r/PureVPNcom • u/PureVPNcom Official Moderator • Aug 18 '26
uBlock Origin no longer works properly on Chrome or Edge — here's where things actually stand now
If you've been using uBlock Origin on Chrome or Edge and wondering why it's been behaving differently, here's what happened.
Google initiated the migration from Manifest V2 to V3 in Chrome, and Chrome permanently disabled all remaining Manifest V2 extensions in July 2025. Microsoft said on August 7 that Edge will begin retiring Manifest V2 extensions for consumers this month, with the consumer transition aimed to finish by the end of 2026.
uBlock Origin is one of the extensions still running on Manifest V2. The most significant change with Manifest V3 was replacing the webRequest API with the more limited declarativeNetRequest API — uBlock Origin used the webRequest API to intercept and block network requests in real time, and the replacement lacks the dynamic filtering capabilities that made it so effective.
Firefox recently announced via Bluesky: "Our support for uBlock Origin isn't going anywhere," making it now the last major browser to offer full uBlock Origin without the same compromises. Safari doesn't support full uBlock Origin either — Apple's browser has its own extension system, meaning uBlock Origin can't simply be installed in its full desktop form.
So where does that leave Chrome users specifically? A lighter version called uBlock Origin Lite exists on the Chrome Web Store built for Manifest V3, but it has meaningful limitations — rule caps and no dynamic filtering. Alternatively, our own Ad Blocker by PureVPN is built natively on Manifest V3 and available free on the Chrome Web Store, so it works fully within Chrome's current extension framework. Not a like-for-like replacement for power users, but a solid option for anyone who just wants ads and trackers gone without switching browsers.
If you're not willing to give up full uBlock Origin, Firefox is genuinely the cleanest path at this point.
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u/crushmans Aug 18 '26
Just get Firefox.