Microsoft begins removing uBlock Origin and Manifest V2 extensions on Edge

If you're using the uBlock Origin extension on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, you should probably start looking for alternative browsers or extensions. Google recently started disabling uBlock Origin and extensions based on Manifest V2 (MV2) as part of its migration to Manifest V3. Now, Microsoft Edge is following suit.

The latest version of Edge Canary has started disabling Manifest V2-based extensions with the message: " This extension is no longer supported. Microsoft Edge recommends that you remove it ." While the browser automatically disables old extensions without asking the user, you can still re-enable them by clicking "Manage extensions" and re-enabling them.

At the moment, there is no specific announcement from Microsoft. Google started phasing out Manifest V2 extensions from June 2024 and has a clear roadmap for this plan. Meanwhile, Microsoft's documentation still says "TBD" (To Be Determined), meaning the exact implementation date is still unknown. This has led to some speculation that this could be one of the "surprise changes" coming from Chromium. Either way, Microsoft will have to phase out MV2-based extensions, it's just a matter of when.

Another thing to note is that this change doesn’t seem to affect the stable version of Edge or the Beta/Dev channels. For now, only the Canary builds disable uBlock Origin and other MV2 extensions, leaving users with a way to re-enable them. Additionally, uBlock Origin is still available in Edge’s add-on store, which recently received a major update.

In August 2024, when Google started declaring uBlock Origin as no longer supported, the developer of the extension suggested users to switch to uBlock Origin Lite, an extension based on Manifest V3, and accept some of its limitations.

Of course, users also have the option of switching to Firefox. Mozilla recently announced plans to continue supporting Manifest V2 add-ons, including uBlock Origin, stating that “ users have full control over how they shape their internet experience .”

Currently, users can either switch to a browser that still supports MV2 extensions or switch to MV3-based ad blockers. Of course, not all MV2 extensions have “modern” versions, so for many people, switching to Firefox or another browser that supports MV2 will be the only option to continue using legacy extensions.