Google is ending support for Manifest V2 (MV2) extensions in Chrome with the release of Chrome 150 on June 30, 2026, effectively disabling popular ad blockers such as uBlock Origin that rely on MV2 APIs and permissions [1, 2, 3]. A Chrome developer explained, "MV2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and we are removing support for them and the associated functionality" due to "complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it entails," citing recent bugs specific to MV2 [1].
The Chrome 150 update will remove the last technical workaround flag (kExtensionManifestV2Disabled) that allowed some MV2 ad blockers to continue working temporarily [1, 2, 3]. The next release, Chrome 151 expected in July 2026, will remove all remaining MV2 flags, completing the transition [1, 2, 3].
Manifest V3 (MV3) changes extension permissions and replaces the WebRequest API with a more restrictive DeclarativeNetRequest API, which critics say reduces ad blocker effectiveness and user privacy [1, 3, 4]. However, a recent empirical study found no statistically significant drop in ad blocking or anti-tracking effectiveness for MV3 ad blockers compared to MV2 versions, with some even showing slight improvements [4].
Other Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Opera are expected to follow Chrome in dropping MV2 support. Opera has indicated it may continue supporting MV2 extensions as long as technically feasible and phase out less-used extensions over time [1, 2, 3].
Users are advised to switch to updated MV3 versions of blockers like uBlock Origin Lite, Adblock, Adblock Plus, Adguard, or Ghostery. Alternatives such as Firefox, Brave, or DuckDuckGo browsers also support similar privacy protections without the MV3 limitations [3].
MV2 extensions have faced limitations since Google announced the transition in 2019 and initial impacts on ad blockers began surfacing in 2024 [3, 1]. On May 20, 2026, the W3C WebExtensions Community Group documented removal of the Chrome 150 MV2 support flag [1].
Chrome 150 will officially launch on June 30, 2026, removing the technical workaround for MV2 extension support and ending most MV2 ad blockers. Chrome 151 will follow in July 2026 to remove all remaining MV2 flags [1, 2, 3].
