How to Disable the Chrome Software Reporter Tool to Reduce High CPU Usage

If you have noticed your Windows computer slowing down or its fans spinning up unexpectedly, you might find a process called software_reporter_tool.exe consuming high amounts of CPU and disk resources in your Task Manager. This executable is a component of the Google Chrome Cleanup Tool, designed to scan your PC for harmful software that might interfere with the browser. While well-intentioned, its aggressive background scanning can severely impact system performance.

Why the Software Reporter Tool Causes Issues

The Chrome Software Reporter Tool runs periodically in the background, scanning your computer’s drives for malware, suspicious extensions, and conflicting software. Because it performs comprehensive file system checks, it demands significant processing power and disk read/write bandwidth. If you already use a dedicated antivirus program, this secondary scanning process is largely redundant and unnecessarily drains resources.

Method 1: Block Access via File Permissions

The most effective way to permanently disable the tool is to deny the system permission to run the executable file. This prevents Chrome from launching the scanner entirely.

1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter and press Enter. This will open the folder containing the Software Reporter Tool.
3. You will see a folder with a version number (for example, 115.289.200). Open this folder.
4. Right-click on the software_reporter_tool.exe file and select Properties.
5. Navigate to the Security tab and click the Advanced button.
6. Click the Disable inheritance button at the bottom of the window.
7. When prompted, select Remove all inherited permissions from this object. This strips all users and the system of the right to access or execute the file.
8. Click Apply, then click Yes to confirm the security warning, and finally click OK.

Chrome will no longer be able to execute the tool. However, note that when Google Chrome undergoes a major update, it may create a new version folder and restore the executable. If the high CPU usage returns, you will need to repeat this process for the new folder.

Method 2: Disable via Chrome Settings

If you prefer not to modify Windows file permissions, you can disable the background scanning feature directly within Chrome’s settings, though this method relies on the browser respecting your preference.

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Settings.
3. In the left-hand sidebar, click on System.
4. Toggle off the switch for Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.

While this method is simpler, modifying the file permissions using Method 1 is the only guaranteed way to stop the executable from launching during active browsing sessions.