uBlock Origin for Windows

Quick summary

uBlock Origin is a free, open-source browser extension that blocks online advertisements and filters webpage content to improve privacy and reduce clutter. Created by Raymond “gorhill” Hill, it runs on most major browsers and is compatible with Windows 11. Unlike some other projects, uBlock Origin is a community-maintained fork of the original uBlock (ublock.org) and does not solicit donations or allow paid ads.

Getting started and basic use

Installing the extension adds an icon to your browser’s toolbar, where you can quickly enable or disable blocking for the site you’re visiting. Setup is straightforward: choose your preferences, add any sites you want to exclude, or enable prebuilt community-maintained blocklists right away. Many of those lists also include domains associated with malware, providing an extra layer of protection while you browse.

Core benefits

• Lightweight operation that uses fewer system resources than several competing blockers
• Simple per-site pause/resume controls accessible from the browser toolbar
• Preconfigured community blocklists available immediately after installation
• Cross-platform support, including modern Windows systems

Advanced controls and privacy features

• Dynamic URL filtering and the ability to disable JavaScript on a per-site basis
• A built-in DOM inspector and detailed logging tools for troubleshooting and tuning filters
• Cosmetic filtering, remote font blocking, and options to stop link prefetching and hyperlink auditing
• Accessibility options such as a color-vision-assistance mode and site-specific switches; Firefox users also get an extra safeguard that prevents sites from disabling the extension

Performance and code availability

uBlock Origin’s source code is publicly available and can be audited or customized. The extension is designed to be resource-efficient, often consuming less memory and CPU than alternatives like AdBlock Plus. It remains independent of advertising payments, so it does not whitelist paid ads that other projects might allow.

Installation reminder

Be careful when downloading—there are other similarly named projects (for example, the original uBlock at ublock.org) that are different from uBlock Origin. Verify the author and official distribution channel before installing to ensure you get the correct extension.