Installing uBlock Origin takes three minutes and requires no technical knowledge

uBlock Origin is a free extension that blocks ads, trackers, and some malware on websites you visit. To install it on Chrome, open the Chrome Web Store, search for "uBlock Origin," click the blue "Add to Chrome" button, and confirm the permission prompt. The extension then appears as an icon in your toolbar and starts working when ready on every website you visit.

The extension works in the background without slowing down your browser noticeably. It blocks ads before they load, which also means pages often load faster than they would with ads running. You do not need to restart Chrome or change any settings to start using it.

Key Takeaways

  • uBlock Origin installs directly from the Chrome Web Store in under three minutes with no setup required.
  • The extension blocks ads, tracking scripts, and some malicious content on every website automatically.
  • You can customize what it blocks by clicking its icon and adjusting the filter lists, though the default settings work well for most people.
  • uBlock Origin is free and does not collect data about your browsing or sell information to advertisers.

Step-by-step installation on Chrome

Open Chrome and go to chrome.google.com/webstore. In the search box at the top left, type "uBlock Origin" and press Enter. The first result should be uBlock Origin by Raymond Hill — this is the correct one. Click on it to open the extension page.

Click the blue button that says "Add to Chrome." A popup will appear asking you to confirm that you want to add the extension. It will list the permissions uBlock Origin needs, mainly the ability to read and change content on websites so it can remove ads. Click "Add extension" to confirm. The popup closes, and uBlock Origin is now installed.

You will see a small icon appear in the top right corner of Chrome, usually next to your profile picture. This is the uBlock Origin button. You can click it anytime to see what the extension is blocking on the current page or to adjust its settings. If you want the icon to always be visible, right-click it and select "Pin to toolbar."

What uBlock Origin blocks by default

Out of the box, uBlock Origin blocks most display ads, video ads, pop-ups, and tracking scripts. It uses filter lists — sets of rules that tell it what counts as an ad or tracker — and comes with several of these lists already turned on. The most important ones are EasyList (which blocks ads), EasyPrivacy (which blocks trackers), and uBlock's own filter list.

Some websites will still show ads even with uBlock Origin running. This usually means the site has embedded ads in a way the filter lists do not recognize yet, or the site is using a custom ad system. You can report these to the uBlock Origin community, and they update the filter lists regularly to catch new ad formats.

Customizing what gets blocked

Click the uBlock Origin icon in your toolbar to open a small panel. At the top you will see a power button — clicking it turns the extension off for just that website, or you can click and hold to turn it off temporarily. Below that are three sliders that let you adjust how aggressively uBlock Origin blocks content. The default setting (all three sliders to the right) blocks the most.

For more detailed control, click the gear icon at the bottom right of the panel to open the settings page. Go to the "Filter lists" tab to see all the lists uBlock Origin is using. You can check or uncheck any of them. Most people never need to change these — the defaults work well. If a website breaks (buttons do not work, content does not load), you can turn off uBlock Origin for just that site by clicking its icon and then the power button.

Turning off uBlock Origin for specific websites

Some websites ask you to turn off ad blockers to view their content. To do this for just one site, click the uBlock Origin icon and then click the large power button. The button will turn gray, and uBlock Origin stops blocking on that page. Reload the page to see the ads. The extension stays off for that domain until you click the power button again to turn it back on.

If you want to turn off uBlock Origin everywhere, click the icon, hold down the power button for a few seconds, and select "Disable everywhere." This turns the extension off globally until you turn it back on the same way. Most people never need to do this — turning it off per website is usually enough.

Keeping uBlock Origin updated

Chrome updates extensions automatically in the background, so you do not need to do anything. uBlock Origin updates its filter lists regularly — sometimes multiple times per day — to catch new ads and trackers. These updates happen without any action from you.

You can check that uBlock Origin is up to date by going to chrome://extensions in your address bar. Find uBlock Origin in the list. If there is an "Update" button, click it. Otherwise, the extension is current. The filter lists update on their own schedule and do not require you to do anything.

Troubleshooting common problems

If a website looks broken or buttons do not work, uBlock Origin might be blocking something it should not. Click the uBlock Origin icon and toggle the power button to turn it off for that site, then reload the page. If the page works, you have found the problem. You can then turn uBlock Origin back on and adjust its settings, or just leave it off for that one site.

If you see a message saying "uBlock Origin is not allowed on this page," you are on a Chrome system page (like the Web Store itself or your settings). uBlock Origin cannot run on these pages for security reasons, and there is nothing to fix. If ads are still showing on regular websites after you installed uBlock Origin, wait a few minutes — the extension sometimes needs time to load its filter lists on first install. If ads persist after an hour, try restarting Chrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does uBlock Origin slow down Chrome?

No. uBlock Origin uses very little memory and CPU. Most people notice pages load faster because ads no longer read. If you have many extensions installed, you might see a small slowdown, but uBlock Origin itself is not the cause.

Is uBlock Origin safe to use?

Yes. uBlock Origin is open-source, meaning anyone can read its code to check for problems. It does not collect data about your browsing, does not sell information, and does not inject ads of its own. The developer, Raymond Hill, maintains it without charging money.

Will websites know I am using an ad blocker?

Some websites can detect that ads are not loading and may ask you to turn off your blocker. They cannot see which extension you are using or what else you are doing online. uBlock Origin does not send any information about your browsing to anyone.

Can I use uBlock Origin on other browsers?

Yes. uBlock Origin works on Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera. The installation process is similar — go to each browser's extension store and search for "uBlock Origin." The settings and filter lists work the same way across all browsers.

What is the difference between uBlock Origin and uBlock?

uBlock Origin is the original, maintained by Raymond Hill. "uBlock" is a different extension by a different developer. Use uBlock Origin — it is the one most people recommend and the one that gets regular updates.