Google blocked uBlock Origin in Chrome — here's how to get ad-free browsing back
In this guide, we'll show you two ways to restore uBlock Origin in Chrome — whether you already have it installed and need to re-enable it, or you're starting fresh and want to install it from scratch.
Both methods involve enabling hidden Chrome flags that temporarily bring back support for older extensions. This workaround won't last forever, as Google plans to remove these flags in future updates, but it buys you some time to enjoy ad-free browsing.
Here's how to re-enable or install uBlock Origin in Chrome.
Open Google Chrome and type "chrome://flags" into the address bar, then press Enter to access Chrome's experimental features page.
Search for "Temporarily unexpire M137 flags" and set it to "Enabled." This flag allows you to access older Chrome settings that Google has started to phase out. Then click the blue "Relaunch" button at the bottom of the page to restart Chrome with this setting enabled.
Go back to chrome://flags and search for "MV2" to quickly find all Manifest V2-related settings.
You need to disable these three specific flags that are blocking older extensions: "Extension Manifest V2 Deprecation Warning Stage", "Extension Manifest V2 Deprecation Disabled Stage" and "Extension Manifest V2 Deprecation Unsupported Stage."
Set each of these flags to "Disabled" by clicking their dropdown menus. These flags are what's preventing uBlock Origin and other older extensions from working properly in the current version of Chrome.
Still on the chrome://flags page, search for "Allow legacy extension manifest versions" and set it to "Enabled". This flag tells Chrome to accept and run extensions built with the older Manifest V2 framework that uBlock Origin uses.
Then click the "Relaunch" button again to restart Chrome with all your new flag settings active. After Chrome restarts, your existing uBlock Origin extension should automatically reactivate and start blocking ads again.
You should see the uBlock Origin icon appear in your browser toolbar, indicating it's working properly.
Open Google Chrome and type "chrome://flags" into the address bar, then press Enter. This takes you to Chrome's experimental features page where you can enable hidden settings that Google doesn't include in regular menus.
The flags page looks different from normal web pages, with a warning that these features are experimental. Don't worry though, the changes we're making are safe and reversible.
Use the search box at the top of the page to find specific flags quickly rather than scrolling through hundreds of options. This page contains advanced settings that can modify how Chrome behaves with extensions and other features.
Search for "Allow legacy extension manifest versions" in the flags search box and you'll see the setting appear with a dropdown menu next to it. Click the dropdown and change it from "Default" to "Enabled."
This flag tells Chrome to accept older-style extensions like uBlock Origin that use Manifest V2. Chrome will show a blue "Relaunch" button at the bottom of the page— click it to restart the browser with your new settings.
After restarting, Chrome will now accept the older extension format that uBlock Origin uses.
Go to the uBlock Origin GitHub page at github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases to download the latest version directly from the developers.
Look for the "Assets" section under the most recent release and click on the file that ends with "chromium.zip." This contains the Chrome-compatible version of uBlock Origin. It will automatically save to your computer once clicked.
Type "chrome://extensions" in Chrome's address bar to open the extensions management page. Look for the "Developer mode" toggle in the top-right corner and turn it on if it's not already enabled. This allows you to install extensions from files rather than the Chrome Web Store.
Click the "Load unpacked" button that appears in the top-left corner of the extensions page. Navigate to the folder where you extracted the uBlock Origin files and select it. Chrome will install the extension directly from the folder, bypassing the Web Store restrictions.
Close and reopen Chrome to ensure all settings take effect properly. You should now see the uBlock Origin icon in your browser toolbar, indicating the extension is active and working. Visit a website that normally shows ads to test that the ad blocker is functioning correctly.
