Arc is a new Mac browser that lets you customize webpages or visually adjust any HTML element to your liking; no coding skills required whatsoever.
On July 25, 2023, the Browser Company released its Arc web browser to the general public. You can download it on your Mac, iPhone and iPad. Aside from viewing websites, Arc includes tools for customizing webpages to your liking.
Arc 1.0 is based on the Chromium project that powers Chrome and other apps.
The Arc browser is now available on the Mac
The Arc browser had been in testing for more than two years, and you could only test it if you were on the waitlist. Starting today, anyone can download Arc for Mac via the arc.net website. The app requires macOS Monterey 12.1 or later.
The Browser Company that built Arc wants to create “the operating system for the internet.” No matter how you describe Arc, it’s a web browser at its core with some useful productivity features built into it.
How does the Arc browser work?
One of Arc’s design hallmarks is its multi-purpose sidebar, where all your tabs, bookmarks, open webpages and other features live.
The browser provides some productivity features, too, like split-screen browsing, quick notes, collaboration, Spaces and more. Spaces are a collection of websites, bookmarks and folders, and each one can be customized with a background color.
Arc doesn’t handle tabs like Safari, Chrome and other browsers. In fact, there are no tabs in Arc. You open webpages from the sidebar and disappear when closed unless saved in a space by clicking the pin icon.
Zapping and customizing webpage elements
One of Arc’s best features is its ability to customize any webpage element, enabling MySpace-style customization. This is called Boost.
With it, you can do things like adjust the color of the webpage background, set your own font and more without any coding skills required. You can customize any webpage element to your liking or apply themes for a brand-new look with a click.
To start, hit the + (plus) sign in the bottom bar and choose Create new boost. You can check out other peoples’ designs in the Arc Boosts gallery.
If you don’t like certain webpage elements, you can use a feature called Zap to remove them. For example, Zap can kill the Shorts section on YouTube, remove the podcast section from YouTube Music and more—even if you’re unfamiliar with HTML, CSS and Javascript.
Arc for other platforms
Arc also has a dedicated iPhone version, which feels more like a companion to its Mac counterpart than a full browser in its own right.
This is also reflected in its name—the app is called “Arc | Mobile Companion.” The mobile app brings the sidebar from the desktop version of Arc to your iPhone, but you’ll need to create an Arc account for that.
View Arc | Mobile Companion for iPhone in the App Store
The Brewer Company is definitely not looking to build a default mobile browser, at least not now. Arc for Windows is coming this winter.