When you install Chrome, Software_reporter_tool.exe also gets downloaded and will be visible in Chrome app data folder under SwReporter folder, and can be reached by running this command from the Run dialog: %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter.
No, you don’t need to worry about this as this component is digitally signed by Google has a description Chrome Cleanup Tool when you check its properties.
Software Reporter Tool and Chrome Cleanup tool, what the difference between them?
FYI, to find and remove programs that cause trouble to Chrome, Google developed standalone Chrome Cleanup Tool (formerly known as Software Removal Tool) for Windows, this has been discontinued, no longer available for download.
Role of SRT/ what does it actually do?: Yes! Both Software Reporter Tool and Chrome Cleanup tool are same. But the former one installed with Google browser and resides in Chrome app data folder has a different task do.
According to Google, this tool runs once a week, doesn’t have network communication, lets Chrome know about the scan results. To elaborate, it reports about unwanted software detection to Chrome so that it prompts user to run Chrome Cleanup tool.
Google employee said this as a reply to a user reported in a forum thread when asked Chrome cleanup tool installed automatically without his consent:
“software_reporter_tool.exe is an executable that is signed by Google and downloaded as a component under Chrome’s application data folder. It is used to report whether unwanted software is present on the computer so that Chrome can prompt the user to run the Chrome Cleanup Tool (which used to be named Software Removal Tool, aka SRT).”
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Privacy
“Note that the reporter doesn’t have any network communication. It just lets Chrome know about the results of the scan. For Chrome users that opted-into metrics reporting, some of these results will be included in the metrics sent back to Google.”
You may want to check the information sent by Chrome Cleanup tool to Google, to see that, when the tool is running click on ‘information about your computer’ (check the above screenshot), which opens the log file. FYI, you can find the Chrome Cleanup Tool log file here :%localappdata%\Google\Chrome Cleanup Tool.
Update: Now that Google has added Chrome Cleanup tool to Chrome Settings, which you can find in Advanced Settings > Reset and Cleanup > Cleanup computer,
You may want to disable the ‘Report details to Google’ option.
Search giant updates the Chrome Cleanup Tool’s unwanted software database regularly, you can know which programs does the tool can remove here.
Now read How to block or disable Google Chrome’s Software Reporter tool
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Google adds ESET Scan engine to Chrome Cleanup to remove more unwanted software on Windows
“Role of SRT/ what does it actually do?: Yes!”
Best answer ever.
So, if the role of “Software_reporter_tool.exe” is to report to Chrome about “unwanted” software on my system, who exactly determines that the software is unwanted? I mean, if a software package I downloaded is in direct competition with Google is it considered “unwanted” by the engineers that developed S_R_T? What are the ramifications of the vague answer given by the Google employee? Does she/he not have a more specific knowledge of what this piece of software does? Inquiring minds want to know.
https://techdows.com/2017/01/what-programs-chrome-cleanup-tool-remove.html
Very good questions Dirk…I think your gut instinct is correct here. The explanation of this seems to have an open door for this kind of control..
I agree, when looking for answers as to exactly what this does, its pretty vague. I want details!
I agree with Dirk and Kevin. Why did it JUST come up now as safe in Norton, when I have had Chrome installed on this computer since day 1?
I would still like an explanation of exactly what this tool is, what it does and why does it do it. Explanations I have read don’t clarify that at all.
Today, Norton signalled to me that “Software_reporter_tool.exe” is safe. But, because of what I read here, I immediately uninstalled all Chromium from my Pc. Henceforth, I will use another navigator. At least up till when they will give satisfying explanations, for example by answering to your questions.
I copied the filename, deleted the file, and created a file by that name.
software_reporter_tool.exe
It may be safe, but it’s not their business.
It is safe. Its there to know about unwanted software installed on your computer that may damage Chrome.The tool has no other importance or role apart from this.
Unwanted by whom? What if I want the software in question? Google should keep their prying eyes out of other peoples systems.
I wonder if this new piece of software was developed in direct response to the Firefox recent announcement. IE: Google is using it to monitor the number of users that have downloaded/tried out the most recent release of Firefox. Early reports that I have read indicate that the Improved version of Firefox is so good that it would be worth the time and effort needed in setting up this new internet browser. I guess there is no harm in Google collecting this information.
I will be removing Chrome.
Chrome has no business reporting and/or removing anything from someone’s personal system. If I have a program that causes problems with Chrome, I’ll risk it and deal with a f*cked up Chrome when needed. Chrome – BUTT OUT OF OUR COMPUTERS!
Same here. I don’t care if Norton says it is safe, which it did, doesn’t mean I want it running.
Checking and reporting back on installed software is not only done by Chrome. Running windows 10? Read this list: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/windows-diagnostic-data
Checking Apps installed on computer from browser perspective is new, but not Operating System wise, specially considering its Windows 10.
