The browser ad-blocking battle is heating up, and Firefox is making sure everyone knows where it stands.
Mozilla has taken a pointed swipe at Microsoft Edge after Microsoft began its transition away from the older Manifest V2 (MV2) extension platform. The change is significant for users of powerful content blockers such as uBlock Origin, which relies on capabilities that are restricted under the newer Manifest V3 (MV3) system.
Microsoft has confirmed that Edge will gradually disable remaining MV2 extensions for consumers starting in August 2026, with the transition expected to be completed by the end of the year. Enterprise users are scheduled to follow in 2027.
For Edge users, that means the full version of uBlock Origin will eventually stop working once MV2 support is removed. Microsoft is instead steering users toward MV3-compatible alternatives such as uBlock Origin Lite, although the Lite version does not offer all of the advanced capabilities of the original extension.
Firefox: “Our support for uBlock Origin isn’t going anywhere”
Mozilla isn’t exactly keeping quiet about the situation.
Following Microsoft’s announcement, Firefox highlighted its continued support for uBlock Origin with a blunt message:
“Our support for uBlock Origin isn’t going anywhere.”
Mozilla followed that up with an even more sarcastic reminder:
“Reminder that you can still just… use ad blockers on Firefox. Wild concept, we know.”
The timing is hardly accidental. As Chrome and Edge move away from MV2, Firefox is positioning itself as one of the major browsers where users can continue running the full-featured uBlock Origin.
Why Manifest V2 matters for ad blockers
Manifest V2 and Manifest V3 are extension frameworks that determine what browser extensions can do and how they interact with web pages and network requests.
The problem for traditional ad blockers is that MV3 places tighter restrictions on some of the APIs they have historically relied on. In particular, changes surrounding the webRequest API make it harder for extensions to perform the same kind of dynamic filtering that made uBlock Origin so powerful.
That doesn’t mean ad blocking disappears entirely on Edge.
Users can still install MV3-compatible blockers, including uBlock Origin Lite. However, power users who rely on the full uBlock Origin experience may notice a substantial difference.
Firefox is becoming the obvious alternative
With Microsoft now joining Google’s MV2 phase-out, Firefox has a pretty compelling message for users who don’t want to give up full-featured content blocking.
Mozilla has maintained its own implementation of the extension platform rather than simply following the Chromium approach. As a result, Firefox can support MV3 while retaining compatibility with MV2 extensions such as uBlock Origin.
That’s increasingly becoming a major selling point for Firefox.
For users who consider aggressive ad blocking, tracker blocking and greater control over web content essential, the browser choice may soon come down to a simple question: Do you want Chromium, or do you want Firefox?
Edge users still have some time
If you’re currently using uBlock Origin on Microsoft Edge, there’s no need to panic immediately.
Microsoft’s rollout is gradual, beginning with preview channels before reaching the stable consumer version. The company says it expects to complete the consumer transition by the end of 2026.
But the writing is clearly on the wall.
As Edge and Chrome increasingly embrace Manifest V3, Firefox is turning the situation into an opportunity — and Mozilla’s playful comments make its position unmistakable.
For now, Firefox is essentially saying: if you want the full uBlock Origin experience, you’re still welcome here.
And judging by Mozilla’s “wild concept” remark, it’s more than happy to remind Edge users of that fact.
Keep yourself updated with all the latest Microsoft Edge news by reading our full coverage here.
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