Opera, the developer of the web browser, announced today that it added a built-in TikTok feature to the sidebar of its desktop browser. It allows users to scroll through TikTok videos and post content without opening a separate app or creating a new tab.

To activate the feature, Opera users must right-click on the browser sidebar and then click on the Messengers section. Once it is enabled, users can open the sidebar and scroll through their TikTok feed on the left-hand side of their screen before returning to what they were doing on their main page.

Adding a sidebar function is not something new; however, Opera claims that it is the only browser to integrate TikTok in its sidebar.

Opera has already included several messengers and social media platforms in its sidebar, including Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter.

Joanna Czajka, Product director at Opera, said in a statement, "Typically, people who have started using the messengers and social media platforms available through Opera's sidebar do not want to go back to a world without them."

The company told TechCrunch that according to Opera's survey, the built-in TikTok feature was widely requested by respondents between 18 and 35 years old. Fifty-four percent of Opera users in the U.S. from the 18-25 age group use TikTok.

Still, it's an interesting move for Opera to roll out a built-in TikTok feature since many users opt for the mobile app. According to Sensor Tower, TikTok was the highest-grossing app in the world. The social video app had reached over 175 million downloads in the first quarter of 2022. What's more, data.ai, an app intelligence firm, found that users in more than 12 worldwide markets spend four to five hours per day on apps, with TikTok being among the top apps based on downloads, consumer spend and monthly active users.

So, while it's unlikely that the billions of users of TikTok will turn to the less-known Opera browser to entertain themselves while working, many Opera users will probably enjoy the new feature.

"TikTok has evolved from a platform filled with short funny videos to entertainment, news, and inspiration. With this release, Opera is answering our users' requests to have TikTok at their fingertips," Czajka added.