 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
| Zen Browser | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=logo}  | |
 Zen Browser 1.8.2b onmacOS | |
| Developer | Zen Browser Team[1] |
| Initial release | July 11, 2024[2] |
| Stable release | |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | C++,JavaScript,CSS,HTML |
| Engine | Gecko |
| Operating system | Windows,macOS,Linux |
| License | Mozilla Public License 2.0 |
| Website | zen-browser |
Zen Browser is afree and open-sourcefork ofMozilla Firefox introduced in 2024,[4][5] with a focus on privacy,customizability, and design.
Zen includes many of the layout changes and features associated with theChromium-basedweb browserArc.[6] After The Browser Company announced the Arc browser was no longer going to receive new features, Zen has been considered a major alternative[7] and a continuationin spirit.[8]
It is licensed under the terms of theMozilla Public License 2.0.[9]
Zen Browser is compatible withMicrosoft Windows,macOS andLinux.[10] It previously had three download options: optimized, made for newer systems; generic, made for older systems; and ARM64, made for devices that run onARM64 architectures. The optimized version usedAdvanced Vector Extensions 2, aCPUinstruction set that enhances performance for certain tasks. This instruction set is available only on modern processors.[11][non-primary source needed] The optimized builds were discontinued in December 2024 due to high power consumption, user confusion, and incompatibility with otherClang optimizations.[12][non-primary source needed]
The Linux version is available for download as aFlatpak,AppImage and as aTarball. The macOS and Windows version are available forx86_64 and ARM64.[citation needed]
Zen is compatible with Firefoxbrowser extensions, and offersbrowser synchronization through a Mozilla account.[6]
Zen Browser presents a vertical list oftabs in asidebar[5]—a design pattern associated with Arc, though also present in earlier browsers such asVivaldi andMicrosoft Edge.[6] This sidebar can be displayed on the left or right side of thewindow,[6] and there is a Compact Mode that auto-hides it.[13]
Zen can be grouped into workspaces,[5][6] which separates tabs within the same window and shows one set at a time, allowing for grouping by topic or project.[13] Similarly toOpera, tabs can be pinned separately in specific workspaces.
Tabs in the same workspace can be displayed together in Split View,[5] atiled interface within a single Zen window.[6]
Glance[5] opens alink in amodal view that is more easily dismissed than a new tab.[13] It is invoked byclicking a link while holding amodifier key. The feature is based on Arc's Peek function (confused with tabless "Little Arc" windows in several reviews).[14]
Tabfolders were added in August 2025.[15] Tab folders are similar to tab groups found in other browsers like Chrome and Firefox, with the key difference that tab folders can benested.
Zen Browser'suser interface can bethemed withcolor gradients and texture.[10]
Zen Mods (formerly called Themes Store) is a collection ofuser-generatedtheme add-ons designed to further customize Zen's interface.[4][5][13] As of February 12, 2025, 79 mods are available.[10]
Zen Browser has been commended for its similar feature set to Arc in an open-source, non-Chromium environment, and for iterating on Firefox during a period of perceived stagnation.
Liam Proven fromThe Register praised Zen for being "free ofGoogle code", having moreusable implementations of Arc's features, and being compatible with older versions ofoperating systems, focusing on the vertical tab bar and tiling capabilities.[6]
Jack Wallen ofZDNet recommended Zen for improving on Firefox's customization and tab management, listing several Zen Mods to indicate its customizability.[5][10]
Writing forXDA, Adam Conway considered Zen to "combine the best ofFloorp, Vivaldi, Firefox, andChrome", noting the developer's willingness to add popularly requested features, and emphasizing the browser's detachment fromGoogle's "web rendering monopoly". Conway described incompatibility withDRM-protected content as the "only major downside", while suggesting thatsoftware bugs that had drawn earlier criticism had been corrected.[8]
