Does uBlock Origin Still Work on Chrome in 2026? Yes, Here's How

As of June 2026, uBlock Origin v1.71.0 is live on the Chrome Web Store — ~14M users, confirmed available, confirmed blocking YouTube ads. Full uBO remains Manifest V2 (not MV3); uBlock Origin Lite is the separate MV3 build. If your install still shows as disabled, a clean reinstall from CWS fixes it in under a minute.

Key takeaways

• uBlock Origin v1.71.0 is on the Chrome Web Store — MV2, last updated May 12, 2026, working on Chrome 149.
• YouTube ad-blocking is active. YouTube runs counter-measures, so keep uBO updated for the best blocking rate.
• If your copy shows disabled, uninstall and reinstall from CWS — it was disabled during the MV2 transition but is back and installable now.

Status Check — June 2026

The short answer: uBlock Origin works. The MV2 disruption in 2025 was real — Chrome disabled Manifest V2 extensions starting with Chrome 138, and users with the old install found it silently disabled. Full uBO is back on CWS (v1.71.0) and remains MV2, using the more powerful webRequest API. Its long-term status is uncertain under Chrome’s ongoing MV2 phase-out, but it is live and installable today.

If you searched “does uBlock Origin still work in Chrome” — it does. This page is the verification.

What Happened During the MV2 Disruption

During the disruption, users who had the MV2 version saw it disabled without warning. Many uninstalled entirely. Some assumed uBlock Origin was banned or dead on Chrome. It wasn’t — gorhill resubmitted it to CWS. Full uBO is still MV2; gorhill has not ported it to MV3. uBlock Origin Lite is the separate MV3-native build.

uBlock Origin vs uBlock Origin Lite: MV2 vs MV3

This is the most common source of confusion. They are two separate extensions:

Note: there is also a separate unrelated extension called “uBlock” (by ublock.org, CWS id epcnnfbjfcgphgdmggkamkmgojdagdnn) — ~1M users, MV3, by a different developer. gorhill explicitly disavows it. Never install that one thinking it is uBlock Origin.

For a detailed comparison between uBlock Origin (full) and uBlock Origin Lite, see uBlock Origin Lite vs uBlock Origin.

YouTube Ad-Blocking: Current Arms Race State

YouTube runs active detection and counter-measures against ad blockers. As of June 2026:

• The majority of pre-roll and mid-roll YouTube ads are blocked by uBlock Origin on Chrome
• Some users encounter intermittent “ad blocker detected” warnings — these come in waves as YouTube pushes new detection logic
• gorhill typically responds within days with filter updates; keeping uBO on auto-update minimises the gap
• uBlock Origin Lite (the declarative MV3-only version) has weaker YouTube blocking — fewer dynamic filter capabilities

The arms race is ongoing and not resolved. uBO blocks most YouTube ads most of the time.

Alternatives If You Need More Than Ad Blocking

uBlock Origin handles ad and tracker blocking. It does not suspend tabs, manage memory, or speed up page loads beyond blocking resource-heavy content. If you need those features alongside blocking:

When Ad Blocking Isn’t the Whole Problem

uBlock Origin handles ads and trackers. It does not suspend inactive tabs, show RAM usage, or manage tab lifecycle. If you run 20+ tabs regularly, the memory problem isn’t just what loads in each tab — it’s how many tabs stay loaded.

SuperchargePerformance covers that gap: tab suspension via chrome.tabs.discard() with a configurable timer, 186K+ DNR rules for tracker and malware blocking, cookie consent auto-dismissal on 100+ sites, a per-tab RAM savings dashboard, and 25+ auto-protected web apps. Zero telemetry, 100% local, no account. A note on running both: full uBlock Origin uses the webRequest API (MV2) and SuperchargePerformance uses declarativeNetRequest (MV3), so they block through different mechanisms rather than competing for the same DNR quota. Chrome guarantees each MV3 extension at least 30,000 static DNR rules and draws the rest from a shared global pool (330,000 total across installed extensions), so Perf’s rules are accommodated. Running both does create duplicate evaluation — the same request gets matched against two large filter sets, with overlapping coverage and small CPU + memory overhead. SuperchargePerformance’s 186,645 rules from 22 curated sources cover ads, trackers, malware, and phishing, plus video ads, popups, cookie consent, and tab suspension on top. It is not a drop-in uBlock replacement for hardcore ad blocking — for the widest cosmetic ad coverage, uBlock Origin or AdGuard still win — but it folds solid blocking into a memory-and-tab tool, so many users run it alone.

Which Setup Makes Sense

• Checking whether uBlock Origin still works → yes, v1.71.0 on CWS, MV2, ~14M users, June 2026 confirmed
• Copy still shows disabled → uninstall and reinstall from CWS, it’s back
• Want maximum ad blocking on Chrome → uBlock Origin (full) or AdGuard
• Want lightweight blocking with zero overhead → uBlock Origin Lite
• Want tab suspension + tracker blocking in one tool → SuperchargePerformance
• Want ads + video ads + tabs + RAM in one extension → SuperchargePerformance (covers all four; pair with uBlock or AdGuard if you want maximum cosmetic ad blocking too)

Related Articles

• uBlock Origin Lite vs uBlock Origin — detailed comparison of the two versions
• Best Vertical Tab Managers for Chrome in 2026 — for users also looking to improve their tab workflow