Arc Browser, long admired by macOS and iOS users for its innovative design and customizability, has finally debuted on Windows. Initially available only for Windows 11 users, with a version for Windows 10 expected soon, the Browser Company’s flagship software has exited beta and is now fully accessible.
Arc offers unique usability features in web browsers like Chrome and Edge. Its design eschews traditional horizontal tabs for a collapsible sidebar that houses vertical tabs and bookmarks, providing a cleaner and more focused browsing experience. Users can also create customized “spaces” akin to desktop folders, which allow for more organized multitasking across different activities.
Among its other innovative features is the “Peek” function, which allows users to preview links without fully opening them, and “Little Arc,” a tool that opens a minimalistic browser window for quick and low-memory usage viewing. Despite its learning curve, many find Arc’s novel approach refreshing from decades of standard browser layouts.
Customization is another strong suit of Arc Browser. Users can alter the aesthetics of any visited website, changing colors and fonts and even removing entire page sections to suit their preferences. Additionally, Arc supports Chrome plugins, facilitating a smooth transition for users switching from Google’s browser.
A notable technical aspect of Arc’s launch on Windows is its use of Swift, an Apple programming language. This marks the first time Swift is used on Windows, potentially opening the door for developers to create Windows applications using this efficient and powerful language. Saleem Abdulrasool, a company engineer, described the effort to bring Swift to Windows as “an effort of love.”
The Browser Company has assured users that this release is just the beginning for Arc on Windows, promising regular updates that will enhance performance and introduce new features. Currently free to try, Arc offers a unique and personalized browsing experience that challenges the conventions of web navigation.