The key facts

  • Arc will stop working on Mac and Windows on December 22, 2026; data will be deleted within 30 days
  • On November 23, Arc Search on iOS and Android will lose AI features, including 'Browse for Me'
  • The company declines calls to open-source Arc, as this would require disclosing the ADK — the core of Dia

Phased shutdown of Arc

The Browser Company announced on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that it will end support for its Arc browser on December 22, 2026. The company explains the decision by the rising cost of maintaining browser security in the AI era: 'Maintaining browser security requires constant dedicated work that only grows in the AI era,' the statement says. According to the company, Dia was built from the ground up to modern security standards, which is why the engineering and security teams will be directed there.

Key dates

The shutdown proceeds in three stages. From October 22, the creation of new Arc accounts has been stopped. On November 23, Arc Search on iOS and Android will lose AI features, including 'Browse for Me'; signing into an account and syncing tabs will become impossible, but the app will continue to work as a simple local browser. On December 22, Arc will stop working entirely on Mac and Windows: accounts will be deactivated, personal data will be deleted within 30 days, and Arc Search will be removed from the Google Play Store.

Switching to Dia and the open-source question

Dia will inherit a number of key Arc features: 'Profiles' (formerly Spaces) for separating work and personal environments, vertical tabs as an optional side sidebar, and 'Pinned Tab Groups' (formerly Folders). Passwords, bookmarks, extensions and history will transfer automatically; Arc features in Dia will remain free, and AI is optional. On social media, the user reaction was predominantly disappointed, with many once again asking for Arc to be open-sourced. However, CEO Josh Miller previously noted that Arc is built on the proprietary Arc Development Kit (ADK), which is also the core of Dia: 'While we would like to open-source Arc someday, we cannot do so meaningfully without open-sourcing the ADK. And the ADK remains important to the value of our company.'

Background

The shutdown closes a chapter that began in 2025, when the startup ceased active development of new Arc features. At that time, the company — acquired by Atlassian for $610 million in 2025 — acknowledged that, despite early users' love for the innovative interface, the 'novelty tax' and complexity limited mass adoption. Arc was dearly loved by devoted enthusiasts, but never became the mass alternative to Chrome its creators dreamed of. The company claims that Dia now outperforms Arc on speed, stability and security benchmarks.