In June 2024, Google will begin to disable Manifest V2 Chrome extensions

Google has provided some information regarding a change that will soon be made to the Chrome web browser, which you have undoubtedly heard a lot about already. The business has announced that it is proceeding with plans to deactivate Manifest V2 extensions in Chrome, particularly because more developers are now using Manifest V3, following a break in December of last year. That is the new development platform for Chrome extensions, in case you are unfamiliar. This implies that when the transfer is finished in 2024, some of the earlier extensions you use may wind up getting deleted from your browser.

More specifically, you’ll see that Google will begin to disable Manifest V2 extensions in Chrome Dev, Canary, and Beta version 127, starting in early June 2024. Furthermore, you won’t be able to install these extensions through the Chrome Web Store. Additionally, you’ll notice that these extensions will no longer have the highlighted badge if you search for them in the Chrome Web Store.

But don’t panic too much—Google will make sure everyone is aware of the change by rolling it out gradually. On the matter, Google will collaborate with developers and gather input. Once more, the improvements are only available in the non-stable builds of Chrome for now, but Google says it will release the updates to the stable version of the browser in at least a month, though it’s unclear when exactly. Additionally, as Manifest V3 additions have improved built-in security, speed, and privacy, everything is done for good reason.

If these changes worry developers, they may review Google’s migration guide, which explains the fundamentals of migrating to Manifest V3. Additionally, businesses can review different paperwork on how to activate new rules in light of this modification. Extension publishers can also use Google’s open support channels to get further help.

Additionally, Google is releasing Manifest V3 with enhanced content filtering functionality. Both dynamic and static rule sets are growing more prevalent. You may join the Web Extensions Community Group to receive updates on Google’s progress on Manifest V3.