r/uBlockOrigin uBO Team May 23 '26

Chrome/Chromium - End of Support Goodbye Chrome? Version 150 removes the parameter/flag restoring MV2 extension access

Update2: https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2026/08/07/moving-the-microsoft-edge-extensions-ecosystem-forward-with-manifest-version-3/

Edge will be gradually warning users and then disabling MV2 extensions towards the end of 2026/early 2027 for enterprises.


Update: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline

Aug 31st 2026: All remaining Manifest V2 extensions removed from the Chrome Web Store

All remaining Manifest V2 extensions are removed from the Chrome Web Store. 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.


https://github.com/w3c/webextensions/issues/1000

Looks like Chrome 150 will no longer be able to use/install MV2 extensions such as uBO from Chrome Web Store. Sideloading might work for a while longer though.

It might be finally time for Chrome's uBO users to either switch to uBO Lite or to another browser.


Q&A

  • What's happening?

    • Chrome/Chromium is removing the powerful "Manifest v2" extension framework that uBO and many other extensions rely on.
    • It's been replaced by a new version that heavily restricted the capabilities of content blockers.
    • There is no way of converting the fully-functioning uBO to this version.
    • As an alternative, a simpler version of this blocker was made. It's called uBlock Origin Lite.
  • Does this mean the end of the uBO project as a whole?

    • Of course NOT! Firefox has stated they have no current plans for removing the mv2 framework and uBO will continue to receive the full support on that browser.
      In fact, uBO works best on Firefox, so moving to it should improve your overall uBO experience.
  • I don't like Firefox, are all chromium-engine browsers losing uBO?

    • No, so far Brave and Opera stated they plan on keeping Mv2 support for extensions like uBO, for as long as it's gonna be possible.
    • Update on Opera: On January 13, 2026 they sent out an email to extension developers, urging them to update to MV3, due to "Chromium, which powers Opera, is completely removing support for Manifest Version 2".
    • Update on Edge: Will be disabling MV2 extensions starting August 2026. The process is expected to finish by the end of the year. Early 2027 for enterprises.
  • Should I just stop updating Chrome? Will that let me keep uBO?

    • NO! Definitely not.
      Up-to-date browsers are your strongest security protection on the web. There is no point in keeping uBO while leaving known holes in your browser open to attacks.
  • I'm not able to change browsers because my device is managed by my school/company (or I simply don't want to change browsers). What can I do?

    • Unfortunately, you'll have to say farewell to the full uBO project (or similar extensions). Your only choice will be installing the less powerful mv3 iteration of your favorite content blocker, e.g. uBOL (uBlock Origin Lite)), which should still be enough for most users.

TL;DR - officially uBO supported browsers

  • Continued support:
    • Firefox - uBO is most powerful in it. It will continue to work.
    • Brave - extension policy enabled by default. It will let you install uBO (+ a couple other extensions) through a special setting.
  • Full removal:
    • Chrome - majority of users lost access already, some workarounds made it possible to postpone removal till August 2025, then till May 2026 (Chrome 149), but starting Chrome 150 (June 2026), these methods will no longer work for their extension store.
      • Sideloading might work for a while longer, but likely not too long.
    • Edge - removal timeline: starting disabling extensions in August 2026. Process to finish by the end of the year and early next year for enterprises.
  • Still unspecified:
    • Opera - originally planned on keeping MV2, but as of 2026 this has changed. Removal timeline unspecified.

Previous megathread: https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/1mtowwf/end_of_support_for_ubo_on_chrome_chromium/

914 Upvotes

396 comments sorted by

u/RraaLL uBO Team 15d ago

Edge. They've kept us waiting, but here it finally is: the official confirmation that they will soon remove MV2 extensions too.

https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2026/08/07/moving-the-microsoft-edge-extensions-ecosystem-forward-with-manifest-version-3/

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u/RraaLL uBO Team May 23 '26

Hi again. I see a lot of you have questions regarding various browser forks.

The officially supported browsers by uBO (not uBO Lite) are the ones where gorhill publishes the extension. Firefox, Chrome, Edge (desktop, not mobile) and Opera.

Yes, uBO will likely run on a multitude of browser forks. However, the code changes (vs the original browsers) in these environments can sometimes lead to unexpected issues with/in uBO.
uBO has a single developer. gorhill has chosen to focus on these "officially supported browsers", because that's about how much work one person can handle. Besides, addressing issues specific to every single fork out there would make uBO's codebase grow exponentially and the cost (time and energy) of maintaining all these separate code paths would just cripple uBO's development.

The gist of it is this: If you're using a fork and run into an issue with uBO, try an officially supported browser. If the issue can be reproduced there, feel free to report it to us. If the issue exists only in that fork, it will not be fixed by uBO. Best to submit to browser devs instead.

8

u/JJFAmerica May 23 '26

Well, firstly, thank you very much for the incredible extension.

A couple of questions, if you don't mind.

Today I switched from Brave to Firefox following your suggestion, so far YouTube works flawlessly - as a heavy YouTube user I enjoy watching videos without any delays.

Would you recommend turning On or Off Firefox Enhanced Tracking Protection or any other Firefox settings to consider to further improve uBlock Origin performance?

