Microsoft Edge is ending support for Manifest V2, the extension format that powers uBlock Origin and most other older ad blockers. It is the last mainstream Chromium browser to make the switch; Chrome did it earlier this year.
Why Microsoft is switching off MV2 extensions
Microsoft says the ecosystem has moved on. Of the 58 MV2 extensions on the Edge Add-on Store with any meaningful usage, only three have no MV3 version available. Ninety-five per cent of the store’s most-used MV2 extensions have already migrated.
The new platform is the same Manifest V3 that Google pushed Chrome onto: it restricts what extensions can do in the background and swaps blocking web requests for declarative rules. It is more secure and faster, and it is also why classic uBlock Origin cannot simply be ported over.
Over the next few months, MV2 extensions will be gradually turned off by default. Users will be notified in advance and directed to recommended MV3 versions where available.
That is from Microsoft’s Edge blog. Notices start on the Manage Extensions page and store listings this month, beginning with the Canary, Dev and Beta channels before widening to Stable. Microsoft’s goal is to finish the consumer transition by the end of 2026; enterprise users get until early 2027, and managed devices are untouched during the consumer rollout.
Which ad blockers still work in Edge
The obvious replacement is uBlock Origin Lite, the MV3 version of the same filter lists. It blocks most ads and trackers out of the box, with fewer fine-grained controls than the original.
Firefox still supports MV2 extensions, and Opera has said it will keep supporting them “for as long as it’s technically reasonable”. DuckDuckGo’s browser already blocks YouTube ads natively, no extension required. For anyone whose whole system is built around a particular MV2 extension, a second browser is the low-friction option. Microsoft’s own advice to the three developers still shipping MV2-only extensions is to migrate — the guide is already up.
Edge is the default browser on most Windows machines sold in the region, so the change will reach a lot of UAE desktops whether anyone asks for it or not. The free ad blockers all still work; the ones that don’t are the legacy builds that have been running on borrowed time since Chrome made the same call.
Will uBlock Origin stop working in Microsoft Edge?
Yes. Microsoft Edge is turning off Manifest V2 extensions by default, which removes uBlock Origin and other MV2 ad blockers. The recommended replacement is uBlock Origin Lite, the MV3 version of the same filter lists.
When does Microsoft Edge disable MV2 extensions?
The consumer transition starts in August 2026, with notices on the Manage Extensions page before extensions are switched off. Microsoft aims to complete the consumer rollout by the end of 2026, with enterprise deprecation following in early 2027.
Which browsers still support Manifest V2 extensions?
Firefox continues to support MV2 extensions. Opera has said it will keep supporting them “for as long as it’s technically reasonable”. Chrome removed MV2 extensions earlier this year.
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