Download Chrome Cleanup Tool

1 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

updated on October 4, 2023

Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links.

Chrome Cleanup Tool is a security tool designed by Google to scan your PC for suspicious applications that interfere with the activity of Google Chrome. This way, you can detect and remove malware and potentially unwanted programs that prevent you from fully enjoying your web browsing experience.

Although Chrome Cleanup Tool can still be downloaded and installed on PCs, even Windows 10, the standalone version is no longer maintained by Google. Instead, its functionality has been integrated into the newer editions of Google Chrome.

Nevertheless, you can still use this tool whenever you want to double-check suspicious programs on your own. It used to be known as the Google Chrome Software Removal Tool.

Screenshots

Our Review

Pros: Autodetects and removes harmful software; No configuration needed; Free, portable and easy to use

Cons: The standalone tool is no longer supported

Is Chrome Cleanup Tool safe?

It’s 100% safe to download, install and use Chrome Cleanup Tool on Windows 10 and other editions, including Windows 7. It’s a legitimate software product created by Google to find and detect harmful software that prevents you from fully experiencing the Chrome web browser. Besides, if you upload the file to VirusTotal, you get a perfect clean score, which means that it doesn’t contain malware.

How to use Chrome Cleanup Tool

This software application doesn’t have special system requirements. You just need to have Google Chrome installed, along with administrative rights. Although it hasn’t received updates for a significant amount of time, it still works even with the latest Chrome edition.

After downloading the Chrome Cleanup Tool to your PC, you have to get past UAC (User Account Control) at launch, so make sure to run the application as an admin. It’s also possible to install Chrome Cleanup Tool without admin rights, but there are extra steps involved.

As you can notice, there’s no kind of installation procedure involved because the program is portable. Just download and run the executable file to immediately start scanning your PC for suspicious files that prevent Google Chrome from delivering the best possible Internet navigation session.

How long does Chrome Cleanup Tool take?

Under normal circumstances, it takes only a few seconds for the Chrome malware scanner and cleanup tool to run a complete scan on your system and identify problematic programs that require your immediate attention. If the coast is clear, you will receive a “no programs found” message.

Otherwise, if the tool detects anything suspicious, it handles the targeted programs automatically, without your intervention. However, it’s a good idea to restart the Google Chrome web browser if it was already running.

Using the internal Chrome Cleanup Tool

We previously mentioned that Google discontinued the Chrome Cleanup Tool and integrated its functionality into the web browser. Therefore, you can easily access this component in newer editions of Chrome. To do this, enter chrome://settings/cleanup in your address bar.

It’s a shortcut to the Clean up computer option. Here, you can ask Chrome to look for any harmful software by just pressing the Find button. After a few seconds, the web browser returns the results and informs you of any programs out of the ordinary.

Chrome Cleanup Tool unable to start correctly

If you get the 0xc0000005 error on Google Chrome when trying to run the Chrome Cleanup Tool, use our quick-fix guide and follow our easy steps to resolve the problem in no time. For instance, you can add a sandbox flag, disable compatibility mode, or ultimately reinstall Chrome.

A simple but efficient malware detector for Chrome

Taking everything into consideration, Chrome Cleanup Tool is a great solution that scans your PC for harmful software which interferes with your Google Chrome experience. Although its functionality has been integrated directly into Chrome, you can still use the standalone edition on your PC.

Nevertheless, we must mention that the Chrome Cleanup Tool can’t match the power of an anti-malware application. On top of that, it can’t shield you from incoming attacks. The tool is only designed to find and remove existing malware. As such, you should equip your computer with the best antivirus tools for browsing, even after using the Chrome malware scanner.

FAQ: Learn more about the Chrome Cleanup Tool for Windows PC

What about Chrome Cleanup Tool for Mac or Android?

Chrome Cleanup Tool doesn’t work on Mac or Android. But you can use chrome://settings/cleanup in Google for Mac. On Android, open Play Store, tap ≡, go to Play Protect, tap ⚙️, and enable Scan apps with Play Protect.

How do I get rid of all the ads on Google Chrome?

You can change Chrome settings to block ads for certain websites. But this method takes longer and may change at browser updates. An easier solution is to use an ad blocker extension for Chrome like Adblock Plus.

How do I reset Google Chrome on my computer?

If Chrome takes forever to open on your Windows PC and you wish to reset it, head over to Settings > Advanced > Reset and clean up, press Restore settings to their original defaults, and click Reset settings again to confirm. You might have to restart the web browser.

Full Specifications

License: Freeware
Keywords: Chrome, malware removal