Quick Start
This guide covers every Sider feature:
- Getting Started — Install, sign up, and set up Sider Chat
- How to Use Wisebase — Save and organize information from webpages, files, and chats in one place
- How to Use ChatPDF — Chat with PDFs and pull out facts, names, and numbers in seconds
- How to Use Deep Research — Run multi-source research and get a report you can verify
- How to Use AI Slides — Build a slide deck from a topic, document, or webpage
- How to Use Web Creator — Create a simple website by describing it in plain words
- How to Use AI Essay Writer — Plan, draft, and revise essays faster
- How to Use AI Video Shortener — Turn long YouTube videos into short clips
- How to Use AI Image Generator — Create images from a short text prompt
- How to Use AI Translator — Translate text, webpages, and files in 50+ languages
Time needed: 5 minutes per feature
Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives
Why Trust This Guide
FahimAI reviews AI tools and rates Sider 4 out of 5.
This tutorial sticks to what Sider actually does, not marketing copy.
Where menus may change, we tell you.
Sider is an AI sidebar that lives inside your browser.
It puts GPT, Claude, and Gemini next to every webpage you open.
Over 10 million active users rely on it.
But most people only use it for basic chat.
This guide shows how to use Sider for research, PDFs, slides, videos, and more.
Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.
Sider Tutorial
This how to use Sider tutorial walks you through setup first, then each tool one at a time.
Sider
Get GPT, Claude, and Gemini in one sidebar on every webpage. Summarize PDFs, translate pages, and run research without switching tabs. Start free, with paid plans from $4.2.
Getting Started with Sider
Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.
It takes about 3 minutes.
Here’s a look at Sider in real use:
Now let’s walk through each step.
Step 1: Install Sider and Sign Up
Install Sider from the Chrome Web Store, then click “Add to Chrome.”
Sider supports both Chrome and Edge browsers.
Sign up with Google, Apple, or your email address.
✓ Checkpoint: Complete the email verification if Sider asks you to verify.
Step 2: Pin Sider to Your Browser
Click the puzzle icon in your browser toolbar.
Pin the Sider extension for easy access.
Prefer an app on your computer? Sider offers desktop apps for macOS and Windows.
Here’s what you get once Sider is open:
✓ Checkpoint: The Sider icon now sits in your toolbar.
Step 3: Set Up Sider Chat
Open the sidebar and choose your default AI model.
Sider Chat lets you switch between GPT, Claude, and Gemini anytime.
If menus look different, follow Sider’s updated June 9, 2026 setup guide.
✅ Done: You’re ready to use any feature below.
How to Use Sider Wisebase
Wisebase lets you save and organize information from webpages, PDFs, and chats.
Think of it as a private library that Sider can read for you.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open Wisebase
Click the Wisebase icon in the Sider sidebar.
Create a new group for each project or topic.
Step 2: Add Your Material
Click “Add” and drop in files, a URL, or your own notes.
You can also save the current webpage straight from the sidebar.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Your saved item appears inside the group you created.
Step 3: Ask Questions About It
Open a chat inside the group and ask about anything stored there.
Sider will extract and organize information into short summaries.
✅ Result: You now have a searchable library you can discuss with AI anytime.
💡 Pro Tip: Give every saved item clear names and mark the key ones. Search finds them faster later.
How to Use Sider ChatPDF
ChatPDF lets you chat with PDFs instead of reading every page.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Upload Your PDF
Open ChatPDF from the sidebar or the Sider web app.
Drag your file in, or paste a PDF URL.
Step 2: Ask Your Questions
Ask for a summary, key facts, names, or numbers.
Follow up with “why” or “where does it say that?”
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Answers point back to the page they came from.
Step 3: Simplify or Translate
Ask Sider to explain a dense section in plain words.
You can also translate the whole PDF into another language.
✅ Result: You pulled the key facts from a long PDF in minutes.
