Ghost Browser Will Support Manifest V2 Extensions Despite Google’s Plans

Keep using uBlock Origin and many other extensions that are otherwise under attack.

Google’s shift from Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 (MV3) represents the most significant change to Chrome’s extension framework in years. While officially marketed as an effort to improve security and performance, MV3 is widely seen as a direct attack on user control, in favor of advertisers, particularly affecting extensions that empower privacy and security. And there are a lot of productivity and workflow tools that are going to be collateral damage.

We can’t have that.

At the core of the controversy is Google’s decision to deprecate Manifest V2, crippling the WebRequest API, which has been a fundamental tool for extension developers for over a decade. Under Manifest V3, WebRequest is replaced with the more restrictive DeclarativeNetRequest API (DNR), which dramatically limits what extensions can do. This has devastating consequences for power users across multiple categories:

• Ad blockers are now forced to work within predefined filtering rules, reducing their ability to block dynamic or evolving ad-serving methods. Wanna bet Google ads get through?
• Privacy tools lose much of their capability to block trackers and fingerprinting techniques.
• Developer and automation extensions that previously had granular control over requests and web interactions are now severely limited.
• Security-focused tools that rely on real-time request monitoring and intervention can no longer function as intended.

The bottom line? By killing Manifest V2, Google has given itself—and advertisers—more control over the browsing experience while diminishing the power of extensions that put users in control. We deserve a better browser.

Ghost Browser is your Solution

If you’re among the users frustrated with these imposed limitations, Ghost Browser is the best alternative. Unlike Chrome, we will continue to support both Manifest V2 and Manifest V3, ensuring those extensions maintain their full functionality.

Even better, you can download Ghost Browser and import your Chrome extensions, bookmarks and settings into Ghost Browser in less than a minute. That means you don’t have to waste time reconfiguring your browser and you will see immediate improvements to your workflow with our Workspaces and Identities features.

How Manifest V3 Impacts Specific Power Users

Much has been made of Manifest V3 killing uBlock Origin, but adblockers are not the only impacted extensions in Chrome, and that is why we are committing to Manifest V2 support on the whole rather than just one extension.

Privacy & Ad-Blocking: Why Google’s Changes Hurt uBlock Origin and Other Tools

Indeed, one of the most vocal critics of Manifest V3 has been Raymond Hill, the developer of uBlock Origin (uBO). Under MV3, ad blockers can no longer dynamically modify web requests beyond the limited filtering rules allowed by DNR. This means that uBO and other blockers, such as AdGuard lose their ability to:

• Block dynamically generated ads that don’t fit static filtering rules.
• Prevent tracking techniques that use fingerprinting and randomized URLs.
• Provide user-customizable blocklists beyond what Google permits.

This isn’t just a theoretical limitation. Studies have already shown that ad-blocking effectiveness drops significantly under Manifest V3. Google’s argument that MV3 enhances security is flimsy at best—ad blockers have long operated safely under Manifest V2. The real motivation seems to be protecting ad revenue by ensuring fewer users can block ads effectively.

With Ghost Browser, you can continue using uBlock Origin in its full, unrestricted form—no compromises, no weakened filtering.

Developers & Power Users: The Death of Dynamic Scripting and Request Modification

For developers and advanced users, the most frustrating limitation of MV3 is the restriction on modifying network requests in real-time. Under Manifest V2, tools like Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey, and Requestly allowed users to:

• Modify request headers dynamically.
• Inject scripts based on URL patterns.
• Automate interactions for web development and testing.

Manifest V3 eliminates these capabilities by removing persistent background scripts and restricting scripting to predefined rules. This makes dynamic modification impossible and forces users into rigid workflows dictated by Google.

Ghost Browser preserves full support for developer-friendly extensions, ensuring that power users aren’t forced into artificially limited workflows. If you rely on tools like Octotree for GitHub, Wappalyzer for technology detection, or Selenium for web automation, Ghost Browser ensures these tools still function as intended.

Security & Cybersecurity: The Decline of Real-Time Monitoring

Security professionals rely on extensions using Manifest V2 that actively monitor and intervene in network traffic. Extensions like NoScript, ClearURLs, and Decentraleyes use real-time request analysis to block dangerous scripts and prevent data leaks.

Manifest V3 removes these capabilities in two major ways:

1. No More Real-Time Blocking – Without the WebRequest API, extensions can no longer inspect and alter requests dynamically.
2. No More Persistent Background Scripts – Many security tools need persistent background processing to maintain their effectiveness, which is now prohibited.

For cybersecurity professionals using Burp Suite integrations, Privacy Badger, or LocalCDN, these changes are disastrous. Ghost Browser continues to allow real-time network monitoring and intervention, ensuring that security-conscious users don’t have to compromise.

Multi-Session & Productivity Users: Why Ghost Browser Is the Only Viable Alternative

Many power users depend on multi-account workflows, and Ghost Browser has long been the best solution for this. Social media managers, digital marketers, and eCommerce sellers rely on tools like SessionBox, MultiLogin, and StealthFox to manage multiple accounts simultaneously.

Google’s changes affect these users as well:

• Some session and identity-management extensions rely on background scripts, which MV3 removes.
• Extensions that automate login processes or modify request headers may no longer function correctly.
• Browser fingerprinting resistance is weakened due to Google’s push toward more restrictive APIs.

Ghost Browser not only maintains full extension compatibility but also natively supports multi-session workflows, making it the best browser for professionals managing multiple accounts.

How to Switch from Chrome to Ghost Browser in Minutes

The good news? Switching to Ghost Browser is seamless.

We’ve made it easy for Chrome users to transition without hassle:

• Import all your extensions from Chrome with a single click.
• Keep your bookmarks, history, and saved logins without any manual setup.
• Maintain full functionality of Manifest V2 extensions while still supporting MV3 for future-proofing.

No need to waste hours rebuilding your workflow—Ghost Browser gives you everything you had in Chrome, plus the freedom to use the tools you actually need.

Take Back Control of Your Browser

Google’s Manifest V3 changes are designed to limit user choice, weaken privacy tools, and push users toward an ad-dominated web experience. If you care about privacy, security, automation, and multi-session workflows, you need a browser that respects those priorities.

Ghost Browser is that browser.

Don’t let Google decide how you browse. Download Ghost Browser today and keep your extensions fully functional.