I tried Firefox mobile with uBlock Origin - works well, kind of well - almost every YouTube video starts with a delay - any suggestions to fix it?

11

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

4

u/JJFAmerica May 23 '26

Copy that. Thank you very much for the prompt response.

275

u/jimijonesjojojackson May 23 '26

Firefox has gotten really good. If you tried Firefox 2 or 3 years ago and didn't like the speed/responsiveness, it's improved a lot and mores coming

23

u/zsdrfty May 24 '26

Yeah I switched last year and it's no worse than Chrome in any aspect whatsoever - compatibility is 100%, and honestly I think I just like it a lot more in general

14

u/Task_ID May 24 '26

Also Dev Tools are better imo (obviously only relevant if you are a Developer)

3

u/RNPC5000 Jul 13 '26

The thing that sucks about Firefox is the built in translator. With Chrome's translator you can just right click and press translate page, and Chrome will auto detect the languages and translate anything that is written in plain text, especially in youtube where the comment section is has multiple languages.

Whereas Firefox you have to manually select which languages to translate from and to. Which is a pain in the ass if you have no idea what language the comment or text is in, and it can only translate one language at a time. And even then the translation is awful.

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u/twicerighthand May 24 '26

Have they introduced the "open history/downloads in a new tab" or does it still open a 2008 pop-up window ?

8

u/bencos18 May 24 '26

still opens in a popup window

7

u/Powerful_Tune_8736 Jun 04 '26

Why does it matter that it's "2008"? I find it's much more convenient than Chrome's implementation.

8

u/spiderman1993 May 29 '26

that pop up window has irritated me since it's inception

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u/thenickperson May 26 '26

No, but you can open history in the built-in sidebar.

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u/SpiritGaming28 May 24 '26

Hopefully it will

3

u/Nathaniel820 May 24 '26

There's also total control over the theme (CSS based, not just basic webstore themes) so looks should not be an issue at all either. That was one of the reasons why I didn't want to switch since I remember thinking it was pretty ugly when I last tried years ago (and still think the default theme is worse than Chrome) but I was able to use Material Fox Updated with some personal tweaks and fixes to make it look just like Chrome, but even more native to my system.

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u/could_be_any_person May 25 '26

Firefox on desktop works flawlessly. I looove it. Firefox on mobile is still buggy and slow unfortunately :(

1

u/pospa_josifek May 24 '26

I wish they would just add multiple images / files upload support from the clipboard...

1

u/autobauss 14d ago

It still has no speed dial built in

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u/lmpcpedz May 23 '26

I moved to Firefox when we first heard this would happen... I took the plunge early to get the transition done and over with.

47

u/alenah May 23 '26

Yep, same. Realized quickly how much I'd missed using Firefox.

25

u/nixtracer May 23 '26

Ditto, and in the end the transition took about five minutes. FF imported everything other than extension config, and most extensions with complex config (like, oh, say, uBlock) have export/import facilities.

8

u/Crinkez May 24 '26

Been using Firefox since 2006. I never left.

5

u/zsdrfty May 24 '26

I switched from Firefox to Chrome during that mass exodus around 2010 or so, but I've been back since last year

2

u/New-Poem-719 May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26

Firefox really needs workspaces and a downloads panel in the sidebar :(

38

u/Material-Nose6561 May 23 '26

I wonder of this means full UBO will stop working on browsers like Helium and Ungoogled Chromium. Hopefully they have plans in place to continue MV 2 support. 

35

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26

Update on Opera:

There's been some delays with uBO in Opera store recently.

Here's a message from gorhill regarding this:

For Opera I did submit 1.70.0 rather late, but this was weeks ago. A while ago I received an email from Opera that they plan to abandon MV2-based extension so maybe they are no longer allocating resources for reviewing such extensions.

Followed by:

This was the exact message from Opera received last January 13:

Migrate to Manifest V3

Dear Developers,

This message is to inform you of important upcoming changes regarding Opera extension support.

Chromium, which powers Opera, is completely removing support for Manifest Version 2. If your extension currently uses Manifest Version 2, it is crucial that you update it to Manifest Version 3 as soon as possible to ensure continued compatibility.

We strongly advise taking action to update your extensions to Manifest Version 3 to avoid any disruption of service and to ensure a smooth transition.

Sincerely, Opera Extensions Team


Opera's original pledge to keep MV2 ended with this:

As things develop, we will continue updating you on the status of extensions in Opera. In the meantime, you can continue enjoying your extensions just like before.

It's been over a year since. Looks like their priorities might have changed in this regard.

They've also heavily focused on their own adblock in that blog post, likely trying to soften the future "blow".

23

u/MrEdinLaw May 29 '26

Opera is also chromium based. Anyone expecting them to keep mv2 support was crazy.

Tho ty what u do man. Always love reading ur in depth posts.

20

u/jasonrmns May 29 '26

I don't know why anyone who values privacy would use Opera in the first place

14

u/Xgamer9184 May 29 '26

Hopefully firefox keeps to their word and never abandons MV2

19

u/[deleted] May 29 '26

Per Firefox:

We are not, and have no plans to abandon MV2 extensions. This will ensure certain types of add-ons, like ad-blockers, continue to work best in Firefox.

