What Is the Software Reporter Tool in Chrome and How to Disable It

Ever wonder how Google Chrome seems to update and patch itself automatically?

Google Chrome embeds processes to do this. These processes reach out directly to Google servers to ensure that your browser is safe and secure. Chrome also initiates a second process every so often that isn’t as important as the Software Reporter tool.

What is the Software Reporter Tool?

This tool is part of the Chrome Cleanup Tool and monitors browser crashes and browser modifications by malicious addons or malware which may have infected your browser. This tool reports all information to Google through the Software Reporter Tool.

If you have Chrome installed, you can find this tool on your computer at the following path.

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter\VERSION\software_reporter_tool.exe

Although the application drive letter for your system might be different, the path remains the same.

The cleanup process can be very helpful in keeping Chrome running smoothly. However, if the process is causing problems with your CPU or memory performance, you should not allow it to stop running.

Privacy concerns are another reason why many Chrome users have disabled the Software Reporter Tool. Google claims the software “scans folders related to Chrome”, but many users don’t like that a utility could send information about data on their computers to any server over the internet.

If either of these concerns you, you will be happy to know that you can disable the Software Reporter tool without difficulty.

How to disable the software reporter tool in Chrome

The Software Reporter Tool will not be found as a scheduled task in Windows 10. This is because the scheduled trigger of the tool happens within Chrome.

You can stop the Software Reporter Tool from launching, and communicating remotely with Google servers.

Permissions to Remove Software Reporter Tool

You can delete security permissions in the executable file to prevent it from running or communicating over the internet.

Open File Explorer, and navigate to the following path:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data

1. Right-click the SWReporterfolder to select Property.
2. Select the Security tab, and then click the Advanced link.
3. Select the Disable inheritance option from the Security Settings window.

Note Disabling inheritance of a folder limits access to a subfolder within a parent folder. This security change affects only that particular folder but does not affect any other Chrome folders.

4. A window will appear asking you what you would like to do about the current inherited rights.Select the option to Delete all inherited permissions on this object.

After that, you’ll see a message in your Permission entries pane stating that no users or groups have access to the object folder.

To finish, select Apply or OK.

Note – For older Windows versions like Windows 7, you will need to choose Change Permissions. Next, uncheck Include inheritable rights from this object parent and then select Remove in the popup window.

Registry Entries can be used to disable Chrome Cleanup

You can also disable Chrome Cleanup to disable Chrome’s Software Reporter Tool.

This can be done by creating a new entry under the Chrome key in the Registry.

1. Click Windows Key+. Type Regedit. Then press Enter. This will open Registry Editor. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome.
2. Right-click on the Chrome registry key, select New, and then select Dword (32-bits) Value.
3. Name the new entry Google ChromeCleanupEnabled, and ensure that it has a value of 0.
4. Repeat the process above to create another new Dword entry, but this time name it ChromeCleanupReportingEnabledand set its value to 0 as well.

What is the purpose of setting these entries up? Each entry serves a different purpose. Chrome Cleanup will be disabled if ChromeCleanupEnabled is set to 0. It will then stop running. Setting ChromeCleanupReportingEnabled to 0 further disables the tool’s reporting of any information to Google servers.

One of these entries is sufficient, but both must be zero to ensure that the tool does not run or communicate with Google.

However, if you still want the cleanup tool to run as a way to protect Chrome from malware and adware, you can set ChromeCleanupEnabled to 1 and leave ChromeCleanupReportingEnabled to 0, so at least it’ll block any communications with Google servers.

Google Cleanup Reporting is disabled from Inside Chrome

You can also prevent the Software Reporter Tool from displaying your data to third parties. This can be disabled from within Chrome.

If you don’t want to make any changes to your system, this is the best choice. Chrome will do the work.

1. Chrome is open. Click the three dots icon to open Chrome’s menu. Select Settings.
2. Scroll down to the System section. Expand the menu by selecting Advanced. You must ensure that the toggle to the right Continue running background applications when Google Chrome is closed has been disabled.
3. Scroll down to the Cleanup and Reset section and click Clean Up Computer.
4. Deselect the box next to report details to Google.

Restart Chrome, and you should see all of your settings activated.

This is the easiest method to disable reporting from the Software Reporter Tool. This option requires that you are able to trust Google enough not to communicate any information to Google servers with the selected disabled.

Which option should you choose?

You can disable Chrome’s Software Reporter Tool, but all of these options will still work.

Make sure to select the right settings so Google Chrome Cleanup can scan Chrome regularly and clean it for you.