Arc (web browser)

Arc is designed to be an "operating system for the web", and integrates standard browsing with Arc's own applications through the use of a sidebar. The browser is designed to be customisable and allows users to cosmetically change how they see specific websites. Arc lets the user pick the color they want it to appear in (either a static color or a color gradient) during installation. Speaking with Input magazine, Karla Cole (one of Arc's designers) stated that it's because the design team "wanted to play with the feeling you get as a movie opens". == Features ==

Arc uses a sidebar to store all parts of the browser—including the search bar, tab list and bookmarks—aside from the viewing window. The search bar present in Arc, called Command Bar is similar in functionality and design to Apple's Spotlight feature. It can be used to search for websites and URLs as normal, as well as being able to pin tabs, duplicate tabs and access browser history. Tabs in Arc can be put into "spaces", organised tabs with separate areas that can be given different themes and browser profiles. Tabs in spaces can be put in a split-screen view with up to four tabs per window. Tabs can also be pinned, which puts them in a labelled area in the sidebar. Unpinned tabs disappear after a period of time (which can be changed in settings) boosts act similarly to browser extensions, but allow the user to fully customise their experience using CSS, HTML and JavaScript. A 2.0 update to boosts in 2023 added a simplified interface that allows the user to change website colors, change fonts and remove sections using the "zap" control. Boosts can be shared for use by other users as long as they do not use JavaScript, for security reasons. The Browser Company maintains a gallery of boosts they choose to display. Engadget described this feature as allowing users to "vandalise" websites. Users can create what's called a "route" that defines which space the link will be opened when the link is opened from an external source. The "Air Traffic Control" feature can be accessed and modified from the Arc settings → Links → Air Traffic Control. In February 2024, The Browser Company announced the addition of three AI powered features. The first feature, "Instant Links", which was launched that same day, allowed users to instantly open multiple links by searching for the user's search query with AI, rather than having to go through a search engine to get to the pages. The two other announced features, "Live Folders" and "Arc Explore" were not launched initially, with the former being released in April 2024, while the latter has no specified release date. The announcement also mentioned Arc Search, a new iOS app released four days prior. The app was originally pitched as a "doorman for the Web," automatically opening a search box. The app featured a "Browse for Me" feature that would use AI to read webpages related to the user's query to create a new webpage containing quotes, summaries, and embedded videos regarding the query. The app also shipped with a built in ad-blocker, which contains "always-on blocking of ads, trackers, GDPR popups, and banners." Since then, additional features have been added to Arc Search, such as "Pinch to Summarise," where Arc Search can summarise webpages. The assistant answers the user's queries using search results from the web. == Security ==

In September 2024, a security researcher discovered a vulnerability that would enable attackers to execute arbitrary code into any other users' browsing session with just a user ID. This exploit has since been patched. == Platforms ==

Arc is available for macOS as a universal binary, Windows 11 (built in Swift, released on 30 April 2024) and Windows 10. A stripped-down companion app with only the sidebar functionality was released for iOS on 30 March 2023. Arc Search, the experimental Act II mobile browser, replaced that app as the only Arc mobile app on iOS in January 2024. In April 2024, Sidebar Sync for Arc Members was removed from the App Store, being fully replaced by Arc Search. As of October 2024, Arc Search is in public beta on Android, emails have been sent to invited participants for the beta, but has fully opened on Google Play. The "Browse for Me" feature from Arc Search has been made available for Arc on desktop. Arc for Windows is available on Windows versions 11 and 10, but does not support devices with ARM processors, or devices with processors older than Intel Haswell, AMD Athlon or AMD Ryzen. == Reception ==

Arc has received generally favorable reviews from critics. How-To Geek gave the browser a 7/10, saying that "Arc has some excellent ideas and the confidence to lean into them [... but] feels like it needs a bit more polish to deliver a silky smooth browsing experience". Chris Smith of BGR criticised the browser: "Arc is forcing you to create an account before you get to experience the browser at all. Google and Microsoft are dying for you to use their browsers while logged in. But they won’t force you to register an account if you don’t want to." == Future ==

On October 2024, Miller announced that a planned redesign of Arc, formerly-dubbed "Arc 2.0", had been put on hold and that the browser would be maintaining its current feature set. He noted specific features (Arc's sidebar, spaces and pinned tabs) that users said they wished to keep when polled. Miller said that Arc "isn't going anywhere" and would continue to receive stability updates and bug fixes but explained that the company felt a pivot to a new product focused around LLMs and AI was where they felt they should be heading. According to Miller, the new product was currently in the prototyping stage. On May 27 2025, The Browser Company's Josh Miller explained the reasons for stopping Arc development and focusing solely on Dia instead. In September 2025, The Browser Company was acquired by Atlassian for $610 million in cash. == References ==