Google is updating how Chrome extensions work with new rules called Manifest V3. These changes aim to improve the safety and efficiency of the browser, but they also restrict how ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin can operate. While this extension is no longer available for Chrome, you can still use this ad blocker in Google Chrome if you are a big fan of the browser.
The best way to use the uBlock Origin ad-blocking browser extension in 2025 is to switch to browsers like Firefox. However, if you want to stick with the Chrome browser, you can either use alternatives like uBlock Origin Lite, AdBlock Plus, etc., or follow the workaround below.
In this guide let us learn how to fix uBlock Origin Chrome extension not working issue.
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Workaround to Fix uBlock Origin Chrome Extension Not Working in 2025
Workaround 1: Using Re-enabling or Keep for Now Options
If you have uBlock Origin installed in your Chrome browser but it’s been disabled by Google, try re-enabling it. Go to the chrome://extensions/ page and turn on the toggle next to uBlock Origin.
If that doesn’t work, you can use the “Keep For Now” option. Go to the extension page, click the three-dot menu next to uBlock Origin, and select Keep for Now. Then, scroll to the Extension section, enable uBlock Origin, and confirm again.
If neither of these options works, or if you want to reinstall uBlock Origin but see a grayed-out ‘Add to Chrome’ button, follow the steps below.
Workaround 2: Using Inspect Element tweak
1. Go to the uBlock extension page, the ‘Add to Chrome’ button will be greyed out.
2. Right click on the page and select Inspect.
3. Now search for disabled aria-describedby="c5" value.
4. Next, change the ‘disabled’ element to ‘enabled’ by double-clicking it, and save it.
5. The ‘Add to Chrome’ button will be now enabled. Click on it and it will install in your browser.
Workaround 4: Downloading and Installing uBlock Origin from GitHub Page
You can download uBlock Origin extension from official GitHub page and install it in Chrome. Here is how to do it.
1. Go to the GitHub page, download the uBlock Extension ZIP file and extract it to your PC.
2. Now, go to chrome://extensions/ page and turn on the Developer mode at the top right of the window.
3. Next, click on Load Unpacked, select the extracted extension. It will be loaded to the browser and you can then use it.
Workaround 5: Using uBlock Origin Lite
If the above given workarounds didn’t work, your last option is to use the lighter version of the uBlock extension. It’s a simpler version of uBlock with fewer features, but it can still help block annoying pop-ups. You can find it in the web store, so go ahead and give it a try.
Alternatively, you can use other popular ad-blocking extensions such as AdBlock Plus, AdGuard, and Ghostery. As of this writing, they are still functional in the Google Chrome browser.
