Google might be cutting support for ‘the world’s most popular ad-blocker,’ but this Windows Registry trick will help Chrome and Edge users keep intrusive ads at bay for a year longer

Using the Windows Registry, you can extend uBlock Origin’s support in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge for one year.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

What you need to know

Earlier this week, Google announced its plan tocut uBlock Origin support on its Chrome browseras part of itsbroader campaign against ad blockers across its products and services. Google’s change in extension support from the Manifest V2 framework to V3 leaves over 30 million Chrome users susceptible to intrusive ads.

It’s worth noting that the change applies to Chromium-based browsers, includingMicrosoft Edge, Opera, and more. It is expected to start rolling out via a new update soon. Consequently, uBlock Origin will no longer work across Chromium browsers or receive updates.

The company already released a new version of uBlock Origin that’s Manifest V3 compliant —uBlock Origin Lite. While the Lite version sports most of the features in the original version, it falls short in some critical areas. For instance, it doesn’t support dynamic filters for blocking scriptlet injection.

This hack will extend support for classic extensions on Chromium browsers for a whole year

As always, tweaking your Windows Registry may harm or render your device unusable. Proceed with caution.

While the change is imminent across Chromium-based browsers, Mozilla’s Firefox browser will continue supporting the Manifest V2 framework. A plausible workaround would be to transition to Firefox and continue using uBlock Origin and leveraging its capabilities.

However, you can stick to your Chromium-based browser and continue using uBlock Origin with the Manifest V2 framework.

As highlighted byTeamDJ on Reddit in the r/chrome subreddit, users can extend the support for Manifest V2 extensions using the Windows Registry with the help of theExtensionManifestV2Availabilitypolicy designed for enterprise users.

Google intends to end support for Manifest V2 for home users immediately, though enterprise users can extend the framework’s support by one year. Luckily, the same hack can be utilized by home users to extend support.

Get the Windows Central Newsletter

All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

Here’s what you’ll need to do, as highlighted by TeamDJ on Reddit:

You’ll also need to restart your PC to apply the change. Your system will now have theExtensionManifestV2Availabilitypolicy for Enterprise customers enabled, allowing you to use classic extensions on your browser until June 2025.

🎒The best Back to School deals📝

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You’ll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.