Switching from Chrome? How to use Arc, a browser that dares to innovate

Whether it’s Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, the browser is the program we use on a day-to-day basis. That said, most of us continue to use the same old browser even when there are better contenders out there. New York-based The Browser Company hopes to change that with the launch of Arc.

Further reading: Arc’s new browser for Windows is too twee for me

What is Arc?

So far, challengers such as Brave, Firefox, and Tor Browser have focused primarily on privacy issues, as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are notorious for their surveillance. Arc also promises to respect privacy, but the focus is on ease of use.

Arc looks different from other browsers. The tabs and menus that used to be at the top have been moved to the side, which Arc says gives a better overview. It’s also easy to split the browser window down the middle, so you can have two sites open at once.

Another smart tool called Space lets you create different workspaces. For example, you can have a private space and a professional space — allowing you to use different bookmarks and settings.

Does Arc have AI support?

Arc also has a built-in AI feature called Max. The most interesting part is that you can ask questions and have a conversation about the website you are currently visiting. Instead of searching for the information yourself, you can ask a question and get an answer in plain text using artificial intelligence. This is of course mainly interesting for sites that contain a lot of information.

Other AI features are also in the pipeline. You should be able to click on a link and get a summary in advance, and AI should be able to rename open tabs to something more understandable. This is already available today in the Mac version of Arc.