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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchFlatpak disk usage can come from several different places, and they need different cleanup actions. For build data, remove the relevant .flatpak-builder state directory when you can accept a full rebuild. For unused installed runtimes and extensions, use flatpak uninstall --unused. An app’s private cache is separate and should be assessed on an app-by-app basis.
First identify what is using the space
“Flatpak cache” can mean different things. Before deleting anything, locate the large directory and match it to the data it contains:
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- Builder state: Project build data, including downloads, build directories, and cached build results. By default, flatpak-builder keeps it in
.flatpak-builderunder its state directory, which defaults to the current working directory. - Build output: The target directory containing the output of a build. This is separate from the builder’s state directory.
- Installed refs: Runtimes and extensions installed for Flatpak apps. These are not builder cache.
- App-private cache: Data maintained for an individual app, typically under
~/.var/app/<app-id>/cache.
The amount you can recover depends on the contents of your own machine; the Flatpak documentation does not establish a typical reclaimable amount.
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To clear build state, remove the .flatpak-builder directory associated with the project, or the custom state directory used for that build. Flatpak Builder’s command reference says: “It is safe to remove the state directory. This will force a full build the next time you build.” You lose incremental-build benefits, so the next build must recreate the state.
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If you chose a custom location with --state-dir=PATH, clean that location rather than assuming the default directory is in use. The configured state path must be on the same filesystem as the build target directory.
Choose the right cleanup behavior for future builds
Clear the previous build target with --force-clean
Run flatpak-builder with --force-clean when you want it to erase the previous contents of the build target directory before building. This is not the same as deleting builder state. Since flatpak-builder 1.4.6, the option refuses to delete a target directory if it is the current working directory, the state directory, or a parent of either.
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Delete module directories to save space
By default, failed build directories are retained and successful ones are removed. The --delete-build-dirs option tells the builder to remove source and build directories after each module, including when a module fails. This can reduce retained build files, but leaves less material to inspect when debugging a failed module.
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Uninstall runtimes and extensions that are no longer used
To remove installed runtimes and extensions that no installed apps use, inspect the proposed removals and then run:
flatpak uninstall --unused
This cleans unused installed refs; it does not clear flatpak-builder state. Use flatpak repair only when addressing inconsistencies in a local Flatpak installation. It is not documented as a general-purpose cache cleaner.
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Treat an app’s private cache separately
Flatpak sets an app’s XDG_CACHE_HOME to ~/.var/app/<app-id>/cache. That location belongs to the app, not flatpak-builder. The path alone does not establish whether deleting its contents is harmless: behavior depends on the app. Check the app’s documentation or settings before removing its cache, and do not treat this directory as a universal Flatpak cleanup target.
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For maintainers: reduce files shipped in the app
If you maintain a Flatpak, manifest cleanup patterns and cleanup-commands can remove files produced during the build. This changes what goes into the built application; it does not clear a user’s existing builder state. The Flatpak documentation also notes that avoiding unnecessary components in the build is often preferable to relying on extensive cleanup.
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