Arc Browser: What is it, Specs, Features and More

What is Arc Browser?

Arc Browser is a new web browser developed by The Browser Company, founded by Josh Miller and Hursh Agrawal. Released initially for macOS in April 2022 after a closed beta testing period, Arc aims to reinvent web browsing by integrating unique built-in features like virtual notepads, scrapbooking, and custom website “boosts” directly into the browser itself.

At the core of Arc’s design is a vertical sidebar that contains all browser functionality except the main viewing window. This includes the customizable search bar, tab and bookmark management, audio controls, and access to Arc’s proprietary tools like Easel and Notebook. The sidebar allows for tab organization into customizable “spaces” that can have separate themes, profiles, and split-screen groupings.

Arc is based on the open-source Chromium engine and supports Chrome extensions, while offering enhanced privacy controls like a built-in ad blocker and no cookie sharing by default. With its emphasis on creative tools and user customization options for both workflow and website displays, Arc aims to be not just a web browser, but an extensible web “operating system.”

Technical Specifications of The Arc Browser

As a Chromium-based browser, Arc uses Google’s open-source Blink rendering engine and V8 JavaScript engine under the hood. It is written primarily in Apple’s Swift programming language and employs native macOS technologies for elements like the sidebar and system integration.

Arc Browser is actively maintained and updated weekly by The Browser Company, with frequent bug fixes, optimizations, and feature builds. It leverages the broader Chromium open source community for security updates on average every 2-3 weeks.

Technical specs of Arc Browser:

• Rendering Engine: Blink – based on the WebKit open source layout engine
• JavaScript Engine: V8 – Google’s high performance JS engine
• User Interface: Custom UI designed in Swift
• Layout Engine: Blink – renders content on a page
• Network Protocols: SPDY, HTTP/2, HTTP/3

• Sandboxing – isolates browser processes
• Phishing detection
• Malware protection

• Cookie management
• Incognito mode
• Default ad blocking

• Boosts API – for injecting CSS/HTML/JS into sites
• AppleScript API – for integration with macOS apps

• Synchronization: iCloud sidebar sync
• Multi-process Architecture: Yes – improves stability

Arc Browser-Supported Platforms

Currently, Arc Browser is only officially available on the following platforms:

• macOS
  • Intel and Apple Silicon chips
  • macOS 12.1 and later
• iOS
  • iOS 15 and later
  • Limited sidebar-only function
• No support for Android, Linux, Windows

The Browser Company has confirmed that a Microsoft Windows version of Arc is in active development using Swift instead of C++, expected to launch by the end of 2023. Expanding support to Windows will greatly broaden Arc’s accessible user base.

With Chromium providing cross-platform support as its base, expanded support for Linux distributions is theoretically possible in the future, but no official announcements regarding Linux or Android versions have been made by The Browser Company at this time.

Features of The Arc Browser

Arc Max

Arc Max is an experimental suite of AI-powered features within the Arc browser aimed at enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows. Introduced in October 2022, Arc Max utilizes advanced natural language processing technology to provide users with intelligent suggestions, summaries, and other aids as they browse the web.

Capabilities offered by Arc Max include:

Ask on Page: This feature allows users to highlight any piece of text on a webpage and ask a question about it, which will then be answered by an AI assistant directly on the page. For example, highlighting a name and asking “Who is this?” or highlighting a term and asking “Define this word”.

5-Second Preview: When hovering over a link, Arc Max will automatically generate a 5-second video preview of the destination webpage to help users quickly see what’s behind the link without clicking through.

ChatGPT Integration: Arc Max has integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into the browser to allow users to have conversations with the AI bot to get summaries of webpages, ask questions, and more, right within Arc.

The goal of Arc Max is to save time and provide more insight for Arc users as they browse the web. Key user benefits include getting questions answered instantly without leaving the current page, quickly previewing links before clicking to avoid wasting time on irrelevant pages, and leveraging ChatGPT’s advanced language skills for analysis and research tasks.

Arc Max features use on-device processing when possible to protect user privacy, with some functionality enabled through secure connections to Anthropic servers. Users have fine-grained controls in Settings over what Arc Max features they want to enable.

Arc Boosts

Arc Boosts allows users to customize the cosmetic appearance and behavior of websites without writing any code. Introduced in July 2022 and upgraded to Boosts V2 in May 2023, Boosts gives users graphical controls to change fonts, colors, layouts, hide elements, and more on webpages to create shareable custom designs.

