Google Pulls All Manifest V2 Extensions from Chrome Web Store, Including uBlock Origin
Google Has Removed MV2 Extensions from the Chrome Web Store, Including UBO
Google has completed its long-planned migration to Manifest V3 by removing all remaining Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store. This includes uBlock Origin, a widely used content blocker. Existing installations on Chrome 138 or earlier will keep working but won't receive updates or be reinstallable. The removal also affects Chromium-based browsers like Brave, which rely on the Chrome Web Store. In response, Brave is hosting four popular MV2 extensions—AdGuard, uBlock Origin, uMatrix, and NoScript—on its own servers, allowing users to enable them easily. Google cites improved security, privacy, and performance as reasons for the transition.
Manifest V2 extensions installed on Chrome 138 or earlier will remain installed, but will be unable to receive any updates and cannot be reinstalled from the Chrome Web Store once removed from Chrome.
- beloch
Ad blocking has become a safety issue. My parents are at an age where they fall for things. If a malicious ad pops up and offers to install McAfee, some other form of crapware, or outright scamware, they'll click that ad and install the thing. Then I'll get called over when the computer starts acting screwy. If Google, MS, etc. had ever gotten together and developed a way to filter malicious ads out of their own ad services, maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation. They didn't do that and probably never will.
If my parents get a new machine, the first thing I do is uninstall or, at least, delete the icons for Edge, Chrome, etc.. On goes Firefox, uBlock Origin, and a couple other extensions. They don't care what browser they use. They can't even name it. I just try to make sure they use a browser that isn't horribly unsafe.
We should all do this for people we care about. Don't ask them what browser they prefer. Odds are they don't know or care. Don't try to convince them to install Firefox themselves. They won't. Just do it for them. Think of it like picking up a rusty nail that's on their lawn. Sooner or later they're going to step on that thing if you don't.
- Night_Thastus
I know Firefox's share of browser share has dwindled to almost nothing. I know sooner or later, well within my lifetime, it will be gone.
But I will keep using it until they pry it from my hands. And if they do, I'll use forks until those break down too. I can't stand Google, or what Chrome has become. No single company should have such unilateral control over the internet and its information.
- gardnr
I remember in 2010 when Chrome made the web so much better for everyone. All the early adopters were singing its praise and encouraging friends and family to use it.
Now, I encourage people to use anything but Chrome. Firefox is really great these days.
- Lovesong
Few years ago when google announced their MV2 plan I moved to Firefox. I don't think in all this time I ever missed Chrome for anything in particular outside of maybe 1 or 2 websites that didn't have proper support.
Switch to Firefox if you haven't already really.
- cisc
The solution is to use Firefox. uBlock Origin always worked best in Firefox anyway:
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/uBlock-Origin-works-b...
- rickette
I'm fairly happy with uBlock Origin Lite. Sure the original was better but this one does the job as well. uBlock Origin Lite is a MV3 extension, by the same author.
- Karupan
I’m irrationally angry with Mozilla for the way they’ve handled Firefox over the past few years. Clearly we need an independent, safe browser and there are no major alternatives for the common folk. Just let me pay a monthly fee to keep Firefox lean and fast instead of jamming AI tools and 3rd party integrations.
- mrd3v0
One Google doom over, another to go: https://keepandroidopen.org/
- chrysoprace
There's never been a better time to switch to Firefox. Hopefully soon we'll have another player in this space with Ladybird but for now, Firefox is almost necessary to use the internet unimpeded.
There are also some good Firefox forks out there, and I have been daily driving Zen for nearly a year. However, Librewolf and Floorp are both good options if you don't like Firefox's defaults or their push for more AI features (which you can turn off, to be fair).
- malfist
Switch to firefox