The wait is over—the Arc by The Browser Company is finally available on Windows devices. The Arc has been the cool new kid on the block ever since its release in 2021. The fact that the makers opted for a tricked release instead of a full-fledged launch has added to the mystique around the browser.
At its initial launch back in 2022, the Arc browser was only available to macOS users. The mobile version of the browser came last year and is still exclusive to the iOS platform. The new Windows version does make it more accessible. Although an Android version has already been confirmed, it is going to take quite a bit of time before the final version is released.
For instance, Arc for Windows came more than a year after the company first shared its vision. It went to beta last December with over 150,000 users on the waitlist.
The Browser Company used Swift to develop the Windows version of Arc. Swift is a programming language made by Apple for iOS and macOS applications. The reason is quite understandable — using Swift for multiple versions allows codes to be reused across platforms, helping maintain high feature parity.
Features of Arc for Windows
The sidebar has always been a key differentiating factor for Arc. The vertical tabs are key to its reimaged browser experience, and thus, it makes its way to the Windows version.
Windows users will also be able to create multiple spaces for different purposes, like work, college, and so on, each with its own data and settings. Likewise, they can have multiple tabs open side by side using the split screen method. I find myself using the picture-in-picture feature a lot and it, too, is available on Windows.
The Browser Company has also added the feature to preview links from pinned and favorite tabs, called Peek, to the final version despite it not being on the beta version.
Unlike the macOS version, Arc for Windows is optimized for touchscreens. It is not available for Windows on ARM, although Swift has already been ported to Windows ARM64, leaving the door open for a future release.
You can now download Arc on your Windows 11 devices. The Browser Company is working on a Windows 10 version as well.