The extension should block advertisements just like it did before Google's update. Keep in mind that this workaround is temporary, Google plans to remove these flags in future Chrome updates, so you may need to consider switching to Firefox, Opera or Edge if you want long-term ad blocking.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Verge
10 minutes ago
- The Verge
7 password managers to help keep your apps safe
Passwords still seem to be the most popular method of ensuring that the right person is using the right app or service, despite the slow adoption of passkeys, which are considered more secure. And because we should be using different ones for each device and/or app, the best way to track all of them is to use a password manager. Some apps and operating systems come with their own password managers. For example, if you're part of the Apple ecosystem, you can use iCloud Keychain; Google users have Google Password Manager, and Microsoft devices store passwords through its Edge browser and Credential Manager. Some apps that offer their own password managers (although at least one, Dropbox, recently announced that it was shutting down that service). There are advantages to using an independent password manager. You aren't limited to a single operating system or browser, and most of these apps offer a variety of other services. They not only save your passwords and drop them into apps when needed, but they generate new (and safer) passwords; save data such as credit card, contact info, and important files; share passwords with friends and family members; and alert you if a password has been part of a breach. So, if you'd rather use an independent password manager, here are a few that are currently available. Bitwarden is a well-known open-source password manager that offers a solid selection of features, including saving unlimited items, syncing across devices, and password generation. Unlike most of the other services listed here, almost all of its features are free. There are vaults for a variety of other data, such as credit cards, identity data, and SSH keys. You can also share files and data using end-to-end encryption. For no-cost day-to-day password usage, Bitwarden is a good choice. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: For $10 a year, a Premium account gives you access to an integrated authenticator, the ability to add file attachments, and receive security reports. For $40 a year, the Family account lets you share vault items with up to five other users (rather than one), share passwords and other data with an unlimited number of people, and store unlimited collections. Dashlane, like Bitwarden, offers password generation, along with the ability to save credit card and other personal information, notes, and IDs. It also provides features such as secure sharing, phishing alerts, and includes a VPN. There is a limited free version that lets you store and autofill up to 25 passwords, but since most of us have more passwords than that, the best way to try it is to take advantage of the 30-day free trial. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: The Premium plan (which is actually the basic plan for personal use) costs $59.88 a year, while the Friends & Family plan offers password management for up to 10 people for $89.88 a year. 1Password includes secure places to save documents, notes, and IDs; it flags data breaches and weak passwords; and lets you safely share items with others. There are also some interesting new features, such as the ability to add a location to items so that they will appear in a Nearby tab, making them easier to find. It has a 14-day free trial. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: The Individual plan costs $3.99 a month or $35.88 a year. The Family plan, which lets you include up to five family members, is $6.95 a month or $59.88 a year. LogMeOnce's website talks about 'Passwordless Password Management,' which it accomplishes using a system of QR codes. Its free Premium version provides unlimited passwords and use on unlimited devices, along with autofill, sync, password generation, 1MB of encrypted file storage, and two-factor authentication using email or Google Authenticator. You can also save up to three notes and three credit cards. LogMeOnce uses ads to fund its free version, so that could be a setback depending on your tolerance for advertising. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: The Professional version adds 1GB of encrypted file storage, emergency access, additional authentication methods, and more for $2.50 a month. The Ultimate plan, $3.25 a month, adds 10GB of storage, unlimited note storage, password sharing, and a customizable dashboard, among other features. And for $4.99 a month, the Family plan lets six family members use LogMeOnce. The free version of NordPass includes unlimited passwords and multifactor authentication. Most other features — cross-platform compatibility, the ability to protect documents and file attachments, checking password health, data breach alerts, the ability to mask your email address, and secure sharing, among others — are only available with the paid Premium account, which you can try with a 30-day trial. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: The Premium version of NordPass costs $1.99 a month or $23.88 for the first year and $35.88 after that. The Family plan, which gives you six Premium user accounts, costs $3.69 a month or $44.28 for the first year and $71.88 after that. Like several of the other apps mentioned here, Keeper has a free version, but one that won't suit most people for long. In this case, you are limited to one mobile device, ten passwords or passkeys, and two-factor authentication. However, a 30-day free trial gives you unlimited password storage across devices, password sharing, and identity and payment storage, along with biometric logins and customer support. