Arc Browser Commands - 11 Best Shortcuts for Fast Surfing

Do you want to learn the best Arc browser commands or shortcuts for quick navigation? Keep reading!

Arc browser lets you zip around the web with special hotkeys that make browsing much faster and easier on your hands.

Besides using shortcuts like other browsers, you can also type in simple text commands in a special Arc Command Bar.

I’ll break down some of the coolest commands, demonstrate how to use them, and even show you how to customize shortcuts to fit your needs.

What Are Arc Browser Commands?

Arc browser commands are hotkeys or text commands that allow you to perform quick actions. These shortcuts are organized into three major categories: Everyday Use, Quick Navigation, and Other.

They include all of the following app modules:

• Tab and window hotkeys
• Arc app feature hotkeys
• Webpage shortcuts
• Address bar hotkeys
• Shortcuts that require input from the mouse.

They’re particularly popular due to their two-way usability as keyboard keys or text combinations.

For example, you can use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + N) to open a new Arc browser window. However, you can also press Ctrl + L on Windows 11 and Command + T on macOS to bring up the Arc Command Bar. You can then simply type New Window and hit Enter or Return to open it.

It’s easier to use the text commands on a Mac than on a Windows 11 PC. The Arc Mac edition comes with a dedicated settings interface for commands and their respective shortcuts. There’s also an Essential Keyboard Shortcuts dialog that shows the five most used commands and their hotkeys.

Moreover, you can view all of the commands and hotkeys so it’s easier to implement the shortcuts.

Contrarily, for Windows 11, there are no dedicated settings or menus. You’ll have to remember the hotkeys. However, you can bookmark the Command Bar Actions portal for reference.

When you enter any of the browser commands from the list into the Arc Commands Bar, it’ll show the specific hotkeys for it.

Best Arc Browser Commands for Everyday Use

Arc developers have created commands and corresponding keyboard shortcuts for various use cases, like Navigation, Tab Organization in Spaces, Tools, Split View, Settings, and more.

Here are some of the most useful Arc commands along with their hotkeys:

New Window

This syntax will open a new fresh window and minimize all other tabs.

New Incognito Window

It opens a new private browsing session.

Toggle Sidebar

Detaches and re-attaches the Arc browser Sidebar. When detached, you’ll browse a website in full screen.

To bring up the sidebar again, hover the mouse cursor on the left edge of the browser.

View Downloads

This command will show you all the downloads done through the Arc browser app.

Switch to Dark Mode

Switch to Dark Mode doesn’t have an assigned hotkey by default. However, if you need to use this setting frequently, you can assign a custom keyboard shortcut. The method has been discussed below.

To go back to the light mode, use the command Switch to Light Mode.

Manage Extensions

This syntax opens the My Extensions setting instantly. This also doesn’t have a mapped hotkey.

Preferences

This command opens the Settings dialog for the Arc app on a Mac. It also shows you the search options for Open Max Preferences and Open Link Preferences commands.

Open Library

This short text opens a media browsing interface.

The UI contains a media browsing sidebar, a top search field, and a preview panel.

Here, you can look up any documents and files saved on your Mac and all downloads done on Arc, Arc Easels, Arc Spaces, Arc Boosts, and Arc Archived Tabs.

Add Top Split

Use this to create a split view on the Arc browser with two browsing sessions stacked on each other.

Searching for this command on the Arc Commands Bar will also show other syntaxes, like Add Left Split, Add Right Split, Add Bottom Split, and Add Vertical Split View.

Collapse All Folders

This command will minimize all expanded folders on an Arc browser Space to give you more room on the sidebar for new website tabs.

To undo this, use the Expand All Folders syntax.

Force Refresh the Page

If your current website is malfunctioning, lagging, or not responding to instructions and clicks, use this command to refresh it. This is similar to what you do with Option + Command + E keys on Safari for hard refresh.

I’ve explained and demonstrated the above Arc commands on a macOS device. To use the same commands on a Windows 11 PC, simply replace the Command key with the Ctrl key.

How To Manage Arc Browser Commands

Here’s how you can finetune them further:

How To Add a Shortcut for a Command

1. When the Arc browser is open, press Command + , to launch the Arc Settings dialog box.
2. Navigate to the Shortcuts tab.
3. Browse through the commands on the left-side list.
4. Syntaxes with no mapped keyboard shortcuts are empty commands.
5. So, let’s say you use the View Archive command a lot and would like to create a hotkey for it.

6. Click on it and the shortcut box next to it will become solid white.
7. Press the hotkey directly on the Mac keyboard, say Shift + Ctrl + A.
8. Arc will map the shortcut key combination you pressed.
9. You’ll see a new list on the top named Customized Shortcuts.

How To Customize Arc Browser Commands

If an Arc command shortcut is interfering with a macOS hotkey, here’s what you can do:

1. Go to the Shortcuts tab in the Arc Settings dialog.
2. Find the command you want to modify, like Capture.
3. Click on the Prefer Websites on the right-side menu just below the shortcut key images.
4. Choose Prefer Arc from the drop-down list.

5. Now, if you use the same hotkey on Arc, it’ll not become effective for the macOS.
6. If you wish to change it, click on the three dots menu near the Reset Shortcut to Default box.
7. Click on the Remove Shortcut option in the context menu and add the preferred hotkey combination.

Summary

So far, you’ve learned about the most helpful Arc browser commands, how these syntaxes are linked to browser hotkeys, how to customize them, and more.

So, give them a try in day-to-day web surfing, creating content, website scrapping, etc. Additionally, you can integrate ChatGPT for an even more streamlined approach or use these commands to export Spaces.

Did the article help you to learn new skills on the Arc browser? If you know some extra commands, feel free to share them in the comments below.