Google Chrome users are facing increasingly limited options for effective ad blocking following the tech giant’s completion of its transition to the Manifest V3 extension platform. The shift, finalized in late 2024 and culminating in the disabling of all remaining Manifest V2 extensions in July 2025, has effectively removed the full version of the popular uBlock Origin extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Manifest V3 replaced the webRequest API – a key component of uBlock Origin’s functionality – with the declarativeNetRequest API. Google has stated the change was implemented for security and performance improvements, but developers of content blockers argue the new API significantly restricts their ability to effectively block ads, and trackers. The declarativeNetRequest API imposes limits on the number of filter rules that can be applied, and lacks the dynamic filtering capabilities previously available.
uBlock Origin, known for its efficiency and low CPU and memory usage, previously relied on the webRequest API to intercept and block network requests in real-time. The new rule limits, initially set at 30,000 and later increased to 330,000, are insufficient for comprehensive blocking, according to developers.
For Chrome users, a limited version of uBlock Origin, dubbed uBlock Origin Lite, is now available. Though, this version sacrifices key features, including the ability to use all filter lists simultaneously, cosmetic filtering in default mode, and scriptlet injection. It similarly requires broader host permissions upfront.
The situation differs for users of other browsers. The full version of uBlock Origin continues to function on Firefox and Brave, which have not yet implemented similar restrictions.
Alternatives to uBlock Origin, such as AdBlock, remain available for Chrome. AdBlock, used by over 60 million users worldwide, offers comprehensive ad-blocking, privacy protection by disabling third-party tracking, and enhanced security against malicious ads. The Ghostery adblocker is also available as a JavaScript library, designed for efficiency and compatibility with various environments, including Puppeteer, Electron, and WebExtensions. It supports 99% of filters from Easylist and uBlock Origin projects.
The changes have prompted discussion among users regarding the effectiveness of remaining ad-blocking solutions and potential workarounds. A recent Reddit thread in the r/Adblock forum discussed techniques for bypassing ad-blocking restrictions, though the long-term viability of such methods remains uncertain.
As of February 25, 2026, Google has not indicated any plans to revisit the limitations imposed by Manifest V3, leaving the future of comprehensive ad blocking on Chrome unresolved.