At a technical level, Boosts inject CSS and HTML into webpages to override a site’s default styling. Users access controls by clicking the paintbrush icon in the URL bar on sites they want to edit. From there, they can choose website colors, swap fonts, increase font sizes, change border radii, remove sections like headers or sidebars, and more using simple slider controls.

Boosts have both basic and advanced options depending on user expertise. The “Shuffle” feature will randomly generate aesthetic changes to instantly inspire new designs. Users can tweak a Boost at any time to adapt it as desired.

Once created, Boosts can be shared via a permalink which will load the user-defined styling on that site for anyone who has the link. Shared Boosts do not contain JavaScript for security reasons. Users can also browse Boost galleries curated by Arc and the community.

In effect, Boosts blur the line between users and creators on the internet. They provide intuitive tools for personalizing sites to each user’s taste without sites needing to build endless customization options themselves. Boosts tap into the creative potential of Arc’s audience and lower barriers to sharing those creations.

Split View

Split View, introduced at Arc’s launch in April 2022, allows users to view multiple webpages side-by-side or stacked vertically within the same browser window. Users can add sites to Split View by dragging and dropping tabs or links onto other tabs, by clicking the Split View icon in the toolbar, or through keyboard shortcuts.

Each Split View tab behaves as an independent browser tab, with the ability to scroll, click links, play media, and interact with webpages fully. Having sites in Split View makes research, comparison, multitasking between pages easier versus tabbing back and forth.

Split View was redesigned in July 2022 to treat the split tabs as one unified sidebar item. This means splits can be favorited, renamed, pinned, closed, and moved together like single tabs. Favoriting keeps the split panes loaded to avoid losing progress.

What we like about the Split View features:

Multi-Panel Tabs – Split View tabs can contain up to four panels each displaying separate webpages simultaneously. Users can adjust sizing and arrange panels as desired.

Tab Integration – The panels within a Split View tab function cohesively as one tab unit. The entire tab can be favorited, pinned, searched, closed etc. without affecting the internal panels.

Independent Browsing – Once arranged, each panel can browse websites independently, enabling research across different pages in parallel within one tab view.

Tab Sharing – Split View tabs can be shared with others like regular tabs via Arc’s shared collections feature. When opened, the recipient sees the same multi-panel layout.

Tab Handoff – Switching devices or browser windows maintains Split View tab state so users can resume seamlessly with panels intact across sessions and devices.

Arc offers flexible split configurations and management:

• Arrangement: Side-by-side horizontal or vertical top/bottom splits
• Resize: Drag splitter bar between sites to adjust pane widths
• Quantity: 2, 3 or 4 splits per window maximum
• Tab Controls: Each split tab has independent back/forward, refreshing, muting, etc.
• Space Integration: Splits appear in spaces for tab organization

By consolidating multiple sites into integrated tabs encompassing multiple panels, Split View facilitates research workflows that leverage tab capabilities applied across several webpages jointly, adding unique dimension to how tabs function.

Themes

Themes in Arc allow users to customize the look and feel of the browser on a per-Space basis. A Space is essentially a group of tabs that share the same visual theme.

To set a theme, users can hover over the title of a Space and click on the paintbrush icon. This will open up the Theme Picker, which has several preset themes to choose from, along with options to create a custom theme.

The preset themes have names like “Fruit Stand” and “Moody Blues”. Each one has a distinct color palette and background texture. For example, the “Fruit Stand” theme has bright, vibrant colors like orange, green, and pink. The background has a white noise texture reminiscent of a fruit stand sign.

Users can also make fine-tuned adjustments to existing themes via the Advanced Settings. Here they can modify the Intensity to make the colors more vivid, or adjust the Grain to make the background noise more pronounced.

For ultimate customization, the Theme Picker allows creating a theme from scratch. Users can upload an image to use as the background, define colors for elements like text, toolbar, sidebar, etc. This allows users to theme a Space around their favorite photo or color scheme.

Themes set visual continuity for the tabs within a Space. When a user switches from one Space to another, the theme transition provides a delightful splash of color. Themes add personality to Spaces, while color coding them for easier organization and identification. Overall, themes allow customizing Arc’s aesthetic on a modular basis to suit personal preferences.

Spaces

Spaces are one of Arc’s marquee features. They allow users to organize tabs into separate categories or projects, essentially turning the browser into a workspace.

Instead of having dozens or hundreds of tabs open in a single window, users can create Spaces for different contexts like Work, Shopping, Travel Planning, etc. Tabs related to each context live within the appropriate Space.

Spaces have their own visual theming as described above, allowing color coding for quick identification. They can also have custom icons set via the “Edit Space” menu. Icons help distinguish Spaces when selecting them via trackpad gestures or keyboard shortcuts.

