If you are using any of Google’s major desktop applications like Chrome, Google Drive, Picasa or Google Earth, you may have noticed that a program named GoogleCrashHandler.exe (shown as Google Crash Handler in Windows 10 and 8) is running in background which can be seen using Task Manager. This process seems to exist even if you close Google’s programs. This might bother you with questions like ‘what is it?’, or ‘how did it come?’, etc.
What is GoogleCrashHandler.exe?
According to Google, “GoogleCrashHandler.exe runs continuously on your computer if you’ve selected to send anonymous usage statistics and crash reports to Google for certain Google software, like Google Chrome. It helps send crash details to Google when your Google software unexpectedly shuts down. We use this data to help determine how to prevent these errors from happening in the future.”
This means, some Google software has features to automatically send your usage data and crash reports to Google servers anonymously (your privacy is protected as Google said) so that they can debug remaining problems in their products and improve them further. Google Crash Handler program stands for that purpose. This sounds GoogleCrashHandler.exe isn’t an evil.
How it was Enabled?
Google didn’t forcefully enabled this. When you were downloading those Google products (from official site) you were offered an option whether you should send usage statistics and crash reports to Google or not:
If you happened to turn it on, that is the reason Google Crash Handler running on your system now. Fortunately as it’s an opt in feature, you can easily turn it off and prevent running again. Also, if you intentionally enabled sending using statistics and crash reports from Google software’s settings, now you know how to disable it.
How to Remove or Stop Chrome Crash Handler from Running
If you are using multiple Google software like Chrome, Drive , etc. on your machine, you need to disable it for every software. Follow following instructions if you have corresponding software installed your your PC.
For Chrome:
- Open Chrome settings. Or copy chrome://settings/ in a new tab and press enter.
- Click Show advanced settings.
- Remove tick-mark from Automatically send usage statistics and crash reports to Google.
- Restart Chrome.
For Google Drive:
- Right-click on Google Drive icon from Windows System Tray.
- Choose Preference after clicking on Settings icon.
- Under Advanced tab, in System settings, remove tick-mark from Send crash reports and usage statistics to Google.
- Hit Apply.
For Picasa:
- Select Tools > Options.
- Under General tab, remove tick-mark from Send anonymous usage stats to Google.
- Hit OK.
For Google Earth:
- Select Tools > Options.
- Under General tab, uncheck Send usage statistics to Google.
- Hit. OK.
Verdict
Unless you have purpose, you shouldn’t disable Chrome Crash Handler as it enables Google make our beloved softwares better and error-free. Interestingly this article also covers how to disable sending usage statistics to Google for most of Google desktop products.
View Comments (57)
After installing Google Earth on Windows 7 I noticed GoogleCrashHandler.exe and GoogleCrashHandler64.exe were running;
- whether or not Google Earth had been run since bootup,
- despite the 'send usage stats to Google' box in Google Earth being unchecked,
- despite the Google Updater service being set to 'manual' in services.msc,
- and whether or not the Google Updater service was checked in msconfig's Services tab.
Following a Process Monitor boot log I eventually realised that into the bargain, a couple of scheduled tasks had been created – GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCore and GoogleUpdateTaskMachineUA. Running taskschd.msc, selecting Task Scheduler Library in the left-hand pane and disabling both these tasks should see the end of the Google crash handler programs for once and for all, with no registry tweaks or file renaming needed.
Thanks for posing your findings Paul. I may update the post accordingly.
Oh, yes, Microsoft has provided dozens upon dozens of places for their "trusted partners" to slip backdoor programs into the operating system (and, of course, they use them themselves, extensively).
i've found all the spots in the registry where programs can be run from, as well as the locales where they get started whenever "explorer" starts... and of course, there are the wonderful "scheduled tasks."
It's a great idea for every computer user to recognize just how much of this stuff there is, and how much ought not be running at all (or, at most, "only when I want it to"). This is the sort of thing which leads to a computer taking 2 minutes, rather than thirty seconds, to start up, for example... and while these guys may not care about our time, WE DO.
I regularly review the registry-based "run" entries (for 32-bit Windows, in just two spots, and for 64-bit windows, in four spots) and delete most of them (retaining only the ones which automatically restore themselves, like Microsoft Security Essentials, or nVidia's driver helper packages, or anything which is from a "runndll" command). As I do so, I convert the deleted items into shortcuts (copying their name and their path to a new shortcut link). I then decide if I want them running, or not. Those I want running, I'll drop into my "startup" folder (which, despite the nonsense MS tries to tell you, still exists even in Windows 10, as well as every prior WIndows variant since v3).
I get to find out what is running, and why they're running, and what they're doing for me. MOST of them I end up removing, honestly. I do NOT need, for example, any of the registry garbage Apple's iTunes or Quicktime shove into my system, for example. So I remove those... and disable the Apple-based "services" as well. (Why do I need "ipod service" running full time if I never have, and never will, own an iPod?")
The trick to having a fast, responsive system is reducing the amount of unnecessary, counterproductive, and resource-hungry garbage our "vendors" want to shove down our collective throats.
You are very right! Every time I install a peace of "software", I check everywhere to confirm that it was not an "explode-ware" :)
I only have chrome and google earth, and it is unchecked in each, yet it STILL starts at will
same here, I have only Chrome yet no matter what I do, this Google Crash Handler won't go away, it's there as soon as I reboot.
Thank you
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I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!
Hey there just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
The words in your article seem to be running off the screen in Chrome.
I'm not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with browser compatibility
but I thought I'd post to let you know. The design and style look
great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon. Cheers
I am no longer sure where you're getting your info, but
great topic. I must spend some time finding out more or figuring out more.
Thank you for magnificent information I used to be looking for this information for my mission.
I'm trying Paul's taskschd.msc fix. Let's hope it keeps the damn thing at bay. I know this is something new and recently started happening
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you need to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo matter but usually people do not speak about such issues. To the next! Cheers!!