Firefox Confirms It Will Keep Supporting uBlock Origin
Firefox has officially confirmed it will continue supporting uBlock Origin, cementing its position as the last major web browser to back the popular ad blocker. The announcement came via a Bluesky post from the official Firefox account, which stated plainly: “Our support for uBlock Origin isn’t going anywhere.” The statement arrives just as Microsoft Edge prepares to lock out the extension, following Google’s broader push to deprecate Manifest V2 in favor of Manifest V3 across the Chromium ecosystem.
For users who rely on uBlock Origin Firefox as their primary privacy tool, the confirmation removes a lingering uncertainty. While competitors are rapidly closing the door on the extension, Firefox is explicitly choosing to maintain compatibility with the architecture that powers it.
Why the Shift Is Happening
The root cause of this browser divide lies in a fundamental change to how extensions interact with web pages. Manifest V2, the older extension framework, allowed add-ons to intercept network requests in real time. This capability is what gives uBlock Origin its power, enabling it to block ads, trackers, and malicious scripts before they ever load in your browser.
Google initiated the migration from Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 in Chrome, and Microsoft Edge is now following that same path. Under Manifest V3, extensions lose the ability to perform real-time request interception. Instead, they must rely on a more limited set of APIs and background service workers. For ad blockers like uBlock Origin, that architectural shift strips away the core functionality required to identify and block ads as you browse websites or stream videos.
Microsoft’s decision to enforce this change in Edge isn’t unexpected. Since Edge is built on Chromium, it inherits Google’s extension policies and timeline. Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, and Samsung Internet are all Chromium-based and will face the same constraints as Edge moves forward.
What This Means for Your uBlock Origin Firefox Setup
With Edge and Chrome moving to Manifest V3, Firefox stands alone among the major browsers as the only one that fully supports uBlock Origin. The other two major non-Chromium browsers, Safari and DuckDuckGo, do not support the extension either. Safari relies on its own Content Blocker framework, while DuckDuckGo uses a simplified, built-in tracking protection system.
If you switch to another browser, you will need to accept a compromise. uBlock Origin Lite is available on Chromium-based browsers, but it operates under Manifest V3 restrictions. The lite version uses pre-generated filter lists and lacks the dynamic, real-time filtering that makes the full extension effective. You will also lose access to advanced features like custom filter rules, element hiding, and granular permission controls.
From a practical standpoint, this announcement solidifies Firefox’s position as the default choice for users who prioritize privacy and strict ad blocking. It also places significant pressure on Mozilla to maintain its commitment to extension compatibility, especially as Google continues to tighten the Chromium extension ecosystem.
How to Get It
Using uBlock Origin on Firefox requires no special configuration. The extension is available directly through the official Mozilla Add-ons store. Once installed, it activates immediately and begins filtering network requests using its default filter lists. You can manage its settings, update filter lists, or adjust site-specific permissions through the extension’s dashboard, which is accessible via the puzzle piece icon in your toolbar.
If you are currently using uBlock Origin on a Chromium-based browser, you will want to migrate your filter lists and custom rules before Edge completes its Manifest V3 transition. Both the full extension and its lite variant support exporting and importing user settings, making the switch straightforward.
For those who have not yet adopted uBlock Origin, Firefox remains the only major browser where you can run the full-featured version without restrictions. The extension is open source, regularly updated, and widely regarded as one of the most efficient ad blockers available for modern web browsing.
Source: PCWorld
Over to you: Will you stick with Firefox for the full uBlock Origin experience, or are you switching to a Chromium-based browser despite the limitations?