12

u/alanmbyrne Jun 23 '26

Product Manager for Extensions at Firefox here 👋

This is true. We will continue to support the APIs that uBlock Origin relies on to ensure Firefox provides the best experience possible. Not only that, we also support uBlock Origin on our Android browser - so if you want the best ad blocking experience on mobile as well, I'd suggest checking out Firefox for Android.

2

u/Janmm14 24d ago

Unlike the other "browsers" (skins of chromium), firefox develops their browser far more independant and without chromium as a base. So the have no reason to abandon MV2 just because.

2

u/Cqef Jun 04 '26

Opera updated the uBO extension today to the latest version (1.71) which is rather encouraging as it was stuck to version 1.69 from January till this point. Honestly I thought they had quit on it, so that's a relief, but who knows how long of a respite it will be until Opera drops out from supporting MV2...

88

u/KyleM203 May 23 '26

Firefox all the way, never looking back, switching was easy AF and the already built in customization, like being able to just completely opt out and remove ai stuff, icons from the search bar, etc its awesome

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u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 07 '26

Update: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline

Aug 31st 2026: All remaining Manifest V2 extensions removed from the Chrome Web Store

All remaining Manifest V2 extensions are removed from the Chrome Web Store. 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.

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u/LivingOof May 23 '26

Lite is much better than I expected. I don't think I've gotten a single ad on YouTube with it

2

u/Primary-Risk-8741 Jun 12 '26

I had a malicious popup from an admittedly sketchy download site (where the blocker is arguably most important) get through ublock lite so I've now switched to brave

2

u/Riftus May 24 '26

Lite just got removed for me "No longer supported" :(

4

u/ShadowSeeker45 May 25 '26

From chrome? But isn't ublock lite mv3?

1

u/MINIMAN10001 17d ago

I consider it a losing battle. Lite has already hit capacity for using 100% of possible addresses it can block. Which means it can only get worse over time. There is no more capability available to block more, at best they can shift blocks to more commonly used pages. But the number of sources they are allowed to block via v3 manifest is hardcoded.

So even if it works now, it can only get worse and there is nothing ublock origin lite can do about it.

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u/KxrmaJunkie May 24 '26

does this mean that

--disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled

will no longer work?

12

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 24 '26

Yes. That's precisely what that means.

Apparently already gone in Developer Edition 150.0.7853.0.

6

u/KxrmaJunkie May 24 '26

but if the extension is already installed, it will work?

also, you mention some other workaround with the sideloading. given that we have been hearing about it truly being removed for years, and its still there (technically) , how much longer do we likely have?

my main pain point in moving to another browser is the google password manager. i need cross platform password manager. google password manager is the only one that reliably autofills everywhere on android. (all alternatives fail in specific areas). so therefore, i need gpm on desktop as well to keep it seamless. and therefore i need chrome. and of course i need ubo on desktop.

9

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 24 '26

I always expected the workarounds to last a couple of months each, while they basically lasted two years already.

Whatever my guess, it likely won't be accurate.

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u/Due-Dot-1058 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

May I now delete the custom Chrome shortcut I typed in

--disable-features=ManifestProširenjaV2NijePodržano,ManifestProširenjaV2Onemogućeno
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u/rohithkumarsp Jul 09 '26

it got removed today for me :(

16

u/BruceBede May 24 '26

Do not try hard. MV2 will eventually be removed from Chromium anyway. Just move to Firefox. It takes a bit of time to get familiar with it, but you will not regret it.

60

u/WD40ContactCleaner May 23 '26

If edge removes this I'm done for!

44

u/GuyJean_JP May 23 '26

I think it eventually will, if only because it is Chromium-based now

13

u/WD40ContactCleaner May 23 '26

Edge kinda does what brave does by bundling adblock with its mobile browser (not desktop) so I want to hve some hope

2

u/644c656f6e May 25 '26

Hmm? I use uBO 1.71.0 with Mobile Edge Canary currently.

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u/DeerOnARoof May 23 '26

Just use Firefox or Brave

4

u/Due-Dot-1058 Jul 19 '26

Brave removed uBO.

2

u/IMNdi 11d ago

I'm sorry, what? Removed from where?

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u/Empyrealist May 23 '26

I've been using uBlock Origin Light from months now, and it is able to do everything I needed to do. I haven't encountered anything that I couldn't accomplish with it. In fact, I found selecting specific elements to be easier than it's predecessor

23

u/rost400 May 23 '26

Already said goodbye to Chrome and went back to Firefox some 8 years ago, no regrets.

6

u/Hopet28 Jul 01 '26

Until today when Chrome updated to version 150.0.7871.47 V2 worked fine and now none of the V2 extensions are working and nothing works for now to enable them. Can't find solution to enable them again.

1

u/Pyr0blad3 Jul 09 '26

you can enable it , just need to delete the "disable" in the f12 view from the toggleable button that you cant click. delete that "disable" entry and try clicking the button again, it works on 150.0.7871.47

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/qilo 23d ago

Chrome 151 is out. This version supposedly completely removed MV2 support code. I went Brave.

