The Browser Company will discontinue its distinctive Arc browser on December 22, 2026, and guide users to switch to its AI preferred browser, Dia. The company announced this decision on Thursday, citing the rising costs of maintaining browser security in the AI era.
The company stated, "Maintaining browser security requires continuous and dedicated effort, and in the era of AI, this task will only become more important."
“Dia was built from the start in accordance with today's security standards, so our engineering and security teams will focus on this aspect in the future.”
This closure will be carried out in three steps. Starting from Thursday, it will no longer be possible to create new Arc accounts. On November 23rd, the Arc Search on iOS and Android will lose their AI functionality, including “Browse for Me”. Users will no longer be able to log in or synchronize tabs, but the application can still be used as a basic local browser.
On December 22nd, Arc will cease to operate completely on Mac and Windows. Accounts will be deactivated, and personal data will be deleted within 30 days. Arc Search will also be removed from the Google Play store.
Although The Browser Company claims that Dia has surpassed Arc in terms of speed, stability, and security, users on social media are generally disappointed. Many people are once again calling for the company to open-source Arc.
However, the CEO Josh Miller previously pointed out that Arc is built on top of Arc Development Kit ( ADK ), and ADK is a proprietary SDK within the company, as well as the core engine that drives Dia. If Arc is made open-source, it would mean handing over the intellectual property rights of Dia as well.
Miller Previously, it was stated: "Although we also hope to open-source Arc one day, if we do not open-source ADK at the same time, we will not be able to truly achieve this. And ADK remains the core of the company's value."
For users preparing to switch, Dia will retain corresponding versions of several core functions from Arc. Users will still be able to switch between work and personal environments through "Profiles" in Dia (which was previously "Spaces" of Arc). The iconic vertical tab bar Arc will be retained as an optional sidebar layout, while Folders will be renamed to "Pinned Tab Groups".
Passwords, bookmarks, extensions, and history will all be seamlessly migrated to Dia. The relevant features of Arc will still be free in Dia, while the AI feature will be optional.
This closure officially marks the end of a chapter that began in 2025, when the startup ceased the active development of Arc. The Browser Company was acquired by Atlassian for $610 million in 2025. At that time, the company acknowledged that although early users appreciated the novel interface of this browser, its "novelty tax" and complexity limited its mainstream adoption. Arc was deeply loved by a group of loyal enthusiasts, but it never managed to become the mass-market alternative to Chrome that its founders initially envisioned.
