Google Chrome’s uBlock Origin phaseout has begun

Google Chrome has begun to phase out uBlock Origin. The developer of the free ad blocker, Raymond Hill, recently reposted a screenshot that shows Chrome automatically turning off uBlock Origin because it is “no longer supported.”

Hill says you may notice a difference when using uBlock Origin Lite compared to uBlock Origin depending on the websites you visit and the extension’s configuration. That’s because uBlock Origin Lite has more limited filtering capabilities than uBlock Origin, as the Manifest V3 spec puts restrictions on the Declarative Net Request API used by ad-blocking extensions.

“In general, uBOL will be less effective at dealing with websites using anti-content blocker or minimizing website breakage because many filters can’t be converted into DNR [Declarative Net Request] rules,” Hill explains in the FAQ.

In an emailed statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Scott Westover said over 93 percent of “actively maintained” extensions in the Chrome Web Store are using Manifest V3. “The top content filtering extensions all have Manifest V3 versions available — with options for users of AdBlock, Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin and AdGuard,” Westover said.

Update, October 15th: Added a statement from Google.