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The Activity Bar
Last updated June 4, 2026 · 4 min read
The narrow vertical strip on the editor's far left is the Activity Bar — a vertical list of feature icons, from the Slima logo at the top down to the dark-mode toggle at the bottom.
What's in the strip (top to bottom)
Exact icons and labels may shift slightly between Slima versions. Hover any icon for its tooltip (function name + shortcut) — the most reliable way to confirm.
Top: Slima logo
Click the star-shaped Slima logo → opens the Studio Switcher (Writing Studio / Script Studio / AI Beta Reader).
See: Studio Switcher
Upper: back to the shelf
- 💧 Back to works list — returns to the "My Works" shelf
Middle: panel toggles
Icons here open the matching panel — File explorer opens on the editor's left, the rest open on the right (the right panel shows one at a time; click another icon to switch):
| Icon | Function | Side | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📁 | File explorer — the current book's chapter / note file tree | Left | Cmd/Ctrl ⇧ E |
| 💬 | AI chat — the AI Coach chat panel | Right | Cmd/Ctrl ⇧ A |
| ☰ | Outline — navigation built from your Markdown headings | Right | Cmd/Ctrl ⇧ O |
| 💬 | Comments — in-book comment threads | Right | — |
| 📄 | Notes — character notes, worldbuilding, to-dos | Right | — |
| 🔗 | Related entities — links between characters / locations / etc. | Right | — |
| 📖 | Beta Reader — entry to AI Beta Readers | Right | — |
Only File explorer, AI chat and Outline have a working keyboard shortcut; the other panels open by clicking their icon. Click the same icon again → collapse that panel. The left and right panels are independent and can be open at the same time.
Lower: mode & account
- ⊡ Focus mode — hide surrounding UI for distraction-free writing
- 👑 Upgrade — shows your current plan (e.g. Pro); opens Subscription
- ❓ Help Center — links to the docs
- ☀ Dark mode — dark / light theme toggle
Activity bar, left panel, right panel — three things
Easy to confuse:
- Activity bar: the narrow strip itself — always on the far left, never disappears
- Left panel: where File explorer opens
- Right panel: where AI chat / Outline / Comments / Notes / Related entities / Beta Reader open (one at a time)
Collapsing either side panel does not remove the activity bar — it's always there.
Hover for labels
Hover any icon for a tooltip (function name + shortcut). When you're not sure what an icon does, that's the fastest way to tell.
Related
Open the app and do this with your own book. Free to start, no credit card.