Google is on the verge of concluding its long-standing initiative to phase out the Manifest V2 extension platform within the Chrome browser. The final stage of this transition is slated for June and July of 2026, and it will impact extensions that have continued to rely on outdated operational mechanisms.
A pivotal alteration will be the removal of the specific flag kExtensionManifestV2Disabled in Chrome version 150. This browser release is anticipated around June 30th. This particular mechanism had enabled users to maintain the functionality of certain older extensions, including widely used ad blockers, despite the gradual discontinuation of Manifest V2 support.
Once this flag is removed, employing such extensions in their current form will no longer be feasible. The subsequent step will involve the release of Chrome 151, expected in July. In this version, developers intend to completely eliminate the remaining code components associated with the older extension architecture.
Google cites the need to streamline browser maintenance and enhance security as the driving force behind this transition. The company states that supporting two distinct extension platforms concurrently complicated Chrome’s development and increased the workload for engineers.
Furthermore, Google’s specialists point out that Manifest V2-based extensions were prone to certain bugs and potential vulnerabilities. The shift to Manifest V3 is expected to mitigate these risks and introduce a more contemporary framework for add-on operations.
It is anticipated that similar modifications may eventually extend to other Chromium-based browsers, such as those developed by Microsoft and Opera.
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