Within a Space, tabs can be further organized using folders. Users can create nested folder hierarchies to group related content. For example, a “Work” Space might have top-level folders for each Project or Client.

Spaces enable using multiple browser profiles too. Every Space can have an independent login state, allowing being logged into multiple accounts simultaneously. Personal and work personas can co-exist without collisions.

Profiles

Profiles in Arc add an extra layer of separation between browsing contexts. Unlike Spaces which organize tabs and content, Profiles keep login sessions, history, cache, and cookies partitioned off.

Adding a Profile to a Space limits tracking to just that Space. When users switch to another Space with a different Profile, Arc loads a pristine session as if opening a brand new window.

This allows seamless identity switching, especially between work and personal use. Without Profiles, logged in services accumulate messy collective histories. Profiles nip this chaos in the bud by siloing identities and clearing the slate when switching contexts.

For example, users can have a “Work” Profile and a “Personal” Profile attached to relevant Spaces. When moving from the Work to Personal Space, the Work Profile signs out of all business apps like Gmail, Slack, Trello without affecting Personal ones.

Profiles ensure absolute separation, considering Arc’s behavior as two distinct apps rather than one. This also bolsters privacy and security, as activity in one Profile cannot bleed over and be traced to another.

For each Profile, Arc provides granular control over settings like history persistence, cached files, credential storage, etc. But the key benefit lies in effortless identity switching to keep contexts isolated. Just like Spaces, Profiles make Arc shine as an integrated workspace rather than a traditional browser.

Extensions

Extensions are add-ons that allow users to customize and enhance their browsing experience in the Arc browser. Arc supports all Chrome extensions which can be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store. Once added, extensions appear at the top of the Arc window and can be clicked to expand their popup window.

Users can easily pin frequently-used extensions by clicking the puzzle icon at the top of the Arc window and selecting the pin icon next to the desired extension. This keeps them visible in the extensions bar for one-click access. Hovering over an extension icon exposes its settings and options for further customization.

Arc simplifies extension management through centralized control in the browser’s settings. Under “Extensions”, users can view their installed extensions, pin/unpin them from the top bar, enable/disable them, and access additional details. This provides convenience and transparency around active extensions.

Arc leverages Chrome’s vast extension ecosystem to offer personalization through add-ons while streamlining management and access through UI optimizations like the top bar and unified settings panel.

Command Bar Actions

The Command Bar in Arc allows users to quickly execute actions while browsing by typing keyboard shortcuts. It can be accessed by hitting Command+T on a Mac or the forward slash (/) key. The dynamic interface surfaces contextually relevant commands and accepts text input to perform searches.

Common categories of actions within the Command Bar include:

• Core Navigation: Open new tabs, enter split view, access history, view downloads
• Customization: Change browser preferences and settings on the fly
• Site Adjustments: Translate pages, enable reader mode, modify theme
• Tab Management: Close, duplicate, archive tabs
• Tools: Capture screenshots, start a focus timer, open the Arc help center
• External Apps: Create new documents in Note apps like Google Docs

As users type, the Command Bar intelligently surfaces the most relevant actions as autocomplete suggestions using ranked semantics. For example, entering a web domain may auto-suggest opening that site in a new tab. Popular keyboard shortcuts are still supported like Command+T to open a new tab.

Unique actions only available in Arc include Boost creation for editing webpages, routes configuration for tab space management, and Library access for saved content. The fluid interface shifts from a traditional search bar to an action center anticipating user intent.

Command history accumulates allowing rapid access to frequent queries. Users can manage suggestions or clear history entirely within Arc settings. Running actions directly avoids excessive clicking through hierarchies of menus and settings. The Command Bar enables operating Arc through interactive keyboard commands for optimal speed and convenience.

Easels

Easels are Arc’s creative space for collecting screenshots, text snippets, drawings, and other content into visually engaging collages called Easel Cards. Built as an integrated browser feature, Easels facilitate inspiration and information curation from web browsing.

Users can easily capture pieces of webpages into an Easel through the address bar camera icon or keyboard shortcuts. Captured images get imported onto an infinitely scrolling canvas containing cards representing Easel creations. Cards offer robust multimedia options – images can be annotated, text boxes and shapes added, stickers/emoji inserted, and layouts arranged.

Final creations can be exported as images or pdf documents for sharing outside Arc. Saved locally by default, users can publish Easels for public discovery or share editing access privately via a link. Integration with other Arc components like search and the Library streamlines managing Easels.

