Why Is Google Blocking Ad Blockers in Chrome? And What You Can Do About It 

You may have noticed recently that your favorite ad blocker isn’t working as well in Google Chrome—or that it’s been disabled altogether. That’s not a bug. Google has officially begun phasing out support for certain ad-blocking extensions in Chrome. Here’s what’s going on—and what you can do to keep your browsing experience clean and secure.

What’s Changing in Chrome?

Google is rolling out a major update to how Chrome handles browser extensions, called Manifest V3. Without getting too technical, this update changes how ad blockers operate—limiting their ability to block intrusive ads, trackers, and scripts before they load.

Why would Google do this?

Simple: Ads are Google’s main source of revenue. By weakening ad blockers, Google keeps more eyeballs on the ads that fund its business.

How This Affects You

If you’re using popular ad blockers like uBlock Origin or AdGuard in Chrome, you may already notice they’re less effective. Eventually, some extensions might stop working altogether unless they adapt to the new restrictions—many can’t without losing key features.

This means:

• More annoying pop-ups

• More tracking and data collection

• Slower page loads from bloated ad scripts

A Better Alternative: Brave Browser

If you want to keep your browsing fast, private, and ad-free, Brave is a great alternative. It’s built on the same Chromium engine as Chrome (so it feels familiar), but with built-in ad and tracker blocking that isn’t limited by Google’s rules.

Why we like Brave: 

• Fast and lightweight

• Blocks ads and trackers by default

• Supports Chrome extensions

• Built-in Tor tab for private browsing

• Built-in AI assistant and video call tools

• It’s free, open-source, and doesn’t sell your data.

How to Switch in Under 5 Minutes

1. Go to https://brave.com

2. Download and install Brave

3. During setup, import your bookmarks and settings from Chrome

4. Start browsing—faster, safer, and ad-free

Grab a free "Switch to Brave Checklist"

Final Thoughts

I get it—change is annoying. But when a browser stops working for you and starts working against you, it’s time to make a switch. Brave gives you back control over your web experience.

Need help switching or want to try a few browsers before you commit?

Contact PCRescue for expert advice—we’ll get you set up in no time.