diff --git a/website/src/repl/components/ReplEditor.jsx b/website/src/repl/components/ReplEditor.jsx
index 5a1c2e67..c96fbbfd 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/components/ReplEditor.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/components/ReplEditor.jsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default function ReplEditor(Props) {
   const { context } = Props;
   const { containerRef, editorRef, error, init, pending } = context;
   const settings = useSettings();
-  const { panelPosition } = settings;
+  const { panelPosition, isZen } = settings;
 
   return (
     <div className="h-full flex flex-col relative">
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ export default function ReplEditor(Props) {
       <Header context={context} />
       <div className="grow flex relative overflow-hidden">
         <Code containerRef={containerRef} editorRef={editorRef} init={init} />
-        {panelPosition === 'right' && <VerticalPanel context={context} />}
+        {!isZen && panelPosition === 'right' && <VerticalPanel context={context} />}
       </div>
       <UserFacingErrorMessage error={error} />
-      {panelPosition === 'bottom' && <HorizontalPanel context={context} />}
+      {!isZen && panelPosition === 'bottom' && <HorizontalPanel context={context} />}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/website/src/repl/components/panel/Forms.jsx b/website/src/repl/components/panel/Forms.jsx
index c5b22002..4cb73a46 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/components/panel/Forms.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/components/panel/Forms.jsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export function ButtonGroup({ value, onChange, items }) {
       {Object.entries(items).map(([key, label], i, arr) => (
         <button
           key={key}
+          id={key}
           onClick={() => onChange(key)}
           className={cx(
             'px-2 border-b h-8 whitespace-nowrap',
diff --git a/website/src/repl/components/panel/Panel.jsx b/website/src/repl/components/panel/Panel.jsx
index ce60295e..57cd26c0 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/components/panel/Panel.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/components/panel/Panel.jsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import useEvent from '@src/useEvent.mjs';
 import cx from '@src/cx.mjs';
 import { nanoid } from 'nanoid';
 import { useCallback, useState } from 'react';
-import { setPanelPinned, setActiveFooter as setTab, useSettings } from '../../../settings.mjs';
+import { setPanelPinned, setActiveFooter as setTab, setIsPanelOpened, useSettings } from '../../../settings.mjs';
 import { ConsoleTab } from './ConsoleTab';
 import { FilesTab } from './FilesTab';
 import { Reference } from './Reference';
@@ -11,28 +11,31 @@ import { SettingsTab } from './SettingsTab';
 import { SoundsTab } from './SoundsTab';
 import { WelcomeTab } from './WelcomeTab';
 import { PatternsTab } from './PatternsTab';
-import { ChevronLeftIcon } from '@heroicons/react/16/solid';
+import { ChevronLeftIcon, XMarkIcon } from '@heroicons/react/16/solid';
 
 const TAURI = typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.__TAURI__;
 
 export function HorizontalPanel({ context }) {
   const settings = useSettings();
-  const { isPanelPinned: pinned, activeFooter: tab } = settings;
+  const { isPanelOpen, activeFooter: tab } = settings;
 
   return (
     <PanelNav
-      className={cx(
-        'hover:max-h-[360px] hover:min-h-[360px] justify-between flex flex-col',
-        pinned ? `min-h-[360px] max-h-[360px]` : 'min-h-10 max-h-10',
-      )}
+      settings={settings}
+      className={cx(isPanelOpen ? `min-h-[360px] max-h-[360px]` : 'min-h-12 max-h-12', 'overflow-hidden flex flex-col')}
     >
-      <div className="flex h-full overflow-auto ">
-        <PanelContent context={context} tab={tab} />
+      {isPanelOpen && (
+        <div className="flex h-full overflow-auto pr-10 ">
+          <PanelContent context={context} tab={tab} />
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      <div className="absolute right-4 pt-4">
+        <PanelActionButton settings={settings} />
       </div>
 
-      <div className="flex justify-between min-h-10 max-h-10 pr-2 items-center">
-        <Tabs setTab={setTab} tab={tab} pinned={pinned} />
-        <PinButton pinned={pinned} setPinned={setPanelPinned} />
+      <div className="flex  justify-between min-h-12 max-h-12 grid-cols-2 items-center">
+        <Tabs setTab={setTab} tab={tab} />
       </div>
     </PanelNav>
   );
@@ -40,28 +43,37 @@ export function HorizontalPanel({ context }) {
 
 export function VerticalPanel({ context }) {
   const settings = useSettings();
-  const { isPanelPinned: pinned, activeFooter: tab } = settings;
+  const { activeFooter: tab, isPanelOpen } = settings;
 
   return (
     <PanelNav
-      className={cx(
-        'hover:min-w-[min(600px,80vw)] hover:max-w-[min(600px,80vw)]',
-        pinned ? `min-w-[min(600px,80vw)] max-w-[min(600px,80vw)]` : 'min-w-8',
-      )}
+      settings={settings}
+      className={cx(isPanelOpen ? `min-w-[min(600px,80vw)] max-w-[min(600px,80vw)]` : 'min-w-12 max-w-12')}
     >
-      <div className={cx('group-hover:flex flex-col h-full', pinned ? 'flex' : 'hidden')}>
-        <div className="flex justify-between w-full ">
-          <Tabs setTab={setTab} tab={tab} pinned={pinned} />
-          <PinButton pinned={pinned} setPinned={setPanelPinned} />
-        </div>
+      {isPanelOpen ? (
+        <div className={cx('flex flex-col h-full')}>
+          <div className="flex justify-between w-full ">
+            <Tabs setTab={setTab} tab={tab} />
+            <PanelActionButton settings={settings} />
+          </div>
 
