By Kshetez Vinayak, founder of SupaSidebar. Last updated May 14, 2026.
Arc browser is in maintenance mode and has been since May 2025.
It still works, and it still gets Chromium security updates - the most recent macOS build, version 1.146.0, shipped May 6, 2026 on Chromium 148. But it gets zero new features. The Browser Company, now owned by Atlassian, has moved its development effort to Dia, a separate AI-focused browser. This page tracks Arc's current status, the latest version numbers, and what each update actually contains, so the answer to "is Arc still being worked on" stays current.
Looking for the latest Arc version numbers and updates?
You're on the right page - keep reading.
Related questions:
- Is Arc dead, and what does maintenance mode actually mean? → Is Arc Browser Dead?
- Decided Arc's stagnation is a dealbreaker and want to move? → Switching from Arc Browser
Arc's current status at a glance
| Question | Answer (as of May 2026) |
|---|---|
| Is Arc still being developed? | No new features. Maintenance mode since May 2025. |
| Does Arc still get updates? | Yes - Chromium security and stability updates only. |
| Latest Arc for macOS version | 1.146.0, released May 6, 2026, on Chromium 148 |
| Latest Arc for Windows version | 1.105.0, released May 6, 2026, on Chromium 148 |
| Latest Arc Search for Android | 1.28.9, released May 7, 2026 |
| Who owns Arc now? | Atlassian, which completed its acquisition of The Browser Company on October 21, 2025 |
| Is Arc safe to keep using? | Yes - it still receives security patches. The risk is feature stagnation, not safety. |
| Will Arc get new features again? | The Browser Company has given no indication it will. Development effort is on Dia. |
The short version: Arc is not abandoned in the "stops working tomorrow" sense. It is frozen. Security updates keep coming through the Chromium pipeline, but the product itself stopped evolving in May 2025.
The latest Arc updates (most recent first)
This section tracks Arc's actual releases. Every entry is a real version from The Browser Company's release notes, not a roadmap promise.
May 2026
Arc for macOS 1.146.0
and Arc for Windows 1.105.0, both released May 6, 2026, moved Arc to Chromium 148.0.7778.97 with security and stability improvements. No new Arc-specific features. This is the pattern for every Arc update now: the Chromium base moves forward, Arc's own feature set does not. Sources: Arc for macOS Release Notes and Arc for Windows Release Notes.
Arc Search for Android 1.28.9
, released May 7, 2026, added security hardening against spoofing attacks, adjusted language detection in Browser For Me, easier tab swiping in the tab switcher, and a fix for tab history restoration on app restart. Arc Search - the mobile app - is a separate product from the Arc desktop browser, and it still gets small functional updates. The desktop browser does not. Source: Arc Search for Android Release Notes.
What "an Arc update" means in 2026
If you see Arc prompt you to update, it is almost certainly a Chromium version bump. Chromium is the open-source engine Arc is built on, and it ships security patches roughly every few weeks. Arc inherits those. What you will not see is a changelog entry like "new feature: X" - those stopped in May 2025. When people search for "arc browser release notes 2026," this is the answer: the release notes exist, they are real, and they are security-only.
How Arc got here: the timeline
Understanding Arc's current status means understanding the three events that produced it.
May 27, 2025 - Arc enters maintenance mode.
The Browser Company's CEO Josh Miller published a letter to Arc members explaining the decision. His stated reason was blunt: "for most people, Arc was simply too different, with too many new things to learn, for too little reward." The company said it would keep Arc secure and stable but would not build new features. Source: The Browser Company Substack letter, with coverage from The Register and 9to5Mac.
September 4, 2025 - Atlassian agrees to acquire The Browser Company.
The deal was $610 million in cash. Atlassian, the company behind Jira and Confluence, was buying the team and its technology, not committing to revive Arc. Source: TechCrunch and CNBC.
October 21, 2025 - the acquisition closes.
The Browser Company became a subsidiary of Atlassian. Source: BusinessWire.
Since the close, nothing in The Browser Company's public communication has suggested Arc will return to active development. The team's product focus is Dia.
What about Dia? Is it the new Arc?
Not in the sense most Arc users mean. Dia is The Browser Company's AI-focused browser, and unlike Arc, it is actively developed - the team ships updates roughly every week. Dia launched publicly on macOS on October 9, 2025 (MacRumors). Since then it has steadily pulled in features that resemble Arc: Arc's Focus Mode in October 2025, a sidebar layout, Tab Groups on December 11, 2025 (Dia release notes, v1.9.0), and tab sync improvements through early 2026.
So Dia is not a stalled product. The reason it is not a drop-in Arc replacement is design intent, not neglect. Dia's core target is mainstream users who want AI built into browsing, while Arc was built for power users who organize work around Spaces and a sidebar-first layout. Dia uses profiles instead of Spaces and an AI chat interface instead of Arc's Cmd+T command bar - different primitives for a different audience. Dia also requires macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon, so it is not available to every machine that runs Arc. For a full breakdown of where each Arc feature lands across the current options, the Arc browser alternative guide covers it.
What Arc's status means for you
The practical question behind "arc browser status 2026" is usually whether Arc is still worth using, and for how long.
Arc is safe to keep using today.
It receives Chromium security updates, so the browsing-security argument for leaving immediately does not hold. If Arc works for you, there is no emergency.
