Kodiak Cleaner

Kodiak Cleaner for Linux

The Linux edition of Kodiak Cleaner: clean junk files, caches and package downloads, and see everything that starts automatically. Version 0.8.1 Dev, free and open source.

Beta software: use at your own risk. Kodiak Cleaner for Linux is new and still in development. Analyze before you clean, read each caution, and keep your own backups of anything important.

Debian and Ubuntu

DEB Package

For Debian 12, Ubuntu 22.04, Linux Mint 21 and newer.

  • Adds Kodiak Cleaner to your app menu.
  • Installs everything it needs through apt.
  • Update by installing the newer .deb.
Download DEBZIP with the .deb inside · 134 KB

KodiakCleanerLinux-DEB.zip

AppImage

For any 64-bit distribution with GTK 4 and libadwaita.

  • Runs without installing, from any folder.
  • Uses your system's own Python 3 and GTK 4.
  • Update by replacing the old .AppImage.
Download AppImageZIP with the AppImage inside · 570 KB

KodiakCleanerLinux-AppImage.zip

Each ZIP also has a Docs folder with the changelog, license, privacy policy, terms of use and a plain-language ReadMe. Looking for Windows? Download Kodiak Cleaner for Windows.

Cleaner

Junk, Caches and Package Downloads

Tick what to clean, click Analyze to see what's there, then Run Cleaner. Sort By offers Default, A to Z, Largest Found, Last Cleaned and Most Space Freed, and only programs found on your computer are listed.

Browsers:

BraveChromiumFirefoxFloorpGoogle ChromeHeliumLibreWolfMicrosoft EdgeMullvad BrowserOperaVivaldi
Kodiak Cleaner for Linux
GroupWhat It Cleans
SystemThumbnails, Trash, your own temporary files in /tmp and /var/tmp, the recent files list and shell history. With administrator rights: journal logs older than two weeks, crash reports and core dumps.
Package ManagersAPT, DNF, Pacman (keeps the two newest of each) and Zypper downloads, unused Flatpak runtimes and app caches, old Snap revisions and the Snap download cache.
BrowsersCache, cookies, history and sessions, including Snap and Flatpak copies, plus the Thunderbird cache. Bookmarks are never touched.
ProgramsDiscord, Go, npm, pip, Slack, Spotify, Visual Studio Code and Yarn caches.
Advanced CleaningOld kernels (the running and newest are kept), unused packages, old log files and the whole cache folder. Hidden behind a warning, never ticked for you, each with a caution.
Triggers

Everything That Starts Automatically

One list of autostart entries, systemd services and timers, cron jobs, shell startup files and device rules, for you and for every user.

  • Notes flag entries worth a look: a missing program, a program in a temporary or hidden folder, a recent change, or a command that downloads and runs code.
  • Needs a Look shows only the entries with notes.
  • Triggers History keeps a copy before every change, and Restore puts it back.
Kodiak Cleaner for Linux
TypeWhere It Comes FromWhat You Can Do
Autostart~/.config/autostart and /etc/xdg/autostartTurn on or off, remove your own, add a new one
Cron JobYour crontab, /etc/crontab, /etc/cron.d, the cron.daily folders and anacrontabTurn your own on or off, or remove them
Device RulePrograms run by rules in /etc/udev/rules.dShown
Login ScriptKDE autostart and environment scriptsShown, remove your own
Service, Timer, Socket, Path Unitsystemd, for you and for all usersTurn on or off, remove your own
Shell Startup~/.bashrc, ~/.profile, ~/.zshrc, fish, X session files, /etc/profile.d and moreShown, and Open File opens it in your editor
Make It Yours

Honey, Classic and Glacier, Light or Dark

The same color schemes and accent colors as the Windows edition, with light or dark mode that can follow your desktop.

Kodiak Cleaner for Linux

Honey is free for everyone. Classic and Glacier are a thank-you for supporters, and a supporter code from the Windows edition works here too.

Safety

Files are only removed inside your home folder, plus your own files in /tmp and /var/tmp. Links are removed, never followed. Anything outside your home folder goes through a small administrator helper that runs a fixed list of jobs and asks for your password once per clean.

Privacy

Kodiak Cleaner for Linux never goes online by itself. No telemetry, analytics, crash reports, ads or accounts. Settings live in ~/.config/kodiak-cleaner and Triggers History in ~/.local/share/kodiak-cleaner.