-        <div className="overflow-auto h-full">
-          <PanelContent context={context} tab={tab} />
+          <div className="overflow-auto h-full">
+            <PanelContent context={context} tab={tab} />
+          </div>
         </div>
-      </div>
-      <div className={cx(pinned ? 'hidden' : 'flex flex-col items-center justify-center  h-full group-hover:hidden ')}>
-        <ChevronLeftIcon className="text-foreground opacity-50 w-6 h-6" />
-      </div>
+      ) : (
+        <button
+          onClick={(e) => {
+            setIsPanelOpened(true);
+          }}
+          aria-label="open menu panel"
+          className={cx(
+            'flex flex-col hover:bg-lineBackground items-center cursor-pointer justify-center w-full  h-full',
+          )}
+        >
+          <ChevronLeftIcon className="text-foreground opacity-50 w-6 h-6" />
+        </button>
+      )}
     </PanelNav>
   );
 }
@@ -78,11 +90,27 @@ if (TAURI) {
   tabNames.files = 'files';
 }
 
-function PanelNav({ children, className, ...props }) {
+function PanelNav({ children, className, settings, ...props }) {
+  const isHoverBehavior = settings.togglePanelTrigger === 'hover';
   return (
     <nav
-      aria-label="Settings Menu"
-      className={cx('bg-lineHighlight group transition-all overflow-x-auto', className)}
+      onClick={() => {
+        if (!settings.isPanelOpen) {
+          setIsPanelOpened(true);
+        }
+      }}
+      onMouseEnter={() => {
+        if (isHoverBehavior && !settings.isPanelOpen) {
+          setIsPanelOpened(true);
+        }
+      }}
+      onMouseLeave={() => {
+        if (isHoverBehavior && !settings.isPanelPinned) {
+          setIsPanelOpened(false);
+        }
+      }}
+      aria-label="Menu Panel"
+      className={cx('bg-lineHighlight group overflow-x-auto', className)}
       {...props}
     >
       {children}
@@ -134,7 +162,7 @@ function PanelContent({ context, tab }) {
 function PanelTab({ label, isSelected, onClick }) {
   return (
     <>
-      <div
+      <button
         onClick={onClick}
         className={cx(
           'h-8 px-2 text-foreground cursor-pointer hover:opacity-50 flex items-center space-x-1 border-b',
@@ -142,13 +170,13 @@ function PanelTab({ label, isSelected, onClick }) {
         )}
       >
         {label}
-      </div>
+      </button>
     </>
   );
 }
-function Tabs({ setTab, tab }) {
+function Tabs({ setTab, tab, className }) {
   return (
-    <div className={cx('flex select-none max-w-full overflow-auto pb-2')}>
+    <div className={cx('flex select-none max-w-full overflow-auto pb-2', className)}>
       {Object.keys(tabNames).map((key) => {
         const val = tabNames[key];
         return <PanelTab key={key} isSelected={tab === val} label={key} onClick={() => setTab(val)} />;
@@ -157,15 +185,28 @@ function Tabs({ setTab, tab }) {
   );
 }
 
-function PinButton({ pinned, setPinned }) {
+function PanelActionButton({ settings }) {
+  const { togglePanelTrigger, isPanelPinned, isPanelOpen } = settings;
+  const isHoverBehavior = togglePanelTrigger === 'hover';
+  if (!isPanelOpen) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (isHoverBehavior) {
+    return <PinButton pinned={isPanelPinned} />;
+  }
+  return <CloseButton onClick={() => setIsPanelOpened(false)} />;
+}
+
+function PinButton({ pinned }) {
   return (
     <button
-      onClick={() => setPinned(!pinned)}
+      onClick={() => setPanelPinned(!pinned)}
       className={cx(
         'text-foreground max-h-8 min-h-8 max-w-8 min-w-8 items-center justify-center p-1.5 group-hover:flex',
         pinned ? 'flex' : 'hidden',
       )}
-      aria-label="Pin Settings Menu"
+      aria-label="Pin Menu Panel"
     >
       <svg
         stroke="currentColor"
@@ -182,6 +223,20 @@ function PinButton({ pinned, setPinned }) {
   );
 }
 