💡 Pro Tip: For research papers, ask “What evidence supports this claim?” It exposes weak arguments fast.
How to Use Sider Deep Researcher
Deep Research lets you run multi-step research across many sources at once.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Enter Your Question
Open Deep Research and type one clear, specific question.
Add context like the time period, region, or audience.
Step 2: Review the Research Plan
Sider drafts a plan before it starts searching.
Edit the plan to add or remove angles.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: You see a list of research steps Sider will follow.
Step 3: Read the Report
Sider returns a structured report with linked sources.
Open each source to verify the claims that matter most.
✅ Result: You have a sourced report you can use to make a decision.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask Sider to flag uncertainty in its findings. You’ll know which facts need a second look.
How to Use Sider AI Slides
AI Slides lets you build a presentation from a topic, a document, or a webpage.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Choose Your Source
Type a topic, or upload a file as source material.
Tell Sider who the audience is.
Step 2: Pick a Theme and Length
Choose a theme and the number of slides.
Review the outline before generating the deck.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Sider shows an outline you can change before it builds the slides.
Step 3: Edit and Export
Click any slide to edit text or swap images.
Download the deck once it looks right.
✅ Result: You have a ready-to-edit slide deck in a few minutes.
💡 Pro Tip: Upload your own notes instead of a bare topic. The slides will follow your content, not generic filler.
How to Use Sider Web Creator
Web Creator lets you create a simple website by describing what you want.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Describe Your Site
Type something like “a one-page bakery website with a menu.”
Mention colors, sections, and any contact form.
Step 2: Preview the Page
Sider writes the code and shows a live preview.
Scroll through to check each section.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: A live preview of your page loads next to the chat.
Step 3: Refine With Chat
Ask for changes like “make the header dark blue.”
Each revision updates the preview right away.
✅ Result: You built a working webpage without writing code yourself.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask for one change per message. Making small requests gives cleaner results than long lists.
How to Use Sider AI Essay Writer
AI Essay Writer lets you plan, draft, and revise essays in one place.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Set the Topic
Enter your topic, essay type, and target length.
Paste in any source material you want it to use.
Step 2: Build the Outline
Sider drafts an outline before writing anything.
Reorder or cut sections until the plan makes sense.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: An outline with clear section headings appears on screen.
Step 3: Write and Revise
Generate the full draft from your outline.
Ask for a revision on any weak paragraph.
✅ Result: You have a full draft ready to edit in your own voice.
💡 Pro Tip: Add your sources first. It keeps the essay tied to real evidence instead of guesses.
How to Use Sider AI Video Shortener
AI Video Shortener lets you turn long YouTube videos into short clips.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Paste the Video URL
Copy a YouTube link and paste it into the shortener.
Sider scans the video for its strongest moments.
Step 2: Choose Clip Settings
Pick the clip length and aspect ratio.
Vertical works best for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Sider lists several suggested clips with timestamps.
Step 3: Review and Download
Watch each suggested clip and drop the weak ones.
Download the clips you want to keep.
✅ Result: You turned one long video into ready-to-post short videos.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask the sidebar to summarize the video first. You’ll know which parts hold the most value.
How to Use Sider AI Image Generator
AI Image Generator lets you create images from a short text prompt.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Write a Prompt
Describe the subject, style, and lighting you want.
Be specific about colors and mood.
Step 2: Pick a Model and Size
Choose an image model and an aspect ratio.
Click generate and wait a few seconds.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: A set of image options appears below your prompt.
Step 3: Refine the Result
Ask for one change, like “warmer light.”
Regenerate until the image fits your plan.
✅ Result: You created custom images without design software.
💡 Pro Tip: Name a specific style, like “watercolor” or “flat vector.” Vague prompts give vague images.
How to Use Sider AI Translator
AI Translator lets you translate text, webpages, and files in over 50 languages.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Highlight Any Text
Select text on any page to show the Sider toolbar.
