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Is Arc Search Safe?

Arc Search privacy label · by The Browser Company of New York Inc. · checked November 2026

  • Collects location
  • Recently updated
App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
2types
Not linked to you
4types
Short answer

Mostly a question of trust: Arc Search collects data linked to you but declares no tracking. The sensitive items are location and user content. In total the label lists 5 data types; 32% of private browsers we checked declare tracking.

At a glance

Arc Search privacy in one look

Data exposure on the label
Linked to you
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Built only from the developer's App Store label. It describes disclosure, not tested behaviour.

Verdict from the label
Linked to you, no tracking

Arc Search collects 2 data types tied to your identity but declares no tracking.

Try it

Did Arc Search ask for something?

Pick the permission prompt you saw. We compare it with what Arc Search's developer declared.

It asked me for access to…
Tap a prompt to compare it with the label.
Matches the label

Arc Search lists Location on its label. Choose While Using and turn off Precise Location if the feature works without it.

Matches the label

Arc Search lists User Content on its label, linked to you. Choose Limited Access and pick only the photos you want to share.

Not on the label

Contacts is not on Arc Search's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not declared on the label

Arc Search declares no tracking, so a tracking prompt would contradict its label. Decline it, and consider reporting the mismatch to Apple.

Not on the label

Health & Fitness is not on Arc Search's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

A permission is what the app can reach on your iPhone; the label is what the developer says leaves it. They answer different questions.

Line by line

What Arc Search collects, explained

Data typeWhat it coversWhere to limit it
LocationSensitiveNot linked to you Where your phone is, either precisely (street level) or approximately (city or area). Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services: choose Never or While Using, and turn off Precise Location if the app does not need it.
User ContentSensitiveLinked to you Messages, photos, videos, audio recordings, documents and support chats you create or upload. Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos: choose Limited Access or None; review Microphone and Files access too.
IdentifiersLinked to youNot linked to you An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking: turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track, or tap Ask App Not to Track when prompted.
Usage DataNot linked to you What you tap, open and view inside the app, plus which ads you have seen. There is no single iOS switch. Look for an analytics or personalised-ads toggle in the app's own settings.
DiagnosticsNot linked to you Crash logs, launch times, hang rates and energy use. Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements › Share With App Developers controls what Apple passes on; the app's own crash reporting is separate.
Reading the label

What Arc Search's label means for you

Arc Search's label has 2 types under “Data Linked to You”, 4 types under “Data Not Linked to You”. A data type can appear in more than one section when it is used for different purposes — for example, identifiers used for both analytics and advertising.

Arc Search declares no tracking, which means the developer says it does not combine your data with other companies' data for advertising or sell it to data brokers. The data linked to you — user content and identifiers — is still tied to your identity, typically through an account, and is covered by the developer's privacy policy and retention rules.

The items that deserve the most attention are location and user content. Location history reveals home, work and routines. Precise location deserves the most scrutiny.

A private browser should collect less than the sites it visits. Browsing History or Identifiers on its label are worth a second look. Check the default search engine, whether history syncs to an account, and whether tracker blocking is on by default.

Among the 160 private browsers in our snapshot with a label, 32% declare tracking, 39% collect data linked to you and 31% say they collect nothing. Arc Search lists 5 data types, more than the average of 2.1 for this group.

Utilities range from calculators to VPNs, so their labels vary more than any other category. A simple tool that collects identifiers and usage data for tracking is a sign of advertising SDKs.

On your iPhone

Settings to check for Arc Search

  1. 1

    Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. 2

    Location

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Arc Search. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.

  3. 3

    Photos

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.

  4. 4

    Lock the app

    On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the icon and choose Require Face ID. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone then needs your face, fingerprint or passcode to open it.

  5. 5

    Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Arc Search › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Cross-app tracking

Does Arc Search track you?

No tracking declared

There is no “Data Used to Track You” section on Arc Search's label.

Does Arc Search track you? Full answer and how to stop it →

iOS 18 and later

Lock Arc Search behind Face ID

  1. Find Arc Search on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Arc Search now asks for authentication every time it opens.

The lock is an iPhone feature, so it works whether or not Arc Search has a passcode of its own. It does not change what the app sends to its developer.

From the App Store record

About Arc Search

DeveloperThe Browser Company of New York Inc.
App Store categoryUtilities (also Productivity)
Latest version1.49.0, released October 2026
First releasedJanuary 2024
RequiresiOS 16.0 or later
Size225 MB
Age rating17+
Languages1 (EN)
Bundle IDcompany.thebrowser.ArcMobile2

The current version shipped in October 2026, so the app is actively maintained and its label is likely current. Labels are updated by developers when practices change.

Read with care

What the label cannot tell you

  • A label is self-reported. Apple publishes the developer's answers and can reject apps that misrepresent them, but it does not independently verify what Arc Search sends.
  • It does not say where data is stored, how long it is kept, whether it is encrypted, or which companies receive it. The privacy policy covers those points.
  • Optional data counts: if a feature lets you add something (a profile photo, a phone number), the type is listed even if you never use the feature.
  • Data handled only on your iPhone is not 'collected', so a no-collection label is compatible with an app that reads your files locally.
  • Third-party sign-in, payment processors and SDKs are supposed to be included, but a label can lag behind a new version.

The question to ask Arc Search's developer: Does the browser keep my history on its servers?

How it compares

Arc Search vs similar private browsers

Data types listed on each App Store privacy label
Tracks youLinked to youNot linkedCollects nothing

Fewer types is not automatically safer: a cloud backup app has to collect your files to work. Compare like with like.

Checking another app?

Look up any of our apps in seconds, or put two labels side by side.

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Do it now

Your Arc Search privacy checklist

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

Quick quiz

True or false?

  1. Q1Arc Search's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    False: there is no Data Used to Track You section on Arc Search's label.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3Arc Search collects Location.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: Location appears on its label, in the Not Linked to You section.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

  5. Q5Tapping “Ask App Not to Track” can stop an app from working.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Apple's rules require apps to work the same whether or not you allow tracking.

Questions people ask

Arc Search privacy FAQ

Is Arc Search safe to use?
Based on its App Store privacy label, arc Search collects 2 data types tied to your identity but declares no tracking. Whether that is acceptable depends on what you will store in it. The label is developer-reported, not an independent security test.
Does Arc Search track you?
No. Arc Search's label has no Data Used to Track You section.
What data does Arc Search collect?
Location, user content, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics. Of these, user content and identifiers are linked to your identity.
Who makes Arc Search?
The Browser Company of New York Inc., according to the App Store. It was first released in January 2024 and the current version is 1.49.0.
Can I lock Arc Search with Face ID?
On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold Arc Search's icon and choose Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode). This is an iPhone feature and works for most downloaded apps, whether or not the app has its own lock. If you don't see the option, update iOS.
How does Arc Search compare with other private browsers?
Across 160 private browsers with labels in our snapshot, 32% declare tracking and 31% say they collect no data. Arc Search lists 5 data types against an average of 2.1.
Does the browser keep my history on its servers?
The privacy label cannot answer that. Look for it in Arc Search's privacy policy or support pages, linked from the App Store listing. Check the default search engine, whether history syncs to an account, and whether tracker blocking is on by default.
How do I delete my data from Arc Search?
Apps that let you create an account must also let you start account deletion from inside the app (an App Store rule since June 2022). Deleting the app from your iPhone alone does not delete data already sent to the developer.
Facts on this page come from Arc Search on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked 2026-11-01. How we collect data · Report a correction