exit arc 👋

How to run it

Install it with Homebrew:

brew install meelijane/tap/exit-arc

Then run it in Terminal:

exit-arc

Without Homebrew: download exit-arc.pyz from the latest release and run python3 exit-arc.pyz.

It asks a few questions, then does the rest:

1. Which Arc profile?

   Only asked if you have more than one. The default is all of them.

2. Here's what it found

   Your Favourites, and each space with its pinned tabs and folders.

3. Where are you moving to?

   Firefox, Zen, Chrome, or no browser: just save the files.

4. What should it set up there?

   It lists only what that browser supports, including making it your default browser. Press Enter for all of them, or type the numbers you want.

5. Which profile?

   Only asked if the browser has more than one. Each is listed with its folder and how many bookmarks it has. The default is the one the browser opens.

6. Keep your bookmarks or replace them?

   Only asked if that profile already has bookmarks of yours. The default is to keep them and import the bookmarks file yourself; it shows you how.

7. Remove Arc when it's done?

   Only asked if Arc is installed. The default is no.

8. Where should the files go?

   The default is ~/Desktop/arc-export.

9. Go ahead?

   Nothing changes until you say yes. If the browser is open, it asks before quitting it.

You'll need

• macOS with Arc's data still on disk (~/Library/Application Support/Arc)
• Python 3.8 or newer. Macs with Homebrew already have it; otherwise macOS offers to install it the first time you run python3.
• The browser you're moving into, if any. Open it once and quit it first, so it has a profile.

You always get these files

• arc-sidebar.md: a readable page with a heading per space, nested folders, Favourites and your extensions
• arc-tabs.csv: one row per tab
• arc-bookmarks.html: a standard bookmarks file any browser can import
• arc-export.json: everything, for other tools

Use it with Claude

exit-arc is also a Claude Code plugin with an exit-arc skill. With it, you can ask Claude to help you move off Arc. Add it in Claude Code:

/plugin marketplace add meelijane/exit-arc

/plugin install exit-arc@exit-arc

Then Claude:

• installs exit-arc with Homebrew if it's missing
• shows you what's in Arc, without changing anything
• asks which browser and which steps you want, offering only what that browser supports
• tells you before it runs that bookmarks may be replaced, that extension names go to addons.mozilla.org, and that macOS will ask about your default browser
• runs exit-arc with only the steps you agreed to

It leaves two things to you: quitting your browser (it asks you to, or quits it only after you say yes), and removing Arc, which it never does for you.

The skill is one file: skills/exit-arc/SKILL.md.

What each browser gets

Step	Firefox	Zen	Chrome	Just the files
BookmarksFavourites + a folder per space	Yes, on the toolbar (replaces existing bookmarks; asks first)	Yes, same as Firefox	Experimental: added to the bookmarks bar, yours kept	HTML, CSV, Markdown, JSON
Spaces	No: you get a toolbar folder per space	Yes: real Zen spaces with your pinned tabs and folders	No: Chrome has no spaces	Listed in every format
Favourites	Real pinned tabs	Zen Essentials	No	Listed in every format
Vertical tabs	Yes	Built in	Experimental: turns on Chrome's vertical tabs	–Not applicable
New tab cleanupNo sponsored shortcuts or widgets	Yes	Yes	No	–Not applicable
Extensions	Finds official add-ons; you approve each	Same as Firefox	Opens each Web Store page; you click Add	Listed in Markdown and JSON
Default browser	Yes (macOS asks you to confirm)	Yes	Yes	–Not applicable

Good to know

• Adding bookmarks to Firefox or Zen replaces every bookmark in the profile. If you already have bookmarks there, exit-arc asks first and keeps them unless you choose to replace them.
• Everything it changes in the browser is backed up first, next to your files.
• Chrome bookmarks are experimental. If they don't appear, import arc-bookmarks.html in Chrome by hand.
• Zen spaces are tested on Zen 1.24. Zen doesn't document the file they live in, so a future Zen version may change the format.
• Extensions: only extension names are sent to addons.mozilla.org, and only when you choose Extensions. Nothing is installed without your OK.
• Removing Arc is optional and recoverable. You choose the app only, or the app and its data. It runs only after everything else has worked, moves things to the Trash, and asks once more first. Arc's history, passwords and cookies aren't moved to your new browser, so export them from Arc first if you want them.

What stays behind

• History
• Passwords
• Cookies and logins
• Extension data and settings
• Boosts
• Easels
• Notes
• Little Arc
• Site permissions

For history and passwords, use the browser's own importer or a password manager.