The real cost is stagnation, not danger.
A frozen browser falls behind slowly. Web standards move, other browsers ship features, and Arc will not. Bugs that exist today will mostly stay. The macOS and Windows versions will keep tracking Chromium, but the Arc layer on top is fixed.
Windows users have a specific situation.
Arc for Windows shipped relatively late in Arc's life and entered maintenance mode along with the macOS version. It still gets Chromium updates, but "arc browser windows availability 2026" comes up because people want to know if the Windows version is still maintained at all - it is, at the same security-only level as macOS.
The decision is about timing, not panic.
Most Arc users do not need to switch this week. They need a plan for when a frozen browser stops being good enough. That is a personal threshold: some people leave the moment development stops, others wait until a specific bug or missing feature forces it.
Keeping Arc's workflow without staying on a frozen browser
The hardest part of leaving Arc is not the bookmarks - it is the sidebar. Arc's sidebar, with its spaces, pinned items, and vertical layout, is the thing most Arc users say they cannot find anywhere else. Switching to Safari or Chrome means going back to a horizontal tab strip and losing that workflow.
That gap is the reason SupaSidebar exists. SupaSidebar is a macOS app that brings Arc's sidebar to every browser - one sidebar for tabs, bookmarks, files, and apps across 25 browsers including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Zen, Vivaldi, Brave, Helium, and Dia. It is not a browser and not a browser extension; it is a standalone Mac app that adds the sidebar layer on top of whatever browser is running. That means a user can move off Arc to a browser that is still actively developed, and keep the sidebar-first workflow that made Arc worth using.
It also imports Arc data directly. SupaSidebar's 3-click Arc import (Preferences → Import and Export → Arc → Import) pulls Arc's sidebar structure across, so the move does not start from an empty sidebar. For the full migration walkthrough, see Switching from Arc Browser.
Conclusion: where Arc stands in May 2026
Arc browser is in maintenance mode, owned by Atlassian, receiving Chromium security updates and nothing else. The latest macOS build is 1.146.0 (May 6, 2026) and the latest Windows build is 1.105.0 (same date), both security-only. There is no public signal that new feature development will resume, because The Browser Company's effort is on Dia, which is a different product for a different audience.
For users, the segments break down like this. If Arc still works for you: there is no security reason to leave today, but plan for the day a frozen browser falls behind. If you relied on Spaces and the sidebar: Dia is not a direct replacement, so the move is either to another browser plus a sidebar layer, or to a different sidebar-first tool entirely. If you have already decided to leave: the bottleneck is keeping your sidebar workflow, not moving bookmarks - SupaSidebar keeps the Arc-style sidebar on a browser that is still maintained, and imports Arc data in three clicks.
This page updates as Arc ships new builds. For the deeper "is Arc actually dead" discussion, see Is Arc Browser Dead?. To compare every current option, start with the Arc browser alternative guide.
Try SupaSidebar (free version)
Why we recommend SupaSidebar
SupaSidebar is a macOS app that brings Arc's sidebar to every browser - one sidebar for tabs, bookmarks, files, and apps across 25 browsers including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Zen, Vivaldi, Brave, Helium, and Dia. For someone leaving a frozen Arc, it solves the specific problem that makes leaving hard: it keeps the sidebar, spaces, and pinned-item workflow while letting the underlying browser be one that is still actively developed. It runs on macOS 13 and later, imports Arc data in three clicks, and has a free version.
FAQ
Is Arc browser still being updated in 2026?
Yes, but only with Chromium security and stability updates. The latest macOS version, 1.146.0, shipped May 6, 2026. Arc has had no new features since it entered maintenance mode in May 2025.
What is the current status of Arc browser?
Arc is in maintenance mode. It works and receives security patches, but The Browser Company - now owned by Atlassian - has stopped active feature development and moved its focus to Dia.
What was the latest Arc update?
Arc for macOS 1.146.0 and Arc for Windows 1.105.0, both released May 6, 2026, updating Arc to Chromium 148 with security and stability fixes. Arc Search for Android 1.28.9 followed on May 7, 2026.
Is Arc browser safe to keep using?
Yes. Arc still receives Chromium security updates, so it is not a security risk to keep using. The downside is feature stagnation - Arc will not get new capabilities or most bug fixes.
Will Arc browser get new features again?
There is no public indication that it will. The Browser Company's development effort is on Dia, a separate AI-focused browser. Arc's maintenance-mode status has not changed since May 2025.
Is Dia a replacement for Arc?
No. The Browser Company has been explicit that Dia is a different product for mainstream users who want AI in browsing. It does not have Arc's Spaces or command bar, using profiles and an AI chat interface instead.
Is Arc for Windows still maintained?
Yes, at the same level as the macOS version - Chromium security and stability updates only. Arc for Windows 1.105.0 shipped May 6, 2026. No new Windows-specific features are planned.
How do I keep Arc's sidebar if I switch browsers?
A Mac app like SupaSidebar adds an Arc-style sidebar to any browser, so the sidebar, spaces, and pinned-items workflow survives the switch. SupaSidebar imports Arc data in three clicks and works across 25 browsers.
Written by Kshetez Vinayak, founder of SupaSidebar. This page is updated as Arc ships new builds. Last updated May 14, 2026.