Content can be added to Easels through various methods:

• Webpage Screenshots: Use Arc’s Capture tool to screenshot sites and drag onto the Easel
• Image Uploads: Add photos and graphics from your computer
• Note Snippets: Copy over text bits or handwritten scribbles
• Links: Paste URLs of websites to reference

Easels facilitate consolidating research and ideas into an engaging workspace. Use cases include:

• Mood Boards: Curation of visual material for creative inspiration
• Project Outlines: Collect key data points, task lists, initial wireframes
• Learning: Gather study materials and flash cards
• Event Planning: Venue images, schedules, vendor contact cards
• Bucket Lists: Catalog places to visit, sites to explore, things to buy

As a productivity tool enabling visual aggregation and external sharing of browsing discoveries, Easels unlock Arc’s potential for creative expression and meaning making from web exploration. Integrated capture tools combined with multimedia cards facilitate engaging with digital content. For Arc power users, Easels form an outlet for showcasing how emerging Spatial Web capabilities manifest through novel browser features.

Auto Archive

The Auto Archive feature in the Arc browser automatically archives tabs that have not been viewed or interacted with for a certain period of time. This helps keep the browser clean and organized by removing old and unused tabs from view.

The default Auto Archive time is set to 12 hours. This means any tab that has not been viewed or interacted with for 12 hours will be automatically moved from the open tabs area to the Archive. The 12 hour timeframe can be customized under Arc browser preferences to be shorter or longer based on user preference.

When a tab is auto archived, it disappears from view in the open tab area but is not deleted. The tab still exists in the background and can be easily restored at any time. To restore an archived tab, users can click on the clock icon at the bottom of the Arc sidebar which will open the Archive view. From here, users can search for and preview archived tabs, then restore any they still need with one click.

The Auto Archive feature helps improve browser performance by removing old tabs from memory and view. It also cuts down on browser clutter by tucking away unused tabs without deleting them completely. For users who keep a lot of tabs open at once or forget to close tabs when done, Auto Archive brings organization and speed. And the ability to easily preview and restore any archived tab makes finding old content just as simple.

Library

The Arc browser Library offers a central place to access and organize various browser content like downloads, notes, easels, and archived tabs. It provides a clean, structured way to view these materials compared to keeping them scattered across different parts of the browser.

To access Library, users click on the folder icon in the bottom left corner of the Arc sidebar. Library is organized into a few main sections:

Downloads – View, preview, share, or delete any files downloaded directly from the web using Arc. The downloads section shows download progress and makes recently downloaded items easily accessible.

Easels & Notes – Arc’s built-in easel feature allows collecting screenshots and links to be organized visually. The easel acts as an infinite canvas for building mood boards, research collections, presentations and more. Notes offer a simple text doc stored directly in the browser. Both easels and notes can be created, shared, exported, or deleted directly from Library.

Media – View screenshot and audio/video recordings taken using Arc’s capture features. Media items can be previewed, edited, shared out or deleted from Library.

Archive View – Search through and restore tabs that have been auto-archived after periods of inactivity. Users can also manually archive tabs by right clicking and selecting “Archive Tab”.

Keeping relevant browser materials in Library makes them easy to find, manage, and share, while still keeping the main browser view clean and fast. It takes full advantage of Arc’s built-in productivity features through optimized organization tools.

Security Features

As an internet browser, security is an important element for Arc. Arc uses a variety of security measures to help keep user data and information safe.

Arc is based on the open-source Chromium browser code, which utilizes regularly updated and vetted security measures. Arc loads pages over secure HTTPS connections and turns on Chrome’s anti-phishing protections. The browser also uses an ad blocker by default to help prevent risks from malicious ads.

When it comes to privacy, Arc strives to limit tracking and only collects usage data required to operate and improve the browser. Search data is not stored or shared externally for ad targeting or analytics. Arc also provides expected incognito/private modes for extra privacy during sensitive browsing tasks.

From an account and access standpoint, Arc requires a free user account to activate features like tab syncing across devices. While an inconvenience for some, registered accounts allow Arc to detect suspicious login activity and prevent external parties from accessing user data. Two-factor authentication is used for additional login security.

Secure Defaults

Arc’s default settings maximize protection for users right from install. This includes disabling risky features like location access by default on all sites. Users must manually enable access.

Locked Incognito

Arc’s Incognito Mode ensures browsing data like history, cookies and cache aren’t left behind after a session closes. This prevents private data leaks if devices are compromised later.

Extension Verification

3rd party extensions pose security risks, so Arc scans extensions during install to identify runaway permission access before enabling them. This prevents rogue actors from accessing data or system calls.

