Google Chrome is Killing Off Popular Ad Blockers Soon

Google Chrome is removing the last workarounds that allowed some older ad blockers to keep running after the browser’s move to Manifest V3.

The change marks another major step in Chrome’s long-running shift away from Manifest V2, the older extension system used by popular ad blockers such as uBlock Origin.

What Is Changing

Google has already moved Chrome extensions to Manifest V3, a newer extension framework focused on privacy, security, and tighter permissions.

However, some users continued using older Manifest V2-based extensions through hidden flags and technical workarounds.

A new Chromium commit removes support for the kExtensionManifestV2Disabled flag. The code was described as dead code because Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions.

This flag had effectively acted as one of the final loopholes for keeping older Manifest V2 extensions alive.

Impact On Ad Blockers

The change mainly affects older Manifest V2-based ad blockers. uBlock Origin is one of the most well-known examples because its full version was built around Manifest V2.

Chrome users who want to keep using ad blockers will need to rely on Manifest V3-compatible alternatives, such as uBlock Origin Lite or other updated extensions.

The move does not mean every ad blocker will stop working in Chrome. It means older Manifest V2 ad blockers and related workarounds are being removed.

Chrome 150 And 151

Chrome 150, expected later this month, will remove the main workaround linked to ExtensionManifestV2Disabled.

Chrome 151, expected in July, is set to remove other remaining Manifest V2-related flags, including ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported, ExtensionManifestV2Availability, and AllowLegacyMV2Extensions.

After these changes, Chrome will no longer keep the remaining technical paths that allowed users to continue running Manifest V2 extensions.

Google’s Reason

A Google engineer said Manifest V2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome.

The company is removing the remaining functionality because of technical debt, complexity, and security risks.

Google also said it has found bugs specific to Manifest V2 recently, making continued support harder to maintain.

Other Browsers

The change could also affect other Chromium-based browsers. However, Google’s comment notes that other browsers can continue supporting Manifest V2 extensions if they choose.

Microsoft Edge and Opera may follow Chrome’s direction, but support will depend on how each browser handles Manifest V2 going forward.

End Of The Road

Chrome’s Manifest V3 transition has been criticized for weakening older ad blockers by changing how extensions can block content.

Google says the new system improves security and privacy, while critics argue that it limits the effectiveness of advanced ad-blocking tools.

With Chrome 150 and 151, Google is now closing the remaining loopholes and making Manifest V3 the only path forward for Chrome extensions.