How to Free Up Disk Space on Arch Linux

Arch Linux is known for its minimalistic, rolling-release model and full user control over the system. However, like any Linux distribution, Arch systems can accumulate unnecessary files over time, consuming precious disk space. Whether you’re running low on storage or just want to keep your system lean and clean, it’s important to understand how to safely reclaim disk space.

This article will guide you through several practical ways to free up disk space on Arch Linux, including package management, journal cleanup, cache purging, orphaned files removal, and more. These techniques can help optimize your system and keep it running smoothly.

1. Check Disk Usage

Before making any changes, it’s essential to understand what’s using your disk space. Arch provides a few tools for this purpose.

Use df to check overall usage

df -h

This command displays the disk space usage of all mounted filesystems in a human-readable format.

Use du to identify large directories

sudo du -h --max-depth=1 / | sort -hr

This shows which top-level directories are taking up the most space. You can dig deeper by changing the path or increasing --max-depth.

Use graphical tools (optional)

If you prefer GUI tools, install something like baobab or filelight:

sudo pacman -S baobab

2. Clean the Package Cache

Arch Linux (via pacman) stores old versions of packages in /var/cache/pacman/pkg/. Over time, this can consume several gigabytes of space.

View cache size

du -sh /var/cache/pacman/pkg/

Clean unused packages

sudo pacman -Sc

This command removes all cached packages not currently installed. It will prompt for confirmation.

Clean all cached packages

sudo pacman -Scc

Warning: This deletes all cached packages, including the most recent ones. Only do this if you’re sure you won’t need to downgrade packages or reinstall without downloading again.

Automate cache cleanup

Consider using a tool like paccache from the pacman-contrib package:

sudo pacman -S pacman-contrib
sudo paccache -r

By default, this keeps the three most recent versions of each package. You can customize how many versions to keep:

sudo paccache -rk1  # Keep only the latest version

3. Remove Orphaned Packages

Orphaned packages are no longer required by any installed package and can often be removed safely.

List orphans

pacman -Qdt

Remove orphans

sudo pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qdtq)

This command removes the orphaned packages along with their unused dependencies and configuration files.

4. Clear Journal Logs

Systemd stores log data in /var/log/journal/. On busy systems or over time, these logs can grow large.

Check journal size

journalctl --disk-usage

Vacuum old logs

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=2weeks

This deletes logs older than two weeks. You can change the time frame as needed (--vacuum-time=10d, 1month, etc.).

Or set a size limit

sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=100M

This reduces logs until they consume no more than 100 MB.

You can also configure persistent log size limits by editing /etc/systemd/journald.conf.

5. Remove Unused Flatpak/Snap Packages

If you use Flatpak or Snap, they can also store old versions or unused runtimes.

Flatpak

List installed apps and runtimes:

flatpak list

Remove unused versions:

flatpak uninstall --unused

Snap

Snap retains old versions by default (up to 3). You can remove older versions:

sudo snap list --all

Then, manually remove old revisions:

sudo snap remove <package> --revision=<old_revision>

Or automate with:

sudo snap set system refresh.retain=2

This limits Snap to retain only the latest two versions.

6. Clean Temporary Files

Temporary files can be stored in various locations like /tmp, /var/tmp, or user-specific .cache directories.

Clean system temp

sudo rm -rf /tmp/*
sudo rm -rf /var/tmp/*

Clean user cache

rm -rf ~/.cache/*

Be careful not to delete specific directories you might still need (like browser profiles or game configs).

Use tmpwatch (optional)

sudo pacman -S tmpwatch
sudo tmpwatch --mtime --all 72 /tmp

This removes files in /tmp not modified in the last 72 hours.

7. Use Stacer or BleachBit (GUI Cleaners)

If you prefer graphical system cleaners:

Install Stacer

yay -S stacer

Stacer provides a GUI to clean logs, cache, and manage startup apps.

Install BleachBit

sudo pacman -S bleachbit

BleachBit is similar to CCleaner on Windows. It helps clean cache files, logs, temporary files, and more.

8. Find and Remove Large Unnecessary Files

Use ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage)

sudo pacman -S ncdu
sudo ncdu /

ncdu gives an interactive console-based view of disk usage, letting you explore and delete large files easily.

Use find to locate large files

sudo find / -type f -size +100M

This lists all files larger than 100MB. Review carefully before deleting.

9. Remove Unused Kernels (If Using linux-lts, etc.)

Arch keeps multiple kernels if you install variants like linux-lts, linux-zen, etc. Old versions may linger in /boot.

List installed kernels

pacman -Q | grep linux

Ensure you’re not using a kernel before removing it.

Remove with:

sudo pacman -Rns linux-lts

Do not remove the currently running kernel.

10. Check for Duplicate Files (Optional)

Duplicate files, especially media, can consume space unnecessarily.

Install fdupes

sudo pacman -S fdupes

Scan for duplicates

fdupes -r /home/youruser/

Review the output and manually delete duplicates you don’t need.

11. Clean Up Build Dependencies (For AUR Users)

When building AUR packages with yay or paru, temporary build files accumulate in /home/username/.cache.

Clean yay cache

yay -Sc

Clean paru cache

paru -Sc

These commands remove cached package files and reduce storage use from builds.

12. Optional: Remove Unused Locales and Man Pages

You can reduce disk usage slightly by removing unused locales or documentation.

Remove unused locales

Install localepurge (not available in official repos, but in AUR):

yay -S localepurge

Use it to delete unused language packs.

Remove unused man pages

Some users opt for minimalist setups by removing man pages:

sudo rm -rf /usr/share/man/*

Note: This is not recommended unless you’re really tight on space and are confident you won’t need man pages for offline documentation.

Conclusion

Freeing up disk space on Arch Linux involves a mix of command-line tools and good housekeeping habits. Regularly clearing your package cache, removing orphaned dependencies, cleaning journal logs, and deleting temporary or large unnecessary files can keep your system lean and responsive.

Here’s a quick summary of useful commands:

Managing disk space on Arch Linux doesn’t have to be complex—it just requires regular attention and the right tools. Whether you’re maintaining a personal desktop or managing a server, these strategies can help keep your Arch installation efficient and clutter-free.