So much for don’t be evil
It seems like MS and google are having a tug of war over browser superiority. Seems like edge was interfering with chrome in my case. Since the tool loaded chrome is working correctly and I don’t get all the annoying edge browser pop ups
Relax folks, this is not some massive invasion. This does not communicate to Google – no network capabilities. If you opted-in for metrics reporting, some of these results will be included in the metrics sent back to Google. Unwanted (a poor name) means a program that could interfere with the normal operation of the Chrome browser. It does not automatically remove software – it asks first giving the user that option.
“no network capabilities”… So what? It can save a db file that Chrome can upload later. “If you opted-in for metrics reporting, some of these results will be included in the metrics sent back to Google.” – that’s effectively the same as “network capabilities”.
“a program that could interfere with the normal operation of the Chrome browser” – which programs does it scan? Which folders on the computer does it scan? Which programs does it consider “unwanted”?
Google shouldn’t be running their own Chrome-specific “anti-malware” scanner on our computer without explicitly and very obviously giving us an opt-in that’s unchecked by default… I’ve already got anti-malware running, that I know is anti-malware, and I can config myself. What they’re doing is probably anti-competitive, resource-wasteful, unnecessary for the user, and a breach of trust.
I’m not convinced it has “…no network capabilities”.
Task Manager details shows this for software_reporter_tool.exe command line (note the url argument):
“c:\users\XXXXX\appdata\local\google\chrome\user data\swreporter\33.171.200\software_reporter_tool.exe” –crash-handler “–database=c:\users\spalmucci\appdata\local\Google\Software Reporter Tool” –url=https://clients2.google.com/cr/report –annotation=plat=Win32 –annotation=prod=ChromeFoil –annotation=ver=33.171.200 –initial-client-data=0x1f4,0x208,0x238,0x200,0x23c,0x7ff71322c2b0,0x7ff71322c2c0,0x7ff71322c2d0
I agree with Richard F
Some comments here are overcautious up to paranoid.
What’s wrong with being overcautious? Remember when you used to be able to understand what was running on your computer? Some people are still interested in doing that.
In my case, this exe file is running in the background (2x!) regardless of whether I have Chrome open. And it wasn’t doing so a month ago.
Today when i want to move some apps which i downloaded yesterday the windows file manager said that can’t move some file because it is used by other applications! then i found that this software_reporter_tool in chrome data folder is opening them and prevent me from cut-paste my apps from desktop to other folder!
VERY BAD! i delete/rename that swReporter folder and its exe file
Note: if you just delete the exe file to get rid of Google Chrome Software reporter tool, this file will be afterwards automatically downloaded by Google Chrome again!
So, what you should do instead is to replace it with a fake exe file with SAME NAME or clear the content of this executable file by an editor like as notepad.
google no evil?bull
In Chrome>settings>advanced>computer cleanup there is an option to opt out of “Report Details to Chrome”. However. every time Chrome restarts this option is again by default reset to enabled every time. When Chrome starts and runs the scanner once a week does it report the details to google before we get a chance to disable the opt out option?
https://techdows.com/2018/02/block-or-disable-chrome-software-reporter-tool.html
I don’t care what software reporter tool does, on an older slow hard drive it slowed my system to a crawl. Low CPU and Mem 100% system disk usage. Removing Chrum got rid of the problems. Not sure if this is Microsoft or Chromes problem but I am almost all Linux any more.
I uninstalled it if google chrome quits working I will be out for good!
My laptop was dead slow and I couldn’t figure out why… checked task manager and software_reporter_tool.exe using 100% of my disk killed it and back to normal i deleted the executable too.
MY RESOURCES!!!!!!!
Running once per week – WRONG – running every day and change versions sometime 2 x per week. That is not an application confidences. First one, hidden – working in background – what doing, we have only info from Google lol – send something to Google = True – what? nobody want to tell you. Cannot disable it normally with an option in Chrome. Only way – block access to run it but, changing version – you need to block it in another folder. Very good thinks from Google developers. Usually, applications are updates in the same directory but: developers changes this folder to re-enable application to run and bypass your security – very well – get attention because if someone do that, this one have a good reason for do that. I made a super faster protect to really stop this sh..t to run on my machine and block every new version. I have zero confidence to Google developers but to use some applications such WebEx, I have no choice to use Chrome because IE does not works. So be careful and do not allow Google to browse your private part on your PC.
I just deleted a whole bunch of apps and programs, after that the reporter tool starts.
Seems like it is keeping track of program usage as well.
Sure, could be coincidence, but would it really be that far fetched to think Google keeps track of everything it can?
I just discovered this little gem running on my machine today.
I find it to be shockingly invasive. I didn’t give Google permission to act like it owns my computer. That it was installed and runs unannounced gives the appearance of shadiness.
“No, you don’t need to worry about this as this component is digitally signed by Google” – yes – trust me, I’m Google
Noble like an emperor Google has assigned itself the responsibility of keeping my PC clean, only problem
Google doesnt understand private property rights, has a bit of reputation problem supplying information
to Communist China, Big Brother. With great power comes greater responsibilities, is Google lost? I believe
it is time to throw Chrome browser in garbage, it was a good run, now it’s over…….