Leaving Arc for Chrome: get the command bar and tab switching back
Updated 5 November 2026
The Browser Company is shutting Arc down on 22 December 2026. Plenty of people are trying Zen, Dia or one of the newer Arc-like browsers. If you're going back to plain Chrome instead (work needs it, an extension only runs there, or you're tired of switching), the things you'll miss most aren't the sidebar (Chrome has had native vertical tabs since spring 2026) or the colours. They're two keys: ⌘ T and Ctrl Tab.
What you'll miss, and what replaces it
| In Arc | In plain Chrome | To get it back |
|---|---|---|
| ⌘ T command bar: type, and open tabs come first | ⌘ T opens a blank tab; tab search is ⌘ Shift A | A command-bar extension (below) |
| Ctrl Tab goes to the tab you were just on | Ctrl Tab goes to the next tab along the strip | A recent-tabs extension (below) |
| Tabs in a sidebar | Native vertical tabs | Right-click the tab strip › Show tabs vertically, or Settings › Appearance › Tab strip position |
| Spaces with their own profiles | Chrome profiles, each in its own window | Use one profile per client or context; tab groups inside each |
| Pinned tabs in the sidebar | Pinned tabs and bookmarks bar | Pin the few you always keep open; bookmark folders for the rest |
| Tabs that archive themselves | Tabs stay until you close them (Memory Saver only frees memory) | Close in bulk: right-click a tab › Close other tabs, or a tab-cleanup extension |
Getting the command bar back
Disclosure: I made Tab Launcher, a free Chrome extension, because these two keys were what I missed most. It runs entirely on your computer and doesn't track anything.
- Command bar: press ⌥ K (Alt K on Windows) on any page. Open tabs come first, most recent at the top. Enter switches to the tab instead of opening a duplicate; anything else is a web search or an address.
- Recent tabs: hold ⌥ and tap Q. A quick tap jumps straight back to your last tab; keep tapping to go further back, let go to switch.
- Actions: press Tab on an empty bar to copy the URL, copy as Markdown, pin, duplicate, move to a new window or reopen a closed tab.
Making it ⌘T and Ctrl+Tab again
Chrome doesn't let an extension take ⌘ T or Ctrl Tab on install, because they're Chrome's own shortcuts. You can assign them yourself in about a minute: Tab Launcher's settings page (right-click its icon › Options) has the exact steps and a line to paste. Chrome may reset them after a big update; if a key stops working, repeat the steps.
If you'd rather not touch Chrome's own keys, ⌥ K and ⌥ Q sit right next to where your fingers already are.
Before 22 December
- Write down what's pinned in each Space, or open them all and bookmark them into one folder per Space (in Chrome: menu › Bookmarks and lists › Bookmark all tabs, or ⌘ Shift D).
- Import your bookmarks and passwords into Chrome (Chrome menu › Bookmarks and lists › Import bookmarks and settings) and check what came across.
- Re-add your extensions in Chrome; most Arc extensions came from the Chrome Web Store anyway.
FAQ
Does the command bar work on chrome:// pages and new tabs?
Chrome doesn't let extensions draw on its own pages. On those, Tab Launcher opens the bar in a small window of its own instead, so the shortcut still works.
Does it need access to every website?
No. Search and switching work without it. Access to all sites is optional, only for tab previews in the switcher.
What about Little Arc and split view?
Not covered here. This guide is about getting around your tabs from the keyboard, which is what most people say they miss first.