Google continues its rollout of steadily disabling uBlock Origin and different Manifest V2-based extensions within the Chrome net browser as a part of its efforts to push customers to Manifest V3-based extensions.
For these unaware, Manifest V3 is Chrome’s newest extension specification and is designed to restrict extension entry to person community requests, block builders from using distant content material, and enhance general efficiency.
Whereas Manifest V3 is meant to learn finish customers, it comes at the price of performance, as it imposes stricter limitations on browser extensions, significantly advert blockers and privacy-focused instruments.
As a result of this, some immensely common Google Chrome extensions, like uBlock Origin, are actually steadily being routinely turned off in customers’ browsers worldwide.
Simply immediately, a few of BleepingComputer’s units discovered that uBlock Origin was routinely disabled, stating it was now not supported. Our solely choices have been to take away the extension or handle it.
Whereas the primary possibility removes the extension from Chrome, the second merely redirects you to the extensions web page.
Supply: BleepingComputer
In a Reddit thread from yesterday, different Google Chrome customers additionally identified that uBlock Origin and different unsupported extensions are actually routinely being turned off.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t look like the case for everybody, as some units utilized by BleepingComputer proceed to make use of uBlock with none points.
Google is steadily killing off Manifest V2 extensions
Google has beforehand informed BleepingComputer that the disabling of Manifest V2 extensions is a gradual rollout course of, which is why the extensions should work for some customers.
For many who want extra time, Google will let the enterprise and sure customers proceed utilizing Manifest V2 extensions till June 2025 via a particular group coverage. For everybody else, the rollout of Manifest V3 is already in progress, and Chrome will hold encouraging customers to maneuver away from older extensions.
In case you’re affected by Google’s Manifest V2 deprecation, you’ll be able to swap to Manifest V3-supported extensions, such because the uBlock Origin Lite (uBOL), which the uBlock Origin developer has created.
Nonetheless, in case you desire uBlock Origin’s superior filtering, you could discover the Lite model too restricted.
BleepingComputer emailed Google with questions on this gradual rollout, why it was accomplished this manner, and when the rollout will likely be accomplished. We’ll replace the story if we obtain a response.