Google Chrome has officially started to phase out the popular ad blocker, uBlock Origin. This development, shared by the ad blocker's developer Raymond Hill, highlights Chrome's automatic deactivation of uBlock Origin, citing it as "no longer supported."

The Move to Manifest V3

This change aligns with Google's ongoing migration to Manifest V3, a new extension framework. This overhaul has raised concerns about potential impacts on the performance of some ad blockers. In response, uBlock Origin has introduced uBlock Origin Lite, crafted on the Manifest V3 platform. Users need to manually install uBlock Origin Lite from the Chrome Web Store, as it's considered significantly different from its predecessor, making automatic updates impractical.

Understanding Manifest Files

A manifest in the browser tells it key details about an extension, including permissions, version, and browser compatibility. The Manifest V3 format notably restricts developers from sourcing code from remote servers, altering the features extensions can use.

uBlock Origin Lite differs from its original version due to limited filtering capabilities, directly resulting from the Manifest V3's restrictions on the Declarative Net Request API, a critical component for ad-blocking functions. As Hill notes, these limitations may leave uBlock Origin Lite less effective, especially on sites that employ anti-content blocker technologies, since many prior filter rules can't be converted to the new system.

Google’s Statement and Future Plans

Google, through spokesperson Scott Westover, reports that over 93 percent of "actively maintained" extensions in the Chrome Web Store have adapted to Manifest V3. The top content filtering tools have corresponding V3 versions ready, ensuring that users of popular extensions like AdBlock, Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin, and AdGuard are accommodated.

Google plans a complete transition to Manifest V3 by early 2025. This year's agenda includes an initiative to begin disabling Manifest V2 extensions, gradually moving towards their total deactivation.

Read more about these changes at The Verge.