -805,6 +857,7 @@ function AppContent() {
               onShowVersionModal={() => setShowVersionModal(true)}
               isPWA={isPWA}
               isMobile={isMobile}
+              onToggleSidebar={() => setSidebarVisible(false)}
             />
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx b/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
index 981ab7b..f9c5e96 100644
--- a/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
+++ b/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
@@ -514,7 +514,6 @@ const MessageComponent = memo(({ message, index, prevMessage, createDiff, onFile
                               <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth={2} d="M19 9l-7 7-7-7" />
                             </svg>
                             <span className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                              <span className="text-lg leading-none">📝</span>
                               <span>View edit diff for</span>
                             </span> 
                             <button
diff --git a/src/components/Sidebar.jsx b/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
index 19970ea..cda6c5a 100644
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ function Sidebar({
   releaseInfo,
   onShowVersionModal,
   isPWA,
-  isMobile
+  isMobile,
+  onToggleSidebar
 }) {
   const [expandedProjects, setExpandedProjects] = useState(new Set());
   const [editingProject, setEditingProject] = useState(null);
@@ -587,34 +588,24 @@ function Sidebar({
               <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">AI coding assistant interface</p>
             </div>
           </div>
-          <div className="flex gap-2">
+          {onToggleSidebar && (
             <Button
               variant="ghost"
               size="sm"
-              className="h-9 w-9 px-0 hover:bg-accent transition-colors duration-200 group"
-              onClick={async () => {
-                setIsRefreshing(true);
-                try {
-                  await onRefresh();
-                } finally {
-                  setIsRefreshing(false);
-                }
-              }}
-              disabled={isRefreshing}
-              title="Refresh projects and sessions (Ctrl+R)"
+              className="h-8 w-8 px-0 hover:bg-accent transition-colors duration-200"
+              onClick={onToggleSidebar}
+              title="Hide sidebar"
             >
-              <RefreshCw className={`w-4 h-4 ${isRefreshing ? 'animate-spin' : ''} group-hover:rotate-180 transition-transform duration-300`} />
+              <svg
+                className="w-4 h-4"
+                fill="none"
+                stroke="currentColor"
+                viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+              >
+                <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth={2} d="M15 19l-7-7 7-7" />
+              </svg>
             </Button>
-            <Button
-              variant="default"
-              size="sm"
-              className="h-9 w-9 px-0 bg-primary hover:bg-primary/90 transition-all duration-200 shadow-sm hover:shadow-md"
-              onClick={() => setShowNewProject(true)}
-              title="Create new project (Ctrl+N)"
-            >
-              <FolderPlus className="w-4 h-4" />
-            </Button>
-          </div>
+          )}
         </div>
         
         {/* Mobile Header */}
@@ -914,9 +905,9 @@ function Sidebar({
         </div>
       )}
       
-      {/* Search Filter */}
+      {/* Search Filter and Actions */}
       {projects.length > 0 && !isLoading && (
-        <div className="px-3 md:px-4 py-2 border-b border-border">
+        <div className="px-3 md:px-4 py-2 border-b border-border space-y-2">
           <div className="relative">
             <Search className="absolute left-3 top-1/2 transform -translate-y-1/2 w-4 h-4 text-muted-foreground" />
             <Input
@@ -935,6 +926,39 @@ function Sidebar({
               </button>
             )}
           </div>
+
+          {/* Action Buttons - Desktop only */}
+          {!isMobile && (
+            <div className="flex gap-2">
+              <Button
+                variant="default"
+                size="sm"
+                className="flex-1 h-8 text-xs bg-primary hover:bg-primary/90 transition-all duration-200"
+                onClick={() => setShowNewProject(true)}
+                title="Create new project (Ctrl+N)"
+              >
+                <FolderPlus className="w-3.5 h-3.5 mr-1.5" />
+                New Project
+              </Button>
+              <Button
+                variant="outline"
+                size="sm"
+                className="h-8 w-8 px-0 hover:bg-accent transition-colors duration-200 group"
+                onClick={async () => {
+                  setIsRefreshing(true);
+                  try {
+                    await onRefresh();
+                  } finally {
+                    setIsRefreshing(false);
+                  }
+                }}
+                disabled={isRefreshing}
+                title="Refresh projects and sessions (Ctrl+R)"
+              >
+                <RefreshCw className={`w-3.5 h-3.5 ${isRefreshing ? 'animate-spin' : ''} group-hover:rotate-180 transition-transform duration-300`} />
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       )}