Click Translate or Explain.
Step 2: Translate the Full Page
Click the translate icon to convert the whole webpage.
Turn on bilingual view to see both languages side by side.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: The page shows original and translated text together.
Step 3: Translate Files
Upload a PDF or document in the translator.
Download the translated version when it finishes.
✅ Result: You can read content in almost any language without leaving the page.
💡 Pro Tip: Use bilingual view when you learn a language. You see the original and translation together.
Sider Pro Tips and Shortcuts
These are the tips that save the most time.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open or close the sidebar | Ctrl + J (Windows) / Cmd + J (Mac) |
| Send a chat message | Enter |
| Add a new line in chat | Shift + Enter |
| Change any extension shortcut | chrome://extensions/shortcuts |
Hidden Features Most People Miss
- Sider Code: Sider Code customizes websites using plain-language requests. Ask it to simplify a website’s layout, increase text size, or remove distracting elements. It changes how any page looks and behaves. Sider Code remembers changes for future visits.
- Multi-model compare: Send one prompt to several models at once. Compare GPT, Claude, and Gemini answers side by side. It’s the fastest way to spot a weak answer.
- Developer help: Highlight code blocks and ask Sider to explain them. It can generate unit tests and documentation from highlighted code. It parses error stack traces to find root causes. Upload documentation or API specs, and it summarizes them for you.
- Sider Hand and Sider Claw: Sider Hand automates multi-step tasks across real websites. You describe each task in natural language. Sider Claw automates research and information extraction tasks.
For developers, the big win is focus.
Sider gives on-the-fly help for debugging and bug identification.
You can query multiple AI models when a bug won’t budge.
It also helps with code analysis and code reviews through GitHub integrations.
That means less context-switching between tools and apps.
Sider Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Using One AI Model for Everything
❌ Wrong: Running every task through GPT and accepting the first answer.
✅ Right: Try the same prompt on GPT, Claude, and Gemini. Then choose the best answer.
Mistake #2: Trusting Answers Without Checking
❌ Wrong: Copying facts and numbers straight into your work.
✅ Right: Open the cited sources and verify anything you plan to publish.
Mistake #3: Not Pinning the Extension
❌ Wrong: Digging through the extensions menu every time you need Sider.
✅ Right: Pin Sider and use the keyboard shortcut to open it instantly.
Sider Troubleshooting
Problem: The Sidebar Won’t Open
Cause: Browsers block extensions on some pages, like settings and the Web Store.
Fix: Open a normal website and click the Sider icon again. Check the extension is turned on.
Problem: You Hit Your Usage Limit
Cause: The free plan includes a limited number of daily credits.
Fix: Wait for the daily reset, or move to a paid plan for higher limits.
Problem: A PDF Won’t Upload or Read Correctly
Cause: The file is too large, or it’s a scanned image with no text layer.
Fix: Compress or split the file. Run OCR on scanned pages before uploading.
📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact Sider support.
What is Sider?
Sider is an AI browser extension that adds an AI sidebar to every page.
Think of it like a research assistant sitting next to every tab you open.
It works in Chrome and Edge, with desktop apps for macOS and Windows.
It summarizes webpages, PDFs, and videos, and translates content in over 50 languages.
You can also highlight text and ask Sider to explain it directly.
Watch this quick overview:
It includes these key features:
- Wisebase: A personal knowledge base that stores pages, PDFs, and notes for AI chat
- ChatPDF: Ask questions about any PDF and get answers tied to the source pages
- Deep Research: Plans and runs multi-step research, then writes a sourced report
- AI Slides: Turns a topic or file into an editable presentation
- Web Creator: Builds a working webpage from a text description
- AI Essay Writer: Outlines, drafts, and revises essays from your topic and sources
- AI Video Shortener: Cuts long videos into short, shareable clips
- AI Image Generator: Generates images from text prompts in different styles
- AI Translator: Translates text, full pages, and files in over 50 languages
For a full review, see our Sider review.