Frequent Engine Upgrades

Arc upgrades the Chromium engine frequently, ensuring vulnerabilities are patched quickly. This leaves smaller windows for exploits should flaws be discovered.

Accessibility features

The Arc browser aims to provide an accessible and usable experience for all users, including those with disabilities. Though still relatively new, Arc has implemented some helpful accessibility features:

Text Resizing: Users can increase or decrease the text size on webpages to make reading easier. This can be done through keyboard shortcuts or through Arc’s preferences menu.

Screen Reader Support: Arc works with leading screen readers like VoiceOver on macOS and NVDA on Windows to allow blind or low vision users to navigate webpages and the browser itself.

Color Contrast: Arc provides multiple color theme options, some of which are designed for higher contrast to make elements easier to see. Users can also create custom themes.

Keyboard Navigation: Common browser functions can be accessed through keyboard shortcuts for those who have difficulty using a mouse. Arc also allows remapping shortcuts.

Live Captions: The browser can generate real-time captions for audio and video playing in tabs. This helps those with hearing impairments.

Readable Fonts: Arc uses clean, simple, and legible system fonts to enhance readability. There are no decorative fonts used.

Privacy features

With its uncluttered interface optimized for focus, absence of maximization incentives, and protection against online tracking, Arc fosters a mindfulness that leads to a more private browsing experience.

Ad Blocking: Arc blocks online ads and tracking by default to prevent sites from collecting data on users’ browsing habits.

Cookie Control: Users can clear cookies on exit or set Arc to automatically delete cookies after a specified period. Granular cookie permissions can also be set per site.

Private Tabs: Like other major browsers, Arc offers private/incognito tabs that don’t save browsing history or cache. Private tabs can also bypass Arc’s sidebar and space paradigm for additional privacy.

Secure Connections: Arc uses HTTPS secure connections for all web requests when available to encrypt traffic. Security warnings clearly alert users to any unsecured sites.

No Data Collection: Arc does not collect or share users’ personal browsing data with third parties. It relies on anonymized, aggregate data for internal analytics.

Extension Support: Privacy-focused extensions like password managers and VPNs are fully supported to enhance online privacy further.

How customizable are the interface and settings in Arc browser?

The interface and settings in the Arc browser are highly customizable. Users can customize the sidebar, tabs, spaces, themes, shortcuts, and more.

The sidebar is the core of the Arc browser, housing all functionality besides the viewing window. It can be narrowed or expanded by dragging the edge. Tabs within the sidebar can be organized into “spaces” which act as separate areas that can have custom themes, icons, backgrounds, and browser profiles applied. Tabs can also be pinned to always remain in the sidebar, renamed, moved between spaces, put into split screen view, and archived over time.

There are several areas within Arc’s settings that allow customization. Under General settings, users can set preferences for things like the sidebar width, tab audio icons, previews, etc. Under Shortcuts, keyboard shortcuts can be remapped. The Themes settings allow spaces to have vibrant, customized color themes and advanced effects added.

The customizable “boosts” feature essentially allows any website’s design to be altered by the user with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. Sections can be hidden, fonts and colors changed, and more.

Does Arc browser support synchronization across devices?

Yes, the Arc browser supports cross-device synchronization for the sidebar and tabs via iCloud. Users can enable “Keep Sidebar in sync” under the Accounts tab in Preferences. When enabled, the sidebar configuration, including spaces, pinned tabs, tab order, etc. will automatically sync across multiple devices logged into the same Arc account.

However, passwords, browsing history, and other private data do not sync. Only the sidebar tabs themselves are synchronized. So a user can pickup right where they left off on another device, with the same sidebar tab setup accessible.

The synchronization works by updating the sidebar on the last Arc device used. So if changes are made on one device, quitting and opening Arc on another device pulls down those latest changes.

Currently cross-device sync is only officially supported between macOS devices. But a standalone mobile Arc app for iOS does exist that allows iPhone users to access their browser tabs and spaces on the go.

References

1. Arc release notes: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/8233343-release-notes
2. Arc Frequently Asked Questions: https://arc.net/faq
3. The Browser Company: https://thebrowser.company/values/
4. Arc Max: https://arc.net/max
5. Arc Boosts: https://arc.net/boosts
6. Arc Split View: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/6586156-split-view-view-multiple-tabs-at-once
7. Arc Spaces: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/6318861-spaces-distinct-browsing-areas
8. Arc Profiles: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/6649632-profiles-separate-work-personal-browsing
9. Arc Command Bar Actions: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/6586207-command-bar-actions-do-any-action-with-just-your-keyboard
10. Arc Easels: https://resources.arc.net/en/articles/6592969-easels-capture-create