Google Chrome users are now relying on a “Lite” version of the uBlock Origin ad blocker after the tech giant completed its transition to Manifest V3, a major update to the Chrome extension platform. The full version of uBlock Origin was removed from the Chrome Web Store in late 2024, with Chrome permanently disabling all remaining Manifest V2 extensions in July 2025, according to information published by uBlock Origin’s developers.
Manifest V3 replaced the webRequest API, a tool uBlock Origin used to intercept and block network requests in real-time, with the declarativeNetRequest API. Google cited security and performance benefits as the rationale for the change, but the new API has limitations, including hard limits on the number of filter rules it can process – currently capped at 330,000. This is an increase from an earlier limit of 30,000, but still restricts the dynamic filtering capabilities that made the original uBlock Origin so effective.
The uBlock Origin Lite version available for Chrome is designed to function within the constraints of Manifest V3. The change impacts only Chrome users; uBlock Origin remains available in its full form on other browsers.
The move to Manifest V3 has sparked debate within the ad-blocking community. While Google maintains the update enhances security, developers of content blockers like uBlock Origin argue it reduces their ability to effectively block ads and trackers. The Ghostery ad blocker, a JavaScript library designed for blocking ads and trackers, offers compatibility with Chrome and Firefox through a WebExtension, and too supports environments like Puppeteer, Electron, and Node.js. It is designed to be compatible with filter lists from Easylist and uBlock Origin, supporting 99% of their filters, according to its developers.
Other ad-blocking solutions, such as AdBlock, continue to be available in the Chrome Web Store, boasting over 60 million users worldwide. AdBlock offers features including ad-blocking on platforms like YouTube and Facebook, privacy protection by disabling third-party tracking, and enhanced security against malicious ads.
Detecting the presence of ad blockers has become a focus for website operators. Methods to detect ad blockers in JavaScript include checking if an element is hidden, verifying if an ad-related script is blocked, or examining the document’s properties, according to a recent report.
As of January 2026, Google has not indicated any plans to revisit the limitations imposed by Manifest V3, leaving the future of comprehensive ad blocking on Chrome uncertain.