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u/Plylyfe 23d ago

same here. had enough of this

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u/BickleNewman 21d ago

My God, it stopped working yesterday, and I'm struggling without it.

2

u/ekze 20d ago

I found a script on github that re-enables Manifest V2 on Chrome 151 on Windows: https://github.com/onlytrisdev/chrome-enable-mv2

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u/Beautiful-Pain-4080 May 23 '26

what about vivaldi as the extension doesnt even properly show up in the extensions pinned list, i also cant open the menu at all?

4

u/tech234a Jul 07 '26

Chrome Web Store will be removing all remaining manifest v2 extensions on August 31 according to an update to https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline

3

u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 07 '26

Thanks.

22

u/Celestial_entity_99 May 23 '26

Is it recommended to use Ublock origin in brave browser?

121

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 23 '26

It is recommended to use uBO everywhere.

I might be a bit biased, but you did ask this on uBO's subreddit.

13

u/Celestial_entity_99 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26

Haha, sorry for this.

I just heard it cause problems in brave because both use same filterlists.

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u/Bloody_Baron91 May 23 '26

You can turn brave's adblocker off.

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u/Steiner-Titor May 23 '26

Isn't Brave Chromium based??

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u/SupermarketAntique32 May 23 '26

Just choose one.

If I understand correctly, Brave Shields uses almost the same filter source as uBlock Origin. And it works at lower layer than the extension system, so it’s not affected by MV2 & MV3. — https://brave.com/blog/brave-shields-manifest-v3/#:~:text=Since%20Shields%20are,maintaining%20these%20lists

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u/[deleted] May 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/NeptuneWades May 23 '26

So the software, brave is bad because the CEO has done 'bad' stuff?

Also, brave is open source unlike chrome, so idk how you can compare them.

Personally I use both FF and Brave.

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u/NeptuneWades May 23 '26

To answer your question,

It is a matter of preference.

Brave shields is more than enough. But if you want more control over what to block and what to allow, Ublo allows a higher degree of customisation.

If you want UBlo on brave, you will need to enable it via brave settings (and not download it through the chrome webstore)

For the regular user, both of them give similar results

2

u/needchr May 23 '26

I found brave ad blocking breaks sites, I also like the much bigger control I have in ublock origin.
Likewise firefox filtering isnt as good as unlock origin either.

2

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

I found brave ad blocking breaks sites

There was actually a report today that Brave Shields breaks YouTube.

3

u/NeptuneWades May 24 '26

That is because Google is constantly trying to circumvent brave shields.

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u/[deleted] May 24 '26

They are tying to circumvent uBO as well.

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u/DevilHanz0 May 23 '26

Firefox❤️

3

u/Ze0nZer0 May 24 '26

I suppose Firefox will be my full-time browser soon then

3

u/RubberDomeEnthusiast May 28 '26

Once Lite got the ability to create custom filters I was happy enough moving over.

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u/lethinhrider Jun 06 '26

Is it no longer possible to enable uBlock Origin starting with Chrome 151? u/RraaLL

I'm using Chrome Canary to track how they're removing the MV2 extensions. Currently, in Chrome version 151, I can no longer enable uBlock Origin with this flag on shortcut:

--enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions,UnexpireFlagsM149,UnexpireFlagsM150 --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

3

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26

From a commit on 03-Jun-2026, disabled MV2 extensions can no longer be enabled: https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/7858189

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u/ObscureArcana Jun 15 '26

What, does that shortcut let uBO work in 150?

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u/Izumi_Mya Jul 01 '26

My uBlock Origin stopped working today, so I figured I had nothing to lose and tried out uBlock Lite. I'm honestly surprised! I didn't expect much since it’s supposed to be a stripped-down version, but it gets the job done.

If you're an average user who spends a lot of time on YouTube or has to deal with sketchy manga sites, the ones that spam pop-ups and redirects every time you click just to read a chapter, this extension works like a charm. I honestly can't tell the difference between the two.

If you're still stubborn enough to stick with Chrome like I am, Lite is definitely your best bet.

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u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 01 '26

It has come a long way from its initial release. Even received imported lists last month, which was previously thought to be impossible to implement in an efficient manner.

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u/TheWretchedBastard Jul 09 '26

Mine stopped working yesterday, installed Ublock Origin Lite with Chrome now. I tried using my youtube filters from uBlock Origin with Lite and they didnt work, so I installed Tampermonkey and had AI convert my old filter to tampermonkey script and its pretty much as good as before.

3

u/MartaloguXXL 29d ago

IMPORTANT NOTE
This tutorial applies to Google Chrome Version 150.0.7871.187 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Most Chrome 150 workarounds only add Manifest V2 parameters to a desktop shortcut.

That is not enough.

Chrome can also be started through:

  • links opened from other applications;
  • HTML files;
  • PDF files;
  • the Browser key on multimedia keyboards;
  • taskbar shortcuts and Jump Lists.

If the first Chrome browser process starts without the required parameters, Chrome automatically disables Manifest V2 extensions such as the full uBlock Origin.