What It Needs

64-bit Linux with Python 3.10 or newer, GTK 4 and libadwaita (GNOME desktops already have them). Elsewhere, install python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-4.0 gir1.2-adw-1 (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint), python3-gobject gtk4 libadwaita (Fedora) or python-gobject gtk4 libadwaita (Arch).

Install

  1. DEB: unzip, then double-click the .deb, or run sudo apt install ./KodiakCleaner-Dev-amd64.deb.
  2. AppImage: unzip, allow the .AppImage to run as a program, then double-click it.

Update and Uninstall

Updating keeps your settings and history: install the newer .deb, or replace the old .AppImage. To uninstall, remove the package with your software manager (or sudo apt remove kodiak-cleaner), or delete the AppImage.

Changelog

What's New for Linux

0.8.1 Dev

Appearance

  • Honey, Classic and Glacier now use the exact colors from Ted's updated build standard, and every color scheme passes the WCAG 2.2 AA contrast check in light and dark, with its own accent and with every accent color. The keyboard focus ring has its own color in each scheme.
  • Classic is now a Supporter theme, like Glacier. Honey stays free for everyone, and a copy without a supporter code that had Classic chosen shows Honey.
  • Color Scheme tiles read "Warm cream and gold", "Crisp white and blue" and "Calm blue-grey", and locked tiles show a "Supporter Theme" chip.
  • Accent colors are Blue, Teal, Green, Purple, Pink, Orange and Slate (Graphite is now Slate), after the color scheme's own accent. They stay free for everyone. Each one is shifted lighter or darker per scheme and mode so text and buttons stay readable, and the swatch shows the shade you'll get.
  • The color scheme's own accent is always the first swatch. Classic's own accent is blue, so Classic has no second Blue swatch; its first swatch is named "Theme Accent (Blue)".
  • The Accent Color card now sits right under Color Scheme. Swatches are round with a thin border so they show on any card, and the chosen one has a ring and a checkmark.
  • Text boxes use the scheme's control border color, so their edges are easier to see.

Packages

  • The downloads are now named KodiakCleaner-Dev-AppImage.zip (with KodiakCleaner-Dev-x86_64.AppImage inside) and KodiakCleaner-Dev-Deb.zip (with KodiakCleaner-Dev-amd64.deb inside), the same names every release, so a download link always gets the newest build.
  • Both ZIPs have a Docs folder with Changelog.txt, Download.url, Homepage.url, License.txt, Privacy.txt, ReadMe.txt and TermsOfUse.txt, all plain text. The .deb installs the same folder in /usr/lib/kodiak-cleaner/Docs, and the AppImage carries it too. They replace CHANGELOG.md, README.md, LICENSE, PRIVACY.md, HOMEPAGE.txt, DOWNLOAD.txt and INSTALL.txt.
  • ReadMe.txt explains what Kodiak Cleaner needs, installing, updating without losing settings or history, uninstalling and privacy in plain words.
  • Download.url downloads the newest Dev build straight from GitHub.

0.8.0 Dev

Added

  • Cleaner: system junk (thumbnails, Trash, your own temporary files, recent files list, shell history), journal logs, crash reports and core dumps; APT, DNF, Pacman and Zypper package caches; unused Flatpak runtimes and app caches; old Snap revisions and the Snap download cache; browser cache, cookies, history and sessions for Brave, Chromium, Firefox, Floorp, Google Chrome, Helium, LibreWolf, Microsoft Edge, Mullvad Browser, Opera, Thunderbird (cache) and Vivaldi; Discord, Go, npm, pip, Slack, Spotify, Visual Studio Code and Yarn caches.
  • Advanced Cleaning: old kernels, unused packages, old log files and the entire cache folder, hidden behind a warning, never ticked for you, each with a caution.
  • Administrator items: one password prompt per clean, through your desktop's own polkit prompt and a helper that only runs a fixed list of jobs.
  • Triggers: one list of autostart entries, systemd services, timers, sockets and path units (yours and the system's), cron jobs, shell and login startup files, and device rules that run programs. Notes flag missing programs, temporary or hidden folders, recent changes, code downloaded and run, and jobs that run at every start.
  • Triggers changes: turn entries on or off, remove your own, add an autostart entry, and restore anything from Triggers History. Every change is backed up first.
  • Look and feel: Honey (default), Classic and Glacier color schemes, light or dark or match device, accent colors and an Animations switch.
  • Settings, About, Contact & Feedback, Changelog, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use pages, a Beta Software notice and What's New after updates.
  • Supporter: offline supporter codes (the same codes as the Windows edition) unlock Glacier and the badge.
  • Packages: an AppImage and a .deb, each delivered inside a ZIP.