Sider Pricing
Here’s what Sider costs in 2026:
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $4.2 | Light users who need more than the free plan |
| Unlimited | $16.7 | Power users who want the highest limits |
| Basic | $6.7 | Students and regular daily use |
| Pro | $12.4 | Heavy research, PDFs, and advanced models |
Free trial: Yes — Sider has a free plan with limited daily credits.
Money-back guarantee: Not clearly advertised, so check Sider’s billing terms first.
See the full plan breakdown below:
💰 Best Value: Basic — enough credits for daily chat, PDFs, and translation.
Sider vs Alternatives
How does Sider compare? Here’s the competitive landscape:
| Tool | Best For | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sider | Multi-model AI sidebar on any page | $4.2–$16.7/mo | ⭐ 4 |
| ChatGPT | All-round AI chat and writing | $20/mo (Plus) | ⭐ 4.7 |
| Merlin AI | Browser AI assistant | $9.5/mo (Pro) | ⭐ 4.6 |
| Atera | IT management for MSPs | $129/mo | ⭐ 4.6 |
| NinjaOne | Endpoint and device management | Custom quote | ⭐ 4.6 |
Quick picks:
- Best overall: Sider — the most AI tools per dollar inside your browser.
- Best budget: Sider — the Starter plan costs just $4.2.
- Best for beginners: ChatGPT — one simple chat window with almost no setup.
- Best for IT teams: NinjaOne — built for managing devices, not AI chat.
🎯 Sider Alternatives
Looking for Sider alternatives? Here are the top options:
- ⭐ ChatGPT: The most popular AI chatbot. Great for writing and reasoning, but it lives in its own tab.
- 🧠 Merlin AI: The closest match to Sider. A browser extension with AI chat, summaries, and a cheaper Pro plan than ChatGPT.
- 🏢 Atera: An IT management platform for MSPs. Pick it for remote monitoring and help desk work, not AI chat.
- 🔧 NinjaOne: Endpoint management and patching for IT teams. Useful if your real need is device control.
For the full list, see our Sider alternatives guide.
⚔️ Sider Compared
Here’s how Sider stacks up against each competitor:
- Sider vs ChatGPT: ChatGPT is stronger as a standalone app. Sider wins on price and gives you GPT, Claude, and Gemini on any page.
- Sider vs Merlin AI: Very close rivals. Sider offers more built-in tools like Wisebase and Deep Research. Merlin keeps things simpler.
- Sider vs Atera: Different jobs. Atera manages IT systems for MSPs. Sider is a personal AI assistant.
- Sider vs NinjaOne: Not direct competitors. NinjaOne manages devices. Sider helps you read, write, and research.
Start Using Sider Now
You learned how to use every major Sider feature:
- ✅ Wisebase
- ✅ ChatPDF
- ✅ Deep Research
- ✅ AI Slides
- ✅ Web Creator
- ✅ AI Essay Writer
- ✅ AI Video Shortener
- ✅ AI Image Generator
- ✅ AI Translator
Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.
Most people start with Wisebase.
It takes less than 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sider AI completely free?
No. Sider has a free plan with limited daily credits. Paid plans start at $4.2 for Starter. The Unlimited plan costs $16.7.
How good is Sider AI?
Very good for the price. FahimAI rates it 4 out of 5. It bundles GPT, Claude, and Gemini with PDF chat, research, and translation in one sidebar.
What is Sider AI used for?
Sider is used to chat with AI, summarize webpages, PDFs, and videos, and translate content. It also runs research and explains code inside your browser.
Is Sider AI safe to use?
Sider is a popular extension with over 10 million active users. Still, never paste passwords or sensitive data into any AI tool. Review its permissions before installing.
How does Sider AI compare to ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is one assistant in its own app. Sider gives you GPT, Claude, and Gemini on any webpage. Its paid plans also cost less.
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