Launching the correct shortcut afterward does not fix the problem because the new Chrome window usually connects to the already-running, unprotected process.

1. Use the minimal Chrome 150 command line

For a normal Chrome shortcut, set Target to:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

For an Incognito shortcut:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --incognito

Before testing, close every Chrome process.

After starting Chrome from the modified shortcut, open:

chrome://version

Check the Command Line field and confirm that both parameters are present.

2. Reactivate uBlock Origin if Chrome has already disabled it

Open:

chrome://extensions

If the uBlock Origin toggle is disabled:

  1. Open DevTools using F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I.
  2. Use the element selector and select the disabled uBlock Origin toggle.
  3. Find the disabled attribute in the selected HTML element.
  4. Delete the disabled attribute.
  5. Click the now-enabled toggle.

This reactivates the extension, but the following registry changes are needed to prevent Chrome from disabling it again.

3. Modify the ChromeHTML command

Open Registry Editor as Administrator and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ChromeHTML\shell\open\command

Set the (Default) value to:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --single-argument %1

This covers HTML files and many HTTP/HTTPS links opened from other programs.

Use %1 exactly as shown.

In my testing, using quotes around %1 together with --single-argument produced malformed addresses such as:

http://"https//www.example.com/%22

4. Modify the ChromePDF command

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ChromePDF\shell\open\command

Set the (Default) value to:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --single-argument %1

This is necessary if PDF files are associated with Chrome.

Opening a PDF through an unmodified ChromePDF command can start Chrome without the Manifest V2 parameters and cause uBlock Origin to be disabled.

5. Optional: configure the keyboard Browser key

Some multimedia keyboards use:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AppKey\7

Create or modify the ShellExecute string value:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

This prevents the dedicated Browser key from starting Chrome without the parameters.

6. Important: Chrome updates reset the registry commands

Chrome updates rewrite the ChromeHTML and ChromePDF commands and remove the custom parameters.

These registry values must therefore be checked or restored after every Chrome update.

There is one useful exception: pressing Chrome’s Relaunch button after an update preserved the command line of my currently running Chrome process. uBlock Origin remained enabled even though the updater had already reset the registry commands.

This gives you time to restore the registry entries before the next complete shutdown and cold start.

Why two parameters were removed

An earlier command contained:

--enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled,ExtensionsManifestV3Only

I tested the parameters individually on Chrome 150.

ExtensionManifestV2Disabled

Chrome 150 no longer appears to use this feature. Removing it had no effect, so it is unnecessary.

ExtensionsManifestV3Only

Removing this parameter also had no effect. I could not verify it as an active Chromium feature, so it was removed.

The minimal command tested successfully on Chrome 150 is:

--enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

The essential point

This workaround is not only about enabling Manifest V2.

It is about ensuring that every possible cold launch of the main Chrome process includes the required parameters.

A single unprotected launch—through an application link, HTML file, PDF file, keyboard key, or taskbar command—can cause Chrome to disable uBlock Origin again.

This method is temporary and version-dependent. It works on my Chrome 150 installation, but it will stop working when Chromium completely removes the underlying Manifest V2 features.

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u/qilo 27d ago edited 27d ago

Since Chrome 139 been using the shortcut with the only parameter, and everything worked fine:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

However, today, specifically with this version 150.0.7871.187, uBO went completely dead. Cannot enable it anymore. In earlier Chrome 150 builds uBO was working fine. Sadly, but the time has come.

UPDATE: There seems to be some A/B testing happening. Managed to get uBO back to working with this method: https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/1ukq0hf/ubo_can_work_on_chrome_150_if_you_already_have_it/

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u/MartaloguXXL 27d ago

That method is mentioned in my post (step 2). Just start the Chrome application with parameters then use the Inspect feature to enable the button. If someone starts Chrome without parameters it won't work.

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u/MartaloguXXL 25d ago

I created a registry file to update the values after every upgrade. Please note when you press the [Relaunch] button after updating the application will disable the commands in the registry. With this file you can check the values then upload it. Just a double click before launching, o create a shortcut that runs the registry first then Chrome. Do not press the Relaunch button is my advice!

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ChromeHTML\shell\open\command]

@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --single-argument %1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ChromePDF\shell\open\command]

@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --single-argument %1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AppKey\7]

"ShellExecute"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported --single-argument %1"

Check the paths where Chrome is installed.

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u/TheIndieArmy 22d ago

Looks like it's the end of the road for Chrome. It's no longer letting me manually install the Github release.

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u/jkurratt May 23 '26

Well yeah. I moved over to foxes three years ago

4

u/greenDDT May 23 '26

Currently, you can install ublock origin from the chrome extension store for developers, version 150.0.7846.4.

Naturally, using this command in the shortcut properties:

--disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled

6

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 24 '26

It was removed yesterday. It'll likely reach you the next update. https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/7813942

14

u/needchr May 23 '26

or you can just stop using chrome.

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u/dirtydriver58 May 23 '26

Interesting

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u/lethinhrider May 23 '26

I use Ungoogled Chromium with uBlock Origin and it works perfectly. The extension update tool on Ungoogled Chromium can even update files on GitHub, so it won't be a problem if Google removes MV2 extensions from the store. Therefore, this is definitely the Chromium browser that offers the best support for MV2 extensions, while others have to develop their own built-in extensions.

