Arc Browser
Arc launched in 2022 with a sidebar-tab layout and a cult following. The Browser Company raised $50M to build it, then announced in October 2024 that Arc was too complex for mainstream users and that all new development would shift to a new AI-first browser called Dia. Arc receives security patches only; no new features ship. Dia entered closed beta in 2025 and became the company's primary focus.
Why Abandoned
CEO Josh Miller publicly announced in Oct 2024 that Arc is in maintenance mode and the company is building a new AI-first browser (Dia). Arc still works but receives no new features.
π©Ί Health Signals
No checks have been run on this tool yet.
π Timeline
Arc enters open beta on macOS
https://arc.net
Josh Miller letter: Arc is in maintenance; Dia is next
https://browsercompany.substack.com/p/letter-to-arc-members-2024
Dia browser public beta launches
https://www.theverge.com/2025/6/11/dia-browser-public-beta
π Alternatives to Arc Browser
Perplexity AI
π’ActiveAI-powered answer engine that provides cited, real-time answers to complex questions.
ChatGPT
π’ActiveOpenAI's conversational AI assistant that sparked the generative AI revolution.
Bard / Gemini
π’ActiveGoogle's AI assistant, originally Bard, rebranded to Gemini with multimodal capabilities.
π° Related Articles
Is Arc Browser Still Active in 2026? (Status Explained)
Arc Browser is currently abandoned by its team as all new development has shifted to their AI-first browser, Dia. While Arc still functions, it receives only security patches, with no new features planned.
8 Best AI Browsers & Tools Like Arc Browser (2026)
Arc Browser β the reinvented Chromium-based browser from The Browser Company launched July 2023 by Josh Miller and Hursh Agrawal β was placed in maintenance mode in October 2024 after Miller's founder letter admitted the interface's novelty tax limited mainstream adoption. The team pivoted to Dia, an AI-first browser, and Arc now receives security patches only. Dia is the invite-only AI-first successor from the same team, Zen Browser is the free open-source Firefox-based Arc clone with 50,000+ GitHub stars, Vivaldi is the power-user's customizable Chromium browser, Brave with Leo AI is the private AI browser with local model support, Perplexity Comet is the true agentic browser at $20/mo, Opera One with Aria is the mainstream free option, SigmaOS is Mac-only Spaces done right at $8/mo, and Microsoft Edge with Copilot is the Windows-first AI browser with 400M+ users. These eight tools like Arc Browser, ranked by use case with a pricing chart, capability matrix, decision tree, and 8-step migration playbook, cover every reason a former Arc user is shopping for a next-generation browser in 2026.
πͺ¦ Other dead other tools
Multi
π‘Acquired / MergedMulti (formerly Remotion) was a Mac video collaboration tool that let small teams co-edit screens with rich AI-assisted features. OpenAI announced the acquihire in June 2024, the entire team joined OpenAI to work on collaboration in ChatGPT, and the Multi product was shut down on July 24, 2024. The site now redirects to OpenAI.
Rewind AI
β«AbandonedRewind shipped a Mac app in 2022 that recorded everything on screen and made it locally searchable, raising $10M from a16z. By late 2023 the team pivoted hard toward a wearable pendant and renamed the company Limitless AI in late 2023. The Rewind Mac app still works for existing users but the brand, website, and product roadmap have all moved to Limitless. New signups land on limitless.ai.
Humane AI Pin
π΄Shutdown / DeadHumane launched the AI Pin in November 2023 with $230M+ in funding and pitches from ex-Apple founders. Reviewers panned battery life, latency, and a laser projector that wilted in sunlight. Sales never materialized, returns outpaced new orders, and in February 2025 HP acquired Humane's IP and team for roughly $116M while bricking existing Pins by month's end. The hardware is now a paperweight; the cloud services that powered it were shut off.
Global Illumination
π‘Acquired / MergedGlobal Illumination was a small NYC studio founded by ex-Instagram and Facebook engineers that built creative tools and a Minecraft-style sandbox game called Biomes. OpenAI announced in August 2023 that it had acquired the company in its first-ever acquisition; the team joined OpenAI to work on core products including ChatGPT. The Biomes code is open-source but the company brand was retired.
β Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arc Browser dead?
Not dead, but frozen. The Browser Company shipped a clear maintenance-mode statement in October 2024 and moved all engineers to Dia.
Will Arc still get security updates?
Yes. The company committed to ongoing security patches for the Chromium engine. New features will not ship.
What is Dia?
Dia is the Browser Company's new AI-first browser with a chat-style command bar. It entered public beta in mid-2025.
Can I import my Arc Spaces into Dia?
Dia ships a one-click Arc importer for tabs, bookmarks, and Spaces.