Google’s newest Chrome utility is designed to buff out any blemishes in the browser

By Konrad Krawczyk Published October 10, 2014

Is Chrome not running so hot on your computer these days? Notice anything funny with it lately? If so, you might want to check out Google’s Software Removal Utility.

The tool, which is currently in beta, “will scan and remove software that may cause problems with Chrome,” Google says. The search titan also says that you should consider running this utility to be akin to a factory reset for Chrome.

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Situations that could be improved by running the tool, according to the tech giant, include instances where you see home pages that look different from what you’re accustomed to seeing, toolbars with mysterious origins, along with pop-ups that are not easy to banish.

Google cautions that some malware could prevent the tool from removing any programs that are causing problems with Chrome. In such instances, the company recommends that you use anti-malware or anti-virus scanners to try to get rid of all offending software.

As of now, the tool is only compatible with Chrome for Windows. There’s no word as to whether a version of the tool for other browsers and/or platforms is in the works.

To download it, click here, click the blue “Download now,” button, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Computing Editor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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