+function CloseButton({ onClick }) {
+  return (
+    <button
+      onClick={onClick}
+      className={cx(
+        'text-foreground max-h-8 min-h-8 max-w-8 min-w-8 items-center justify-center p-1.5 group-hover:flex',
+      )}
+      aria-label="Close Menu"
+    >
+      <XMarkIcon />
+    </button>
+  );
+}
+
 function useLogger(onTrigger) {
   useEvent(logger.key, onTrigger);
 }
diff --git a/website/src/repl/components/panel/SettingsTab.jsx b/website/src/repl/components/panel/SettingsTab.jsx
index 6f15b887..e95eaeed 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/components/panel/SettingsTab.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/components/panel/SettingsTab.jsx
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export function SettingsTab({ started }) {
     panelPosition,
     audioDeviceName,
     audioEngineTarget,
+    togglePanelTrigger,
   } = useSettings();
   const shouldAlwaysSync = isUdels();
   const canChangeAudioDevice = AudioContext.prototype.setSinkId != null;
@@ -170,6 +171,31 @@ export function SettingsTab({ started }) {
           items={{ bottom: 'Bottom', right: 'Right' }}
         ></ButtonGroup>
       </FormItem>
+      <FormItem label="Open Panel on:                       ">
+        <ButtonGroup
+          value={togglePanelTrigger}
+          onChange={(value) => settingsMap.setKey('togglePanelTrigger', value)}
+          items={{ click: 'Click', hover: 'Hover' }}
+        ></ButtonGroup>
+        {/* <Checkbox
+          label="Click"
+          onChange={(cbEvent) => {
+            if (cbEvent.target.checked) {
+              settingsMap.setKey('togglePanelTrigger', 'click');
+            }
+          }}
+          value={togglePanelTrigger != 'hover'}
+        />
+        <Checkbox
+          label="Hover"
+          onChange={(cbEvent) => {
+            if (cbEvent.target.checked) {
+              settingsMap.setKey('togglePanelTrigger', 'hover');
+            }
+          }}
+          value={togglePanelTrigger == 'hover'}
+        /> */}
+      </FormItem>
       <FormItem label="Code Settings">
         <Checkbox
           label="Enable bracket matching"
diff --git a/website/src/repl/components/panel/SoundsTab.jsx b/website/src/repl/components/panel/SoundsTab.jsx
index 60f5a22d..b968466f 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/components/panel/SoundsTab.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/components/panel/SoundsTab.jsx
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ export function SoundsTab() {
   });
 
   return (
-    <div id="sounds-tab" className="px-4 flex flex-col w-full h-full dark:text-white text-stone-900">
+    <div id="sounds-tab" className="px-4 flex flex-col w-full h-full  dark:text-white text-stone-900">
       <input
-        className="w-full p-1 bg-background rounded-md pb-2"
+        className="w-full p-1 bg-background rounded-md my-2"
         placeholder="Search"
         value={search}
         onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
diff --git a/website/src/settings.mjs b/website/src/settings.mjs
index 00cc46b9..47150c14 100644
--- a/website/src/settings.mjs
+++ b/website/src/settings.mjs
@@ -30,8 +30,11 @@ export const defaultSettings = {
   isZen: false,
   soundsFilter: 'all',
   patternFilter: 'community',
-  panelPosition: window.innerWidth > 1000 ? 'right' : 'bottom',
-  isPanelPinned: true,
+  // panelPosition: window.innerWidth > 1000 ? 'right' : 'bottom', //FIX: does not work on astro
+  panelPosition: 'right',
+  isPanelPinned: false,
+  isPanelOpen: true,
+  togglePanelTrigger: 'click', //click | hover
   userPatterns: '{}',
   audioDeviceName: defaultAudioDeviceName,
   audioEngineTarget: audioEngineTargets.webaudio,
@@ -61,7 +64,6 @@ export function useSettings() {
   return {
     ...state,
     isZen: parseBoolean(state.isZen),
-    isPanelPinned: parseBoolean(state.isPanelPinned),
     isBracketMatchingEnabled: parseBoolean(state.isBracketMatchingEnabled),
     isBracketClosingEnabled: parseBoolean(state.isBracketClosingEnabled),
     isLineNumbersDisplayed: parseBoolean(state.isLineNumbersDisplayed),
@@ -74,12 +76,15 @@ export function useSettings() {
     isSyncEnabled: isUdels() ? true : parseBoolean(state.isSyncEnabled),
     fontSize: Number(state.fontSize),
     panelPosition: state.activeFooter !== '' && !isUdels() ? state.panelPosition : 'bottom', // <-- keep this 'bottom' where it is!
+    isPanelPinned: parseBoolean(state.isPanelPinned),
+    isPanelOpen: parseBoolean(state.isPanelOpen),
     userPatterns: userPatterns,
   };
 }
 
 export const setActiveFooter = (tab) => settingsMap.setKey('activeFooter', tab);
-export const setPanelPinned = (isPinned) => settingsMap.setKey('isPanelPinned', isPinned);
+export const setPanelPinned = (bool) => settingsMap.setKey('isPanelPinned', bool);
+export const setIsPanelOpened = (bool) => settingsMap.setKey('isPanelOpen', bool);
 
 export const setIsZen = (active) => settingsMap.setKey('isZen', !!active);