Tip #108

Make Panels float over page content instead pushing the content aside.

By default, opening and closing Panels will resize the web page to make space for the panel. But panels can also be made to float over the page content. Floating panels are useful when you briefly want to check something and don’t need to keep it open while working on the page. For example, Reading List Panel could be floating, since you’d only want to quickly add or open a web page from it, but then it should get out of the way again. While the Mail Panel with all the folders is useful to keep open on the side, without it covering anything.

To make all panels float:

  1. Go to Settings > Panel > Panel Options.
  2. Enable Floating Panel.

Alternatively, Shift + click on the Panel toggle button on the left side of the Status Bar.

To change the floating state only for specific panels:

  1. Right-click on the panel.
  2. Select Floating Panel > This Panel.
Top window with a non-floating panel and bottom window with a floating panel.

Tip #92

Mute Tabs and Web Panels you want to keep silent.

Whether you’re streaming audio or video, getting notifications from a messaging service or browsing sites that make noise, occasionally it’s necessary to silence them to focus on sounds from a single source or to have complete piece and quiet.

To mute and unmute Tabs in Vivaldi, use one of the following options:

  • Click on the speaker icon on the tab, when the tab is currently playing audio.
  • Right-click on the tab and select Mute Tab.
  • Type “Mute / Unmute Tab” in Quick Commands
  • Set a Keyboard Shortcut or a Mouse Gesture for the action.
  • To mute multiple tabs, select the tabs, right-click on one of them and select Mute # Tabs from the context menu.
  • To mute all background tabs, right-click on a tab and select Mute Other Tabs.

When the tab is muted, in place of the website’s logo, you’ll see a muted speaker icon.

Vivaldi window with a muted tab highlighted.

To mute and unmute Web Panels, right-click on the web panel’s icon on the Panels bar and select Mute Panel.

Tip #38

Reorder sections in the Mail Panel to your liking.

The center point of Vivaldi Mail, the Mail Panel displays 8 sections: All messages, Custom folders, Mailing Lists, Filters, Flags, Labels, Feeds, and All Accounts.

If the default order doesn’t suit you, you can reorder the sections. If you know you’ll never use a specific section, you can hide it altogether.

To customize the Mail Panel:

  1. Go to Settings > Mail > Mail Settings > Mail Panel Order and Visibility.
  2. Select the section you want to move.
  3. Click on the arrows at the bottom of the list to move the folder up or down.
    Alternatively, click and drag the section to its new location.

To hide a section untick the box in front of the section name.

Tip #33

Enable all Web Panel controls for easier navigation.

With Web Panels you can keep sites easily accessible from Vivaldi’s side Panel. Most of the time, you’ll probably just quickly check the web panel and then return to browsing in the main tabs. But if you need to view multiple pages in the web panel and go back and forth a lot, additional controls can come in handy.

To enable the navigation buttons:

  1. Right-click on the Web Panel’s button on the Panel.
  2. Select Toolbar > Display All Controls.

Then, in addition to the Home button, which is there by default, you’ll also see Back, Forward and Reload buttons. web panel controls

Telegram Web Panel with enabled controls.

Tip #15

Right-click on a Panel and select Separate Width to resize only the selected Panel.

Not all Panels are equal. Give each Panel the width it needs to display the content in the best possible way.

To resize a Panel:

  1. Right-click on a Panel you want to resize.
  2. Select Separate Width from the context menu.
  3. Place the mouse cursor over the outer edge of the Panel and drag to resize.