Chrome Removed Manifest V2 Extensions: What Broke and What to Do

What happened: the Manifest V2 timeline

A browser extension's "manifest" is the file that declares what it can do. Chrome's newer format, Manifest V3, limits some powers that extensions used to have, such as rewriting web traffic on the fly. Google has phased out the older Manifest V2 over several years. The dates below come from Google's Manifest V2 support timeline, last updated September 2026.

Google's wording for the final step is precise: existing installs on Chrome 138 or earlier continue to run, but cannot receive updates or be reinstalled if removed. On any current Chrome, they already stopped working.

What broke for a typical small office

Most staff noticed the change in 2025, when an extension showed as disabled. The August 2026 removal matters for a different reason: anything still listed as Manifest V2 is now abandoned, with no store page and no update path.

• Ad and content blockers. Full uBlock Origin needs Manifest V2. Its developer now offers uBlock Origin Lite, a Manifest V3 version, which the project says can be less effective on sites that fight ad blockers.
• Old internal or vendor tools. Private extensions from a supplier, bank or booking system that were never rewritten. If the vendor did not publish a Manifest V3 version with the same ID, there is nothing to update to.
• Small productivity add-ons. Tab managers, screenshot tools and form fillers that a single developer stopped maintaining years ago.

If the developer did release a Manifest V3 version under the same extension ID, Chrome upgrades it automatically and you do not need to do anything.

Why an old Chrome to keep extensions running is a bad idea

Some offices kept one PC on an old Chrome so an old extension still works. That trades a small convenience for a browser that no longer gets Chrome's security fixes, on the same machine that opens email links and online banking.

Abandoned extensions are also a common route for malicious updates when an extension is sold to a new owner. Our guide to malicious browser extensions explains how that happens and how to set an allowlist, and our software updates and patching guide covers keeping Chrome itself current.

How to audit extensions on staff PCs

Start with a list. You cannot replace what you have not found.

1. 1

   Managed browsers: run the Apps & extensions usage report

   In the Google Admin console (Google Workspace or Chrome Enterprise Core), go to Devices, Chrome, Reports, Apps & extensions usage. Google's usage report help page says it shows the manifest version of each extension and flags Manifest V2 ones; you can export it as CSV.

2. 2

   Unmanaged PCs: check each browser

   On each PC and each Chrome profile, open chrome://extensions. Note anything disabled, anything showing a warning, and anything nobody can explain.

3. 3

   Check the Chrome version

   Open chrome://settings/help on each PC. Anything still on 138 or earlier should be updated today; ask why it was held back.

4. 4

   Decide per extension: replace, remove or rebuild

   For each Manifest V2 item, find a maintained Manifest V3 alternative, remove it if nobody uses it, or ask the vendor for their current version. For internal tools, a small web page can often replace the extension.

5. 5

   Lock down what can be installed

   Set an allowlist so staff can only install approved extensions, and force-install the ones everyone needs, such as your password manager.

Choosing replacement extensions safely

Replacement time is when people install the first lookalike they find in the store. A few checks cut that risk.

Microsoft Edge is built on the same engine and is phasing out Manifest V2 on its own schedule, so switching browsers is not a long-term workaround. Treat the move as a chance to cut the extension list down to what the business actually needs.

Do it yourself or get help?

With a handful of PCs, an afternoon visiting each machine is enough: list extensions, update Chrome, remove the dead ones and agree a short approved list. With Google Workspace, the Admin console report and an allowlist make this repeatable.

If you want it handled, our Antivirus & Endpoint Protection Rollout (S$390, up to 10 devices) sets up a business endpoint product with web filtering and checks each machine, and our Device Encryption & Management (S$490) puts devices under Intune or Google endpoint management so updates and settings are enforced centrally. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.