Change your browser extensions NOW!
Google is about to kill off lots of popular extensions for its Chrome browser. Robert Irvine recommends the best replacements for your favourite tools
Despite widespread opposition, Google has pursued its plan to end support for Manifest V2 (MV2) extensions in Chrome and other Chromium browsers (Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi). It now insists developers use its new Manifest V3 (MV3) system and in June will stop MV2 extensions working altogether.
We’ve previously explained why Google is doing this and what it means for your favourite browser tools – see our ‘Stop Google breaking your extensions’ feature in Issue 691 (page 60). Now the deadline is almost upon us, here we list six popular MV2 add-ons that will soon be blocked in Chrome and suggest what to use instead.
1 uBlock Origin
www.snipca.com/54235
This excellent content blocker is the biggest casualty of Google’s crackdown on MV2 extensions, and surely its prime target. With more than 34 million users in Chrome alone, uBlock Origin has long been the most effective tool at blocking ads, trackers and other online annoyances – and thereby undermining Google’s business model.
As we reported in Issue 705 (page 6), Google has now disabled uBlock Origin in Chrome and you can no longer install it from the Chrome Web Store “because it doesn’t follow best practices for Chrome extensions”. At the time of writing, it was still possible to re-enable the add-on, but this option will soon be removed.