How to Enable JavaScript on Arc

Arc is The Browser Company's Chromium browser for macOS and Windows; Arc Search is its separate mobile browser. JavaScript is enabled by default. On desktop, a blank page can be caused by a Chromium permission, an extension, or another filter. In Arc Search on iOS/iPadOS, this guide does not assume that a browser-specific global JavaScript switch exists.

This guide covers Arc's Chromium permission controls on macOS and Windows, per-site control, the build-dependent arc://settings path, and the documented limitation that no Arc Search global JavaScript switch is verified here for iOS/iPadOS.

Enable JavaScript globally in Arc on macOS Sequoia

Arc started life as a Mac-only browser, and macOS is still where most Arc users are. The Settings page lives behind the standard Cmd + , shortcut.

Step 1: Open Arc

Launch Arc from Launchpad, Spotlight, or the Dock.

Step 2: Open Settings

Press Cmd + ,. Or click Arc → Settings in the macOS menu bar.

Step 3: Open the Profiles tab

In the Settings window, click the Profiles tab. Arc keeps per-profile settings here, including site permissions inherited from Chromium.

Step 4: Open Advanced → Site Settings

Scroll to the bottom of the profile and click Manage advanced settings in Chromium. Arc opens its underlying Chromium settings page in a new tab. From there, click Privacy and security → Site settings.

Step 5: Open the JavaScript permission

Scroll to the Content section and click JavaScript.

Step 6: Set "Sites can use JavaScript"

Under Default behavior, select Sites can use JavaScript. The change is instant. Reload any open tab.

Enable JavaScript globally in Arc on Windows 11

The Windows version of Arc reached general availability in 2024 and has feature parity with the Mac version for everything related to web rendering. The path to the JavaScript toggle is identical except for the keyboard shortcut.

Step 1: Open Arc

Launch Arc from the Start menu or taskbar.

Step 2: Open Settings

Press Ctrl + , or click your avatar in the sidebar and choose Settings.

Step 3: Open the Profiles tab and Advanced settings

Click Profiles, scroll to the bottom, and click Manage advanced settings in Chromium.

Step 4: Privacy and security → Site settings

In the Chromium settings page click Privacy and security in the sidebar, then Site settings.

Step 5: Open the JavaScript permission

Scroll to Content and click JavaScript.

Step 6: Set "Sites can use JavaScript"

Select Sites can use JavaScript. The change applies immediately.

The fast path: arc://settings/content/javascript

The Chromium settings page Arc opens internally responds to the same address-bar shortcut Chrome and Brave use. Type or paste:

arc://settings/content/javascript

Press Enter and Arc takes you straight to the JavaScript permission page. Same toggle, same allow-list, no clicking through Profiles and Advanced. Bookmark it.

Other useful Arc shortcuts:

  • arc://settings/content - the full Site settings page (all permissions).
  • arc://settings/privacy - the broader Privacy and security panel.
  • arc://flags - experimental flags (advanced users only).

Allow JavaScript on a single site in Arc

If you have JavaScript blocked globally, you can still allow it on individual sites:

  1. Open arc://settings/content/javascript.
  2. Scroll to Customised behaviours.
  3. Click Add next to Allowed to use JavaScript.
  4. Type the site, e.g. [*.]github.com for all GitHub subdomains, or https://mail.google.com for a single host.
  5. Click Add.

You can also do this from a tab that is already open: click the small lock or tune icon to the left of the URL, choose Site settings, find JavaScript, and switch it from Block (default) to Allow.

Enable JavaScript on Arc Search for iPhone and iPad

JavaScript is enabled by default in Arc Search on iPhone and iPad. This guide has no verified browser-specific JavaScript switch to give you for the current Arc Search iOS/iPadOS app. Apple documents Settings → Apps → Safari → Advanced → JavaScript as a Safari setting, not as a control for Arc Search.

If a site still says JavaScript is disabled

  1. Update Arc Search and iOS/iPadOS to their current stable versions.
  2. Close and reopen the affected tab, then try a new private tab.
  3. Temporarily disable any content blocker, VPN, or DNS filter and reload. Those tools can block scripts without changing the browser's JavaScript engine.
  4. Reload this page and use its JavaScript status message to test actual execution.

If the problem remains, record the exact Arc Search and iOS/iPadOS versions before troubleshooting further. This guide intentionally does not publish an unverified toggle path.

How to verify JavaScript is now on in Arc

The clearest test:

  1. Open a new tab and visit any JavaScript-detection page.
  2. If the page reports JavaScript is enabled, the toggle is doing its job.

You can also confirm via DevTools:

  1. Press Cmd + Option + I (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows) to open DevTools.
  2. Click the Console tab.
  3. Type 1+1 and press Enter. If the console returns 2, JavaScript is running.

How to disable JavaScript on Arc

If you need the opposite, see our guide: How to Disable JavaScript on Arc. It covers the global block, the per-site allow-list, and the privacy and performance reasons people choose to turn it off.

Need to disable JavaScript instead? See: How to Disable JavaScript on Arc

Instructions for Web Developers

You may want to consider linking to this site, to educate any script-disabled users on how to enable JavaScript in six most commonly used browsers. You are free to use the code below and modify it according to your needs.

<noscript>
For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript.
Here are the <a href="https://www.enablejavascript.io/">
instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser</a>.
</noscript>

On enablejavascript.io we optimize the script-disabled user experience as much as we can:

  • The instructions for your browser are put at the top of the page
  • All the images are inlined, full-size, for easy perusing

We want your visitors to have JavaScript enabled just as much as you do!

F.A.Q

Why does Arc make me click into Profiles to find JavaScript settings?

Arc exposes Chromium settings through the visible Manage advanced settings in Chromium flow. Arc documentation uses arc://settings URLs for some settings pages, but this guide has not verified that the JavaScript-specific internal URL is stable in every current build. Use the visible Profiles and Chromium path, record the installed Arc version, and treat an internal shortcut as optional only after testing it in that build.

Is Arc Search on iPhone the same as Arc on Mac?

No. Arc Search is a separate mobile browser, while the full Arc browser is available on macOS and Windows. Current Arc Search help reviewed here does not document a browser-specific global JavaScript switch on iOS or iPadOS. Apple documents Settings -> Apps -> Safari -> Advanced -> JavaScript as a Safari setting, so this guide does not present that path as an Arc Search control.

Will my Chrome profile import to Arc keep JavaScript settings?

Do not assume so. Arc's current import documentation lists items such as bookmarks, passwords, history, and extensions, but the help reviewed here does not document importing Chrome's global or per-site JavaScript permissions. After an import, open Arc's visible Chromium site-permission settings, review the JavaScript state, and test any important site. Treat an internal arc://settings shortcut as build-dependent.

Olumide Damilola Olumide Damilola Updated: 2026-05-05
Olumide is a longtime writer who started his career as a digital marketer before transitioning into a copywriter almost eight years ago.
Read more ›