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: Keeper Unlimited (aptly named) costs $39.99 a year; Keeper Family, which includes five private data vaults and 10GB file storage, costs $84.99 a year. LastPass has had a lot of setbacks over the last few years, including a couple of serious breaches in 2022. Since then, it has worked to improve its service and its reputation. There's a free version that includes a password vault, access on a single device type (in other words, only computer or mobile), a password generator, and a service that monitors the internet for security breaches, which is not often included with free versions, among other features. A Premium version lets you use it with more than one device type. You can check it out with a 30-day free trial. You can find information on its security strategies here. Other pricing: the Premium version costs $36 a year; the Family version, which includes six accounts, costs $48 a year. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Barbara Krasnoff Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Apps Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Report Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Roundup Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Security Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
David Sacks' "Goldilocks" scenario
David Sacks — famed tech founder & investor, co-host of the "All-In Podcast" ("The Rainman") and now White House special adviser for AI & crypto — declared Saturday on X that "Doomer narratives were wrong" about AI. Why it matters: The big takeaway from Sacks' post is that the fear of one AI frontier model dominating all now looks far-fetched, since high-performing competing models are diffusing power. "The AI race is highly dynamic so this could change," Sacks wrote. "But right now the current situation is Goldilocks": "We have 5 major American companies vigorously competing on frontier models. This brings out the best in everyone and helps America win the AI race." "So far, we have avoided a monopolistic outcome that vests all power and control in a single entity." "There is likely to be a major role for open source. These models excel at providing 80-90% of the capability at 10-20% of the cost. This tradeoff will be highly attractive to customers who value customization, control, and cost over frontier capabilities. China has gone all-in on open source, so it would be good to see more American companies competing in this area, as OpenAI just did. (Meta also deserves credit.)" "There is likely to be a division of labor between generalized foundation models and specific verticalized applications. Instead of a single superintelligence capturing all the value, we are likely to see numerous agentic applications solving 'last mile' problems. This is great news for the startup ecosystem." "There is also an increasingly clear division of labor between humans and AI. Despite all the wondrous progress, AI models are still at zero in terms of setting their own objective function. Models need context, they must be heavily prompted, the output must be verified, and this process must be repeated iteratively to achieve meaningful business value. Reality check: Though there's plenty of competition, as Sacks notes, the administration has worked closely with OpenAI on the Stargate Project. And as Axios' Scott Rosenberg noted recently, the history of tech shows that early dominant players could still fall to a competitor not yet born: Google came along to dominate what seemed like a well-established search industry in the early dot-com era. The bottom line: The "current state of vigorous competition is healthy," Sacks concluded. "It propels innovation forward, helps America win the AI race, and avoids centralized control. This is good news — that the Doomers did not expect."
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Google Data Breach — August 8 Email Warnings Now Confirmed
Google confirms it has now notified victims of hack. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images It has been quite a week for Google users: first came the confirmation that the technology giant had been hacked and Google user data breached, quickly followed by news of another hack attack, this time impacting Google Cloud customers. The release of the Chrome 139 security update following the disclosure of multiple vulnerabilities, a spike in Google account attacks, and three email warnings from Google seemed somewhat tame by comparison. But it's confirmation of official email warnings that is the latest development in the Google data breach saga. Here's what we know. Forbes Emergency Microsoft Security Warning Confirmed — Act Now, CISA Says By Davey Winder The Google Threat Intelligence Group first alerted the world to a successful hack attack against Google on August 5, when it confirmed that a database had been accessed by attackers thought to be associated with the ShinyHunters ransomware and extortion group, also more formally known as UNC6040, leading to the compromise of user data. The database, a Salesforce instance, was used 'to store contact information and related notes for small and medium businesses,' the Google announcement stated. The full extent of the breach is still to be confirmed. Google has so far said that the stolen data comprised 'basic and largely publicly available business information, such as business names and contact details.' Now Google has updated that confirmation with another. This time, answering a question that had been on the lips of many in the cybersecurity industry, as well as Google users themselves. That question being whether impacted organizations had been informed of the attack and the data that had been stolen. 'This could mean these organisations are only finding out about the breach now,' William Wright, CEO of Closed Door Security told me at the time, 'meaning the criminals could have held on to the data, unknown to victims, for almost two months.' The August 8 update by Google provides some closure in that it first confirmed 'Emails are actively being sent to those affected by this incident,' and shortly after that, 'Google has completed its email notifications to those affected by this incident.' It has not been made clear what the precise content of those Google data breach notification emails might be, but if you have received one, I would be more than happy if you were to forward it to me. I will update this article with further information should I get hold of an email, suitably redacted, of course. Forbes Microsoft Windows Security Bypass — Hello Hackers Use Own Faces By Davey Winder
