Chrome v142 Removes Workaround Flags for Manifest V2 Extensions Like uBlock Origin
By Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Google Chrome’s Manifest V3 changes had almost killed fan-favorite extensions like uBlock Origin. However, flags kept the dream alive for just a little longer. Unfortunately, the party is over. Chrome’s latest update, version 142, removes the workaround flags that allowed uBlock Origin and other Manifest V2 extensions to keep working.
What Changed in Chrome v142?
Chrome v142 began rolling out last week to desktop users in the stable branch, with the rollout expanding widely this week. Users who updated Chrome—or whose computers auto-updated—are being greeted with the message that uBlock Origin has been turned off once again, as it is no longer supported.
This change was a long time coming. When Chrome version 139 rolled out in late 2024, it marked the official transition to Manifest V3. This effectively closed down the methods by which traditional ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin worked.
Initially, users could simply toggle uBlock Origin back on after the update, but this workaround stopped working with subsequent Chrome updates. The next solution was enabling the “Allow legacy extension manifest versions” flag in Chrome and manually loading uBlock Origin to restore its function.
However, this was clearly a short-lived solution. The flag itself warned: “This should only be used for maintaining legacy extensions and will be removed in the future.” That future has arrived with Chrome v142, which removed this flag and other legacy flags entirely—effectively ending support for Manifest V2 extensions like uBlock Origin.
How to Keep Using uBlock Origin on Chrome v142 (With Some Tinkering)
Although the easily accessible experimental flags have been removed, uBlock Origin can still be used—but only with more advanced tweaks. Reddit user DerpyMD shared a workaround that requires modifying Chrome’s launch shortcut:
- Right-click on your Chrome shortcut on your Windows PC.
- Select Properties.
- In the Target field, add the following code after “
chrome.exe”:
--disable-features=ExtensionManifestV2Unsupported, ExtensionManifestV2Disabled - Make sure there is a blank space between the executable path and the added code.
- Click Apply and grant administrator approval if prompted.
After doing this, launch Chrome using this modified shortcut. You will then be able to toggle on Developer Mode in the Extensions menu and toggle uBlock Origin back to its working state.
Note: You will need to unpin any older Chrome shortcuts on your taskbar and repin this newly edited shortcut to ensure the changes take effect.
Is It Time to Explore Alternatives?
While there are no ominous warnings this time, it’s clear that Manifest V2 extensions don’t have forever to live on Chrome. If you want to continue using uBlock Origin long-term, it might be time to make peace with the fact that it won’t be supported on Chrome forever.
One option is to switch to an alternative browser, such as Firefox, which continues to support Manifest V2 extensions like uBlock Origin.
If leaving Chrome isn’t something you want to do right now, you might try out uBlock Origin Lite to see if it meets your ad-blocking needs under Manifest V3.
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https://www.androidauthority.com/chrome-142-ublock-origin-workaround-3613115/
