4 minute read

If an extension you relied on, uBlock Origin being the best-known, stopped working in Chrome, or the Chrome Web Store says it is unavailable, this is why. Chrome’s official timeline says all remaining Manifest V2 (MV2) extensions were removed from the Web Store on August 31, 2026. This page explains what that means for extensions you already have, and points you to the right guide.

Checked October 16, 2026 against Chrome’s timeline page, which was last updated on September 9, 2026. The Brave and Edge details were re-checked on October 21, 2026.

Short answer

  • You cannot install MV2 extensions from the Web Store anymore. Chrome says all remaining ones were removed on August 31, 2026.
  • Installs on Chrome 138 or earlier keep running, but they can no longer receive updates and cannot be reinstalled if removed, according to Chrome.
  • Chrome 139 and newer do not run MV2 extensions. Chrome says MV2 extensions cease to function for anyone upgrading to Chrome 139 and later, and Android Authority adds that Chrome 139 and newer support only Manifest V3 (MV3).
  • Firefox still supports MV2. Mozilla says it keeps Manifest V2 alongside Manifest V3 and continues to support the blocking webRequest API. Other Chromium-based browsers differ. Brave says on its blog that it hosts uBlock Origin and other MV2 extensions on its own servers, and Microsoft says Edge began moving users off MV2 in August 2026, aiming to finish the consumer transition by the end of 2026, per its Edge blog.

How we got here

When What changed
January 2022 The Web Store stopped accepting new public and unlisted MV2 extensions
June 2022 It also stopped accepting new private MV2 extensions
June 2024 The phase-out began, with a warning banner on chrome://extensions in Chrome’s pre-stable channels
October 2024 Chrome began disabling installed MV2 extensions in the stable channel
March 31, 2025 MV2 extensions were disabled by default for all users, who could still turn them back on
July 24, 2025 (Chrome 138) MV2 extensions disabled everywhere. Chrome says users can no longer turn them back on
Chrome 139 The enterprise policy for MV2 was removed, and MV2 extensions stopped working on upgrade
June 2026 Android Authority reports Chrome removed the flag that let users bypass the restrictions
August 31, 2026 All remaining MV2 extensions were removed from the Web Store

Everything except the June 2026 row comes from Chrome’s timeline. Chrome’s page says users could no longer re-enable MV2 extensions from July 2025, while Android Authority says it stayed almost impossible until the flag was removed in June 2026. The two sources differ on that point.

Where to start

Your extension disappeared or stopped working, and you want to know why. Google’s Manifest V3 changed how extensions run in the browser. It is a stricter platform with limits on background processes, data access and remotely hosted code, and those limits are why tools like the original uBlock Origin no longer work in Chrome.

→ Read more: What is Chrome Manifest V3 and Why Extensions Break

You want to know which of your extensions are still on MV2. On Chrome 139 and newer, MV2 extensions do not run, so the question matters mostly for Chrome 138 or earlier and for other browsers. The guide covers how to check an extension’s manifest version.

→ Read more: How to Check If Chrome Extensions Use Manifest V2

You need a replacement that works under the new rules. uBlock Origin Lite is the MV3 version of uBlock Origin, and its official FAQ says features such as dynamic filtering cannot be supported under MV3. AdGuard also publishes an MV3 extension, and its blog explains that Chrome’s declarative rules severely limit what an ad blocker can do. Firefox keeps the full uBlock Origin.

→ Read more: Best Manifest V3 Alternatives for Older Chrome Extensions

Our reading of the dates

The three situations above lead to different choices, and the dates decide which one is yours.

  • You are on Chrome 139 or newer. MV2 extensions do not run at all, so the real choice is between an MV3 replacement and a browser that still supports MV2. Keeping what you have is not an option.
  • You are on Chrome 138 or earlier. The extension runs but cannot update or be reinstalled, according to Chrome. We would treat it as borrowed time: the practical deadline is your next browser upgrade or a clean install.
  • You need per-site control that MV3 blockers cannot offer. The sources point to Firefox with the full uBlock Origin. If you stay in Chrome, the limits described in our other guides are the documented trade-off.

This is our reading of Chrome’s timeline and the makers’ own notes, not a test of any extension.

Questions readers ask

Why does the Web Store say my extension is unavailable? Chrome says all remaining MV2 extensions were removed from the Web Store on August 31, 2026.

Will my MV2 extension keep working? On Chrome 138 or earlier it keeps running without updates. On Chrome 139 and newer, MV2 extensions do not run.

Is there a way to keep the original uBlock Origin? Mozilla says Firefox keeps supporting it. Brave says it hosts uBlock Origin on its own servers.

Update log

  • October 16, 2026: checked against Chrome’s timeline, last updated September 9, 2026.
  • October 21, 2026: the Brave and Edge details were re-checked.
  • November 3, 2026: replaced the closing summary with the sections above. No facts were changed.

Sources

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