Google has completed its transition away from Manifest V2 extensions, removing all remaining MV2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store. The action affects uBlock Origin, described as “one of the most capable and widely respected content blockers ever built for the web,” along with numerous other extensions.
According to Google, “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.” The Chrome Web Store team has notified affected extension developers of the removal.
The impact extends beyond Google Chrome users. The Chrome Web Store is the dominant extension marketplace for all Chromium-based browsers, including Brave. Users of these non-Chrome browsers relied on the Web Store to discover and install extensions. With the removal complete, users can no longer find or install MV2 extensions through the Chrome Web Store, even if their Chromium-based browser continues to support the older extension format.
In response, Brave has taken steps to preserve access to popular MV2 extensions. The Brave browser team is hosting four MV2 extensions on its own backend: AdGuard, uBlock Origin, uMatrix, and NoScript. Users can easily enable these extensions in their Brave installation without relying on the Chrome Web Store.
Google’s rationale for the transition to Manifest V3 centers on security and privacy improvements. According to the source, the company argues that MV3 “provides stronger security, privacy, performance, and tighter control over what extensions are allowed to do.” Given the extensive access browser extensions can have to user browsing activity, Google frames these concerns as legitimate technical problems requiring resolution.
Key facts
- Google has removed all Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store, completing a multi-year transition
- uBlock Origin, a widely used content blocker, is among the removed extensions
- Existing MV2 extensions on Chrome 138 or earlier will continue to work but cannot receive updates or be reinstalled
- The removal affects users of all Chromium-based browsers that rely on the Chrome Web Store, not just Chrome
- Brave is hosting four popular MV2 extensions (AdGuard, uBlock Origin, uMatrix, NoScript) on its own backend to preserve access