Google moved to manifest version 3 for Chrome extensions in 2024, and will slowly phase out the manifest version 2 extensions from the Chrome app store. If you go to a Chrome extension that is based on manifest version 2, you will see the following warning appearing at the top of the extension store below the extension name.
This extension may soon no longer be supported because it doesn’t follow best practices for Chrome extensions.
And a quick Perplexity search shows that, Google plans to sunset manifest V2 extensions in June 2025, in another 5 months time.
However, looking back almost all the good and beloved extensions are currently running in manifest version 2,
The difference between version 2 and version 3
I will not go into full technical details, but in manifest version 3, Google made some changes limiting the access of version 3 extensions to Chome extension API, limiting the functionality of some extensions, mainly ad blockers. Which relied on looking at network requests were made when loading a webpage.
However, even though Google mentioned it’s for privacy and security concerns, the internet is split with some arguing this has to do with stopping ad blockers, while some agree that it actually improves security by limiting malicious extensions to look in to and modify network requests.
uBlock origin
Blocking ads on websites, I know I feel bit guilty when using uBlock, because I use ads to support my blog and at the same time I am using an ad blocker. Now has a manifest v3 based extension called uBlock origin lite, which I find it to be working and blocking ads.
Unsplash Instant
A nice extension developed by the team at Unsplash, used by over 90,000 users. It replaces your new tap with a random image from Unsplash. This is something that I really like, and it is a refreshing look every time I open a new tab. I really don’t like using Microsoft Edge, because it won’t allow me to change the new tab with an extension last time I checked.
Unsplash is last updated in 2021, it’s pretty stable and works well so I don’t think it needs any update.
It would be a simple change to go from version 2 to version 3, but unfortunately I couldn’t find the code for the extension, leaving me unable to push a PR request or fork.
Papier
Papier is also a really nice extension, with over 40,000 installs. It allows you to write down notes with markdown. It replaces the new tab with a blank canvas, that allows you to quickly write down something.
It’s nothing complicated as obsidian, but still it’s a nice way to jot down some notes quickly.
But unfortunately it’s also not being updated since 2021, and I can’t seem to find the source code online. Meaning unless they change the version, it’s at risk of not being able to use.
Some other extensions
- Clean URLs - The removes all the tracking queries in a URL and allow you to share a clean url. The code is open source and maybe they will plan on moving to version 3.
I don’t want to write a list, but I hope you get the point, that so many good extensions are on the verge of stop working, because the developers have stopped developing their extensions and also haven’t made their code open source.
But hey, if you don’t want to use Unsplash, Chrome store has some dodggy extensions to replace your new tab with, all has the same look and feel, and I’m pretty sure there is something running underneth them.
