Fix Chrome Software Reporter Tool High Power Usage on Windows 10
Chrome blocks malicious apps from being downloaded. It also protects you from visiting malicious links. Chrome has a built in tool for scanning malicious files and links. It also has a tool called Software Reporter tool that reports the results of the many scans it runs to Google. Like Chrome, it too can consume a lot of system resources. That said, if Task Manager is reporting exceptionally high power usage and the Chrome Software Reporter Tool is responsible for it, the fix is pretty simple.
What is Chrome Software Reporter Tool and is it safe?
The Chrome Software Reporter Tool (software_reporter_tool.exe) is part of Chrome’s built-in Cleanup feature, sometimes labeled “Clean up computer” in Chrome’s settings. Its job is to scan your PC for software or browser extensions that interfere with Chrome — such as programs that hijack your homepage or search engine, inject intrusive ads, or cause Chrome to crash repeatedly. When it finds something, it reports the results back to Google.
The executable is typically located at: %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter\{version}\software_reporter_tool.exe
It is not a full antivirus — it only targets software that directly disrupts Chrome. Scans typically run about once a week and can cause a noticeable spike in CPU or disk usage for roughly 20–25 minutes while the scan runs. This is expected behavior. If the process is signed by Google, it is legitimate and not malware. That said, if the resource usage is excessive or keeps recurring, the steps below will help you get it under control.
Chrome Software Reporter Tool: How to Fix High Power Usage
The first thing you should do is close all Chrome windows that you have open. Wait for a while to see if power usage goes down. If it doesn’t, open Task Manager and check if Chrome is still running. If it is, expand it and see what processes are running under it. If you see the Chrome Software Reporter Tool listed, select it, and click End Task at the bottom right.
Run Chrome again and check if it causes the power usage to spike again. If it doesn’t, your problem is solved. The power spike was likely just a fluke. If the power does spike again, or it does so often whenever you’re running Chrome, then try the next fix.
Try disabling Chrome’s background services. Open Chrome and click the more options button at the top right. From the menu that opens, select Settings. On the Settings page, scroll all the way to the end and click Advanced. Under the System section, turn of ‘Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed’. Check if this fixes the problem.
Before moving on to more advanced steps, it is worth checking Chrome’s own built-in cleanup controls. In Chrome, go to Settings, then select Reset and clean up, and click Clean up computer. Let Chrome run its scan. You may also see an option to uncheck or turn off Report details to Google — disabling this reduces how often the tool reports back and can help with recurring resource spikes. Keep in mind that the exact wording and availability of these options can vary depending on your version of Chrome, so some users may not see the same menu labels.
If it doesn’t, you have one of two options left; you can reset Chrome and fix whatever is wrong with the Chrome Software Reporter Tool, or you can delete the tool from your system and prevent it from running.
Resetting Chrome is easy and your bookmarks or history won’t be lost. You can reset it from the Settings page. Click Advanced and then scroll to the very bottom. If resetting doesn’t do the trick, you can delete the Software Reporter tool.
Open the following location on your system.
%localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter\
Open the numbered version folder that exists on your PC — it will be a folder named with the current version number. Inside that folder you will find the file called software_reporter_tool.exe.
Inside this folder, you’ll a file called software_reporter_tool.exe. Deleting it will prevent Chrome from running the tool again. If you update Chrome, the tool will be installed again. You can always delete it each time you update Chrome however, you should wait and see if the tool still causes problems after the browser updates. Normally, the Software Reporter tool isn’t supposed to drag down your system and a Chrome update might just fix whatever is causing the problem.
If the problem persists, go ahead and delete it again.
Because Chrome can recreate software_reporter_tool.exe after an update, deleting the file is not a lasting fix on its own. If you need a more durable solution, there are two reliable methods to prevent the tool from running without you having to repeatedly delete files after every Chrome update.
Block the SwReporter folder via permissions. Navigate to %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ and right-click the SwReporter folder, then select Properties. Go to the Security tab and click Advanced. Click Disable inheritance, then choose Remove all inherited permissions from this object. Click Apply and OK. With no permissions granted, Chrome cannot execute software_reporter_tool.exe even if it recreates the file after an update. To undo this, return to the same Security > Advanced screen, click Enable inheritance, and restore the default permissions.
Disable it via the Windows Registry. Open the Registry Editor (press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter). Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome — create any missing keys along that path by right-clicking and selecting New > Key.
Inside the Chrome key, create two new DWORD (32-bit) values: name the first ChromeCleanupEnabled and set its value to 0, then name the second ChromeCleanupReportingEnabled and also set it to 0. This applies a Chrome policy that disables the cleanup tool and its reporting regardless of Chrome updates. To undo the change, simply delete both DWORD values from the registry key.
