Arc Browser is shutting down: Here's what happens to your data

The Browser Company is officially sunsetting its once-celebrated Arc browser, giving users two months to migrate to its AI-focused replacement, Dia.

Arc will stop working on December 22, 2026, the company announced Thursday, October 22.

The shutdown will roll out in stages. As of today, new Arc accounts can no longer be created.

On November 23, AI features, including Browse for Me, will be disabled on iOS and Android, and users will no longer be able to sign in or sync tabs.

On December 22, Arc will become inaccessible on macOS and Windows, Arc accounts will be deactivated, and Arc Search for Android will be removed from Google Play.

The company said the decision is driven by putting more emphasis on its engineering and security resources on Dia.

It said: “Dia was built from the ground up to meet today’s security standards, so that’s where our engineering and security teams will focus moving forward.”

Having two different browsers was hard to justify anymore, especially in terms of security.

The Browser Company had ceased developing new Arc features a year ago but still maintained it. Arc came up with ideas such as vertical tabs, Spaces, and a split-view design – all things which eventually came out in competing browsers. The Zen browser, based on Mozilla's Gecko browser engine, is usually suggested by people looking for an Arc alternative.

Dia, available for free on Apple Silicon Macs and Windows 11 PCs, imports passwords, bookmarks, extensions, history, Spaces, folders, and tab groups while signing up. The company claims that its browser exceeds Arc in stability, speed, and security, with AI features being optional.

The shutting down of Arc comes after a year of consolidation in the field of browsers. OpenAI closed its AI-focused Atlas browser earlier this year in favour of ChatGPT's in-app browser. Atlassian purchased The Browser Company for $610 million last year.