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The Kimi Interface: Chat, Sidebar, and Tools
Navigate the Kimi web interface and find every tool you will need.
What You Will Learn
- Navigate the Kimi web interface confidently.
- Use the left sidebar for conversation history and pinned chats.
- Use the chat pane for prompts and responses.
- Access file upload, web search toggle, and model selector.
- Customize the interface for your workflow.
Why This Matters
The Kimi interface looks simple, but its power is hidden in small affordances — the file upload button, the web search toggle, the model selector, the response actions. Users who do not learn the interface waste time hunting for controls and miss features entirely. This lesson walks through every part of the web interface so you can find what you need without thinking.
Concept Explained
The Kimi web interface has four regions. The left sidebar holds conversation history, pinned conversations, and a New Chat button. The main chat pane in the center holds your prompts and Kimi's responses, with a message input at the bottom. The top bar holds the conversation title, the model selector, and account settings. Below the message input are the file upload button, the web search toggle, and a 'new conversation' affordance. Each of these regions has small details that matter — for example, hovering over a response reveals copy, regenerate, and branch buttons that are invisible until you know to look for them.
How It Works
The interface is a single-page web application. Clicking any conversation in the sidebar issues a request to fetch that conversation's messages, which render in the chat pane. The message input supports plain text, markdown, and dragged-in files. File uploads are processed server-side and the result is attached to your next message. Model selection in the top bar changes which Kimi model variant handles subsequent turns.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Tour the sidebar
Open kimi.com. In the left sidebar, click New Chat, then click into a previous conversation, then click the Pinned section. Notice the search box at the top — use it to find any conversation by keyword.2. Tour the chat pane
Open any conversation. Notice the prompt at the top and response below. Hover over the response — you should see Copy, Regenerate, Like, Dislike, and Branch icons appear.3. Find the file upload
Click the paperclip or plus icon next to the message input. Select a file from your computer. Watch it appear as an attachment chip above the input box.4. Toggle web search
Find the globe or search icon next to the message input. Click it to enable web search. The icon should change appearance to indicate search is on.5. Switch model
Click the model name in the top bar (e.g., 'Kimi'). A dropdown shows available models. Switch between them and notice how the indicator changes.Real-World Example
A new user spent two days using Kimi without realizing she could pin conversations. Her sidebar had forty-seven untitled chats and she wasted time scrolling to find the one she needed. After learning the pin feature, she organized her eight most-used conversations at the top of the sidebar and cut her retrieval time from minutes to seconds. The lesson is that interface literacy compounds — every small affordance you learn saves time on every future session.
Common Mistakes
- Never renaming or pinning conversations. The sidebar becomes unusable within a week.
- Ignoring the model selector. Different Kimi variants have different strengths.
- Missing the copy button and re-selecting text manually. Slower and error-prone.
- Not noticing when web search is on. Kimi may search unnecessarily and slow responses.
- Using only one conversation for everything. Context bleeds between unrelated topics.
Best Practices
- Pin your top five to ten conversations immediately after this lesson.
- Rename conversations the moment you start them — future-you will thank present-you.
- Toggle web search on only when you need fresh facts; off when you want Kimi's own knowledge.
- Switch to a more capable model variant when you hit a reasoning wall.
- Use the sidebar search box for any conversation older than a week — scrolling is slower than searching.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | How to Fix |
|---|---|
| Cannot find file upload button | Look for a paperclip or plus icon immediately left of the message input. On narrow screens it may collapse into a menu. |
| Web search toggle missing | Look for a globe icon next to the message input. If still missing, your account may not have search enabled — verify your account first. |
| Cannot rename conversation | Click the conversation title at the top of the chat pane. It becomes editable. |
| Sidebar is empty after sign-in | Click the New Chat button to start your first conversation. The sidebar populates as you create chats. |
Practical Exercise
Your Turn
Open Kimi and find every region described above. Pin your three most-used conversations. Rename your current conversation to something descriptive. Toggle web search on and off and notice the difference in response style. Switch to a different model variant and ask the same question to compare outputs.
Key Takeaways
- Four regions: sidebar, chat pane, top bar, message input area.
- Sidebar: conversation history, pinned chats, search, New Chat.
- Top bar: conversation title, model selector, account.
- Message input: file upload, web search toggle, send.
- Hover over responses to reveal Copy, Regenerate, Like, Dislike, Branch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide the sidebar?
Can I dark mode the interface?
How do I delete a conversation?
Can I export a conversation?
Is there a keyboard shortcut for New Chat?
Further Reading
Official References
SEO Metadata
SEO title: The Kimi Interface: Chat, Sidebar, and Tools
Meta description: Navigate the Kimi web interface and find every tool you will need.
Primary keyword: kimi interface
Secondary keywords: kimi web app layout, kimi sidebar, kimi chat pane, kimi tools
Search intent: Informational
URL slug: /kimi-interface-chat-sidebar-tools
Categories: AI Tools, Kimi
Tags: Kimi, Beginner, Interface, Chat, Sidebar, IMCSEIAN, Tutorial, Beginner, IMCSEIAN
Featured image concept: IMCSEIAN Kimi lesson card for The Kimi Interface: Chat, Sidebar, and Tools
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