Sidebar V3 (Beta): What's New and How to Switch

Last updated: October 30, 2026

Sidebar V3 (Beta) is an opt-in version that uses built-in skills to finish tasks faster. V2 stays the default, and you can switch between them from the chat window.

Choosing a version

  • V2 (Default): the current version of Sidebar.

  • V3 (Beta): a new version that relies on built-in skills instead of sending most work to sub-agents. It is still in testing, so outputs may occasionally vary.

What changes in V3

In V2, sub-agents did most of the work behind each answer, and context had to be passed between them. In V3, Sidebar uses sub-agents only for tasks that need a lot of context. For everything else, Sidebar uses built-in skills: pre-written instructions for specific kinds of work. Skills are built in, so you do not see or edit them.

V3 keeps the versatility of sub-agents, which is isolating context, and does away with the biggest weakness, which is lossy context-passing

Faster responses

Fewer handoffs mean less waiting. In our internal testing, V3 finished many tasks faster than V2, most noticeably on questions about contracts in your CLM and on redlining. Web research questions took about the same time on most tests.

More accurate answers

Less context is passed between agents, so less is lost along the way. You should see answers that follow your instructions more closely.

Capabilities that grow faster

Because Sidebar's abilities now live in skills, we can update them and add new ones more quickly than before.

Choosing how much effort Sidebar puts in

The version dropdown also contains an Effort selector with four options: Low, Medium (default), High, and Auto. It controls how deep Sidebar goes on a task.

  • Low: faster responses with fewer tool calls. Best for quick or simple questions.

  • Medium (default): balances depth and speed.

  • High: more thorough, with a larger tool call budget. Responses take longer.

  • Auto: Sidebar picks the level based on the task.

How to switch to V3

  1. Open Sidebar and start a new chat.

  2. In the chat window, click the version dropdown at the top right of the message box. It shows V2 ยท Effort: Medium by default.

  3. Select V3 (marked Beta). To go back, select V2 from the same dropdown.

Your choice of version applies per conversation. To use a different version, start a new chat.

Things to know

  • V3 is in beta, so you may occasionally see variation in output quality. If something looks off, flag it with the thumbs up and thumbs down feedback buttons in Sidebar.

  • Existing conversations are not affected. The version you pick applies to new chats.

FAQ

Do I need to do anything?

No. V2 remains the default. Switch to V3 only if you want to try it.

Will V3 become the default?

That is the plan once the beta is complete.

Can I create my own skills?

No. The skills in V3 are built in and managed by SpotDraft.