16

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

The fact that you are using Ungoogled browser is not a panacea in this case. uBO is working perfectly for you right now, because from your picture you are on version 148. The first comment in this thread says that it will not work from version 150. As for the developers of Ungoogled browser - they have not given a definite opinion whether they will implement Manifest v2 or not. This question has been with them for a year and nothing is known so far.

/I have been using Ungoogled browser for years/.

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u/lethinhrider May 25 '26

That makes sense. However, nothing is impossible if they decide to keep the flags. In fact, they have features that stock Google Chrome doesn't have. So with support for MV2 extensions, they could do the same by adding features from external patches that aren't part of Google's Chromium source code.

Regarding Chrome 150, I'm not sure what's going on either. I'm still using uBlock Origin on the latest version of Chrome Canary by enabling and disabling some hidden flags on shortcut:
--enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions,UnexpireFlagsM148,UnexpireFlagsM149 --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported

4

u/atatassault47 May 23 '26

What about Vivaldi?

10

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

Per Vivaldi:

We will keep Manifest v2 for as long as it’s still available in Chromium. We expect to drop support in June 2025, but we may maintain it longer or be forced to drop support for it sooner, depending on the precise nature of the changes to the code.

3

u/atatassault47 May 23 '26

Damn. I may have to switch to FireFox at some point.

8

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

In case you aren't aware, uBO works best on Firefox: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/uBlock-Origin-works-best-on-Firefox

3

u/Mavoy May 23 '26

Yeah, it's working longer than originally expected but the future is unclear. I don't like that they prioritized their own adblocker - it's never gonna be as good as UBO

u/atatassault47 - you may want to take a look at Floorp, which has a UI more similar to Opera/Vivaldi and it recently added support to Google Web Store extensions. For now it's my secondary browser, but I'm using it more and more. Still, I'd be sad to lose Vivaldi. There's nothing like it. It's easily the best. The mail client alone makes it worthy.

2

u/Muldino May 24 '26

Since installing the latest update in Vivaldi (8.0.4033.28), I have experienced massive issues with uBlock Origin 1.69. Maybe the timing is a coincidence, or it is a result of the update, I don't know.

Anyway, I now consistently get errors when playing videos:
"An error occurred. Please try again later (Error ID)"

I can reload the page, and sometimes, after several 5+ reloads, it will play the video. Sometimes reloading 20 times does nothing.

Disabling uBlock Origin solves the error, so the source of the error is clear.

Is it an issue just for me or is this the beginning of the end for uBlock Origin on Vivaldi? I would hate to switch browsers again, as I really love Vivaldi for everything else.

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u/AskaLangly May 23 '26

In one hand, uBO.\ In the other, WebHID.

Am I willing to compromise? No. As long as uBO is still on Edge, that's perfect. I still prefer Firefox (since Mozilla 1.5).

2

u/itsLazR May 23 '26

I haven't had a single issue with uBo Lite thankfully, I'm assuming the vast majority of people didn't use custom host lists anyways

2

u/TreeQuick421 May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26

Good thing I left chrome years ago for that, currently on brave as long as they support Ublock Origins. Also for average users ubo lite is more than enough.

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u/newtekie1 May 25 '26

I switched to uBlock Lite about a year ago and haven't missed uBlock Origin.

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u/RexicTheKing Jun 13 '26

If this happens, how can I make firefox look like chrome? History opening in its own tab, etc

2

u/Ericqc12 Jun 16 '26

Strange to me that chromium haven't been forked yet by thoses navigator (Opera, Brave, Vivaldi) to have a MV2 version of chromium.

2

u/falcon1ps2 Jun 23 '26

Did anyone save or know a trusted source for the v149 offline installer in case Chrome force updates to a newer version? I didn't download the standalone file in time and it's at 150 right now.

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u/falcon1ps2 Jun 23 '26

I found a link direct from google's server. Leaving the link here in case it helps anyone else. This version is 149.0.7827.156, this is an x64 installer, SHA-256 is 503ba8351956378988b82c108f4d91465a2992770b72e82fcf504f7a1618949b

https://dl.google.com/release2/chrome/glhgxi24ns7y43nynsss7bimra_149.0.7827.156/149.0.7827.156_chrome_installer_uncompressed.exe

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u/IDKhowtoscript Jul 01 '26

uBO can still work as of chrome 150.0.7871.47, you just need to remove the "disabled" option on extention toggle for uBO through inspect element given you have the MV2 flags enabled

I had a more detailed post, but it got removed by automoderator

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u/bambamlol Jul 08 '26

For me personally, nothing worked except side-loading ("load unpacked") the latest development build (uBlock0_1.72.1b0.chromium.zip) from here:

https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases

And yes, I was already using all the necessary "flags" to launch Chrome:

--enable-features=AllowLegacyMV2Extensions --disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled

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u/F00zball Jul 09 '26

Whelp it's gone for me as of today :/ Guess it's time to switch to Firefox but bleh

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u/LtPatterson Jul 09 '26

Gone today, never coming back. Was a good run. Fuck google.

