Google is finally killing Manifest V2 in Chrome, and ad blockers will never be the same again
Android Police 2026-06-15 17:47:40
Context: The event is happening in the context of Google's Chrome browser, specifically with the discontinuation of Manifest V2 extensions. This change affects ad blockers and other extensions that rely on this technology. The change is set to take place over the next couple of releases of Chrome, with versions 150 and 151.
Key Facts
- Google is discontinuing Manifest V2 extensions in Chrome, which will break any extensions using this technology, including some popular ad blockers, over the next couple of releases, specifically versions 150 and 151.
- The transition to Manifest V3 has taken years and is now in its final phase, with Manifest V3 creating more rigid requirements to ensure app and user safety while browsing the web.
- With Manifest V3, extensions will no longer be able to intercept data dynamically, and new compliant ad blockers on the Chrome Web Store use predefined lists, but are not as effective as their predecessors.
- Some alternative options for users affected by this change include trying new ad blockers that are Manifest V3-compliant, switching to a different browser like Mozilla's Firefox which supports both Manifest V2 and V3, or using a VPN with ad-blocking services like NordVPN.
- The change may not affect users who do not rely on ad blockers, as they may not notice a significant difference in their browsing experience.