Browsers

How to Completely Uninstall Arc Browser on Mac

To uninstall Arc Browser, move the application icon to the Trash and empty it. Since The Browser Company shifted focus to the Dia browser in 2025 and now provides only maintenance and security updates for this app, you may choose to remove it entirely.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Arc Browser and everything it leaves behind

Arc Browser data usually takes 200 MB – 2 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

Scan your Mac free

Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Arc Browser
Typical data size: 200 MB – 2 GB
Category: Browsers
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Arc

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Arc Browser from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Arc Browser left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Arc Browser keeps on your Mac

6 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Application Support/Arc App data · browser profiles, Spaces, sidebar layout, history and cookies Back up first: your data~/Library/Caches/company.thebrowser.Browser Cache · app-level cache of Arc itself Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Preferences/company.thebrowser.Browser.plist Settings · app settings Yes, settings reset~/Library/Saved Application State/company.thebrowser.Browser.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/HTTPStorages/company.thebrowser.Browser Network cookies · network cookies used by the app itself Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Caches/Arc Cache · web page cache and code cache of each Arc profile Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Arc/User Data/Default/GPUCache Cache · GPU shader cache of the default profile Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Arc/User Data/Default/Service Worker/CacheStorage Cache · offline caches stored by websites through service workers Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Arc/StorableSidebar.json App data · your Spaces, pinned tabs and folders in the sidebar Back up first: your data

Locations are the standard macOS folders Arc Browser uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What happens when you trash Arc Browser

Specific to Arc Browser

Dragging the app to the Trash removes the executable but leaves behind support folders, preferences, and cached data. These remaining files typically occupy 200 MB – 2 GB of space. User data, including browser profiles and the StorableSidebar.json file containing your Spaces and pinned tabs, stays on your Mac until deleted manually.

Current status: The Browser Company stopped adding new features to Arc in 2025 and moved its focus to its Dia browser; Arc only receives maintenance and security updates.
Account and sync: Arc requires an Arc account; Arc Sync can carry Spaces, pinned tabs and folders to other Macs, but history, cookies and saved passwords stay in the local profile folder.

Preparing to remove Arc Browser

Before removal, ensure your configuration is backed up because deleting the app does not migrate your local profile. Confirm your synchronization status to preserve cloud-stored layouts. You must quit the app completely before attempting to delete its associated library files via Finder > Go > Go to Folder.

Enable Arc Sync in Settings to save Spaces and pinned tabsExport bookmarks and saved passwords or import them into another browserQuit the app completely

0 of 3 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	6 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every Arc Browser file and its size. No account needed.
Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.

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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own Arc Browser data: back them up before removing them. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults.

Will Arc Sync save all my data during uninstallation?

It saves Spaces, pinned tabs and folders, but history, cookies and passwords remain only in the local profile folder.

Where is the main user data stored on macOS?

The primary profiles and sidebar layouts are located in ~/Library/Application Support/Arc.