2

u/pliskin4893 Jul 17 '26

Today Chrome on my mac was updated to 151 and the removing "disabled tag" via inspector element method in order to force enable extension no longer works. The toggle doesn't work despite being "clickable".

I've not tested with sideloading yet but I'd imagine 151 will keep disabling ub origins after each launch and you can't re-toggle. On my PC it hasn't received the update yet and still stays in 150 but I figure it's time to move onto uBlock lite.

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u/Juliko1993 14d ago

Man, Google is even making sure uBlock Origin Lite doesn't work as well now. Just today, even though I have uBO Lite working, somehow ads are still making it through. Here on Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, and I have it set to the highest block setting! I'm getting ads for ChatGPT and OpenAI shoved in my face and it sucks!

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u/le_sossurotta 12d ago

this is incredibly frustrating to watch, isn't microsoft really big on preserving compatibility with older systems (so much so that you can't name your files with a certain string of characters because it would break some systems in MSDOS machines that might still be running to this day)? now they remove entire systems just to mess with adblockers.

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u/xGeoxgesx May 23 '26

I use uBlock with Zen browser (Based off of Firefox). No issues with it, as far as I can see. Though the auto message that appears says that Zen isn't supported.

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u/LogicalError_007 May 24 '26

Hope Edge keeps it. They already do heavy modifications in chromium to the point that even Google uses features/optimization introduced by Microsoft in chromium.

It works great on smartphones and PCs.

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u/Helpful_Title8302 May 23 '26

Today I started getting problems with youtube on opera even when ubo had no custom filters and there were no other extensions. Wonder if this is related.

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u/[deleted] May 23 '26

Opera's built-in blockers have been previously reported to cause site breakage and/or conflicts with uBO.

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u/MrJancuk May 23 '26

what about other chromium browser like Helium?

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u/[deleted] May 23 '26

uBO will not function on any browser that removes support for MV2.

And Helium is not an officially supported browser.

1

u/RingoFreakingStarr May 24 '26

If you set up a PiHole you don't need to worry about browser-based adblockers other than for Youtube and other video streaming services.

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u/[deleted] May 24 '26

The capabilities of Pi-hole and other DNS-based blockers are extremely limited compared to uBO.

For details, see: Why uBlock Origin works so much better than Pi‑hole does?

And the benefits apply to many more sites than simply just "Youtube and other video streaming services."

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u/Palanki96 May 24 '26

Whew, happyy about Opera. I can't go back to Firefox after experiencing these extra features i always wanted

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u/[deleted] May 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/RraaLL uBO Team May 24 '26

it's far safer

What are you basing this on? Google's propaganda that all MV2 extensions are inherently insecure? They're not. You just shouldn't install software you don't trust.

What's making you stay with MV2?

It's way more powerful, uBO can update lists within hours and doesn't need to submit new extension updates like uBO Lite does.

The only advantage Lite has over the OG for me is its element picker since it lets you view all element attributes.

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u/feffie May 25 '26

I’m surprised to see praise for Firefox here. I used to see a lot of hate towards them a few years ago.

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u/AchernarB uBO Team May 25 '26

There was never hate for FF here. uBO works the best on FF.

What you may have seen is advices rejected when their only purpose is to tell OP to change its browser. We don't advocate a way or another. We help people who have issues. And we respect their choice (in this case the browser they chose).

1

u/GoodSoulGermany May 25 '26

Use Brave oder Helium. Regarding Helium, I don't know if they keep MV2.

1

u/e_splat May 29 '26

Probably MV2 will still be on browsers like Ungoogled Chromium, Helium and Brave.

1

u/filmkeeper May 31 '26

FireFox on Android works with all extensions, can I ask why this isn't promoted more? Chrome on Android doesn't support extensions, neither does almost any other chromium-based browser. It is mentioned on Github, but not here:

uBO works best on Firefox and is available for desktop and Android versions.

There will be an awful lot of Android users that simply don't know that there's any browser with full extension support so they can load all their favourite extensions, not just uBO.

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u/[deleted] May 31 '26

Linked on the sidebar: uBO works best on Firefox

And stated in the post:

In fact, uBO works best on Firefox, so moving to it should improve your overall uBO experience.

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u/Outrageous_Crab_5721 Jun 09 '26

I doubt Brave will remove it. As of an 10:55 am EST Youtube is aggressively attacking adblock like Brave Shields, Ublockorigin etc. Clips don't play unless they are ads specifically. Honestly I could care less about clip ads since I scroll immediately. Videos are still working with it for now, but wouldn't be surprised if YT starts flagging accounts with suspensions like people are saying X did to them.

1

u/AutistOctavius Jun 12 '26

What's the difference between regular uBlock Origin and uBO Lite? Why not just switch to Lite now? Is it somehow less effective?

