📝 Introduction

BleachBit is a free and open-source tool that helps you clean up your computer by removing unnecessary files, freeing up disk space, and protecting your privacy. It can clear cache, delete temporary files, remove cookies, and even wipe free disk space so deleted files can’t be recovered easily.

If your computer feels slow or cluttered, BleachBit can help. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it’s completely free—no ads, no spyware, no paid version.

  • Free up disk space by deleting unneeded files.
  • Protect your privacy by clearing history and cookies.
  • Improve performance by cleaning up temporary data.
  • Securely delete files so they can’t be recovered.

💻 Installation

Windows

  1. Go to the official BleachBit website: https://www.bleachbit.org/download/windows
  2. Download the .exe installer.
  3. Double-click the file to start the installation.
  4. Follow the on-screen steps and accept the defaults.
Tip: If Windows asks for permission, click Yes to allow installation.

macOS

  1. Download the macOS version from: https://www.bleachbit.org/download/mac
  2. Open the .dmg file.
  3. Drag the BleachBit icon into your Applications folder.
  4. Start BleachBit from Launchpad or Applications.
Note: The macOS version may have fewer features than the Linux/Windows versions.

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu/Mint)

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Update your package list:
sudo apt update
  1. Install BleachBit:
sudo apt install bleachbit

Linux (Fedora)

sudo dnf install bleachbit

Linux (Arch / Manjaro)

sudo pacman -S bleachbit

🚀 Basic Usage

  1. Open BleachBit.
  2. You’ll see two modes:
    • BleachBit (regular) – runs with your current user permissions.
    • BleachBit (as Administrator/Root) – cleans system-wide files.
  3. In the left panel, check the boxes for items you want to clean (e.g., Cache, Cookies, Temporary files).
  4. Click Preview to see how much space will be freed.
  5. Click Clean to delete the files.

📋 Common Tasks (Copy & Paste Ready)

Run BleachBit in Terminal (Linux)

Preview cleanup without deleting anything:

bleachbit --preview firefox.cache

Clean specific application data (example: Firefox cache):

bleachbit --clean firefox.cache

Clean multiple areas at once:

bleachbit --clean firefox.cache system.tmp

Run BleachBit with administrator rights:

sudo bleachbit

💡 Tips & Tricks for Beginners

  • Preview before cleaning – This avoids deleting something you might need.
  • Close apps before cleaning – Some files can only be deleted if the app is closed.
  • Be cautious with system files – Only check options you understand.
  • Use “Wipe Free Space” sparingly – It’s secure but takes a long time.

🛠 Troubleshooting

BleachBit won’t delete some files?
→ Run it as Administrator (Windows) or with sudo (Linux).

Accidentally deleted something important?
→ BleachBit deletes files permanently—there’s no undo.

BleachBit is slow when wiping free space?
→ This is normal. It overwrites empty disk areas to make recovery impossible.

📚 Resources & Further Reading

License: BleachBit is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), meaning it’s free to use, modify, and share.