Google is disabling the original uBlock Origin ad blocker for more Chrome browser users, alongside other extensions that are no longer supported as the browser migrates to its new extension specification, Manifest V3. According to Google, the new standard aims to improve privacy and security, but also removes a feature that some ad blocking extensions relied on to work — a compromise that Mozilla is unwilling to make for its own Firefox browser. 

Users online are reporting on Reddit and X that Chrome is removing outdated extensions. In Chrome, a notification window will appear underneath the extensions tab on the browser taskbar with a message encouraging users to remove the impacted add-on, saying it has been turned off and is “no longer supported.” Two buttons are available that allow users to either quickly delete or manage their extensions.

Google’s uBlock Origin phaseout on Chromium-based browsers began in October, but started to have a wider impact in recent weeks. Bleeping Computer has also reported that extensions on staffers devices are being turned off, and Verge staffers have seen similar updates on our own machines.

These changes come as Google migrates Chrome away from the now defunct Manifest V2 specification. Support is being killed not just for uBlock Origin, but for any extension that hasn’t (or is unable to) update to Manifest V3. uBlock Origin users can switch to uBlock Origin Lite, which has more limited filtering capabilities than its predecessor due to Manifest V3’s ad blocking restrictions.

Chrome won’t be the only service affected by the Manifest V3 rollout — other Chromium-based web browsers like Microsoft Edge are also losing V2 support and Brave says it can only offer “limited” support once all Manifest V2 items are removed from the Chrome Web Store. Mozilla says that Firefox will continue offering both extension specifications, however, potentially giving uBlock Origin users a new browser to relocate to.

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