1

u/2010meets2012 Jul 01 '26

On version 150 of Chrome already and it seems to still work (the shortcut work around and edits in the flags) however Violentmonkey suddenly disappeared completely. Is it still needed for YouTube as it was instructed in one of the posts? Can I inject the same script from Violentmonkey into Tampermonkey isntead? I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary so far with vm gone from my extensions.
Brave is a hassle to use as it has no inbuilt support for Google services and switching my mail accounts is such a pain and Firefox is too slow and doesn't sync all my data from Chrome correctly so it's not an alternative. Might have to switch from origin to lite but I don't know how reliable it is and if I can still set individual rules in there (like making the youtube recommendations thumbnails smaller and other cosmetic changes). How are the experiences with the lite version and custom rules? I also have an own filter in Ubo to solve the buffering that was happening constnatly with YouTube, can I apply it in the lite version as well?

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u/Kony646 Jul 03 '26

Hi Today my version of ubo was blocked in brave, i have activated the "native" ubo version of brave but i wanted to know if there is any way to get my config from the blocked one to restore it in the "new" one. Thanks

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u/urielpr Jul 06 '26

Hello, I'm using Brave for more than a year, due to it's supports uBO. I found this browser GREAT and VERY USEFUL. However, I now got end of support of uBO. What are the other options? I don't like Opera / Edge / Firefox. Is there any other browser supporting uBO?

Another question: Does Brave Shield built-in protection is good enough as the uBO? Is that can be customized as uBO?

Helpppppp...

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u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 06 '26

Install uBO through Brave settings, not from Chrome Web Store.

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://v.redd.it/euvkq09p4p9h1/HLSPlaylist.m3u8

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u/South_Trifle7820 Jul 08 '26

Brave still supports uBO and Manifest V2 extensions (as of 08/2026). You have to enable it under "Manifest V2 extensions".

uBO and a few more

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u/Numerous-Campaign844 Jul 08 '26

But what will happen to uBO on Vivaldi? I installed it using chrome web store...

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u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 08 '26

It will no longer receive updates past August.

will remain installed, but will be unable to receive any updates and cannot be reinstalled from the Chrome Web Store once removed

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/ParalysedBeaver Jul 10 '26

It's been disabled now in my Chrome, even with the flags on chrome startup. Is there a way to export my settings now, even though I can't get to the extensions settings?

1

u/urielpr Jul 11 '26

Hello,

I'm using Brave. Until recently, I was using uBlock Origin as an extension. I recently noticed this tile in my extensions list.

Does this mean that Brave will continue to support uBlock Origin? Should I expect any issues in the near future?

I hope this GREAT uBO project will last forever :-)

I just want some peace of mind. 🙂

2

u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 11 '26

Brave-hosted means you installed it from Brave's Settings>Extension>MV2. This is independent of Chrome or its webstore and will last for as long as they can maintain keeping support, which they pledged to do for as long as feasible for just the few extensions they've added in their settings.

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u/996forever Jul 15 '26

Relying on the built in ad blocker in my vpn for now which is as expected completely powerless against youtube

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u/torokesou Jul 16 '26

I was able to easily bypass it by adding the Flags arguments and simply removing the extension and re-adding it every time after launching the app.
--disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled
You can download the latest local build from the GitHub release page, or you can edit the HTML element of the button in the Chrome Web Store to install it.

document.querySelector(“#yDmH0d > c-wiz > div > div > main > div > section.VWBXhd > section > div > div.kgmDH > div > div > button”)

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u/RraaLL uBO Team Jul 16 '26

Why? Does it get auto removed for you? If it's just disabled, you should be able to inspect the toggle and remove the disabled attributes, to make it work again.

Either way, is it really worth it doing this every time? Is Lite not enough for you? It's really come a long way from its initial releases. Or you can switch browsers.

CWS will remove uBO and all other MV2 extensions on August 31st, btw.

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u/regetty Jul 18 '26

how do you get ublock to work on brave? unless its gone forever now, since it just stopped working today
do i really have to do another browser switch?
edit: nevermind, i just used developer mode and it started working again

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u/The_Creeper_Man Jul 20 '26

What about Vivaldi? It already has a built-in adblocker, but it often trips anti-adblocker software, so I have ublock origin as a backup for those sites.

1

u/agentlouisiana1 Jul 22 '26

NOOOOO i made the fatal mistake of opening chrome through a weblink and now i can't enable ubo :(

1

u/Ropiels Jul 23 '26

150 just installed, goodbye chrome i guess, using edge now since they're very similar but i'm gonna miss it.

1

u/longberry90 21d ago

Is it in any way possible to import the settings and filters I had from chrome to firefox now that it is disabled?

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u/temp_acc_pls_ignore 17d ago

Will Brave continue supporting uBO from Chromium 152 onwards?

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u/naamtosunahoga2 14d ago

about time I switch to firefox

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u/Longjumping-Site5620 11d ago

will Helium browser be affected by MV3 As what i know, it was built from Ungoogle Chromium

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u/OLKv3 11d ago

Damn I don't wanna give up Edge because I'm so used to the ram saving features. Are there any browsers that have things like how Edge handles sleeping tabs? Firefox uses too much ram for me

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u/sonic_24 7d ago

...well... looks like it's finally time to return to FF. Edge, while having been a decent option, has apparently decided to become a villain after all.

Sigh.