Clear Audio Waveform Cache in Kdenlive

If your audio waveforms are missing, corrupted, or failing to load in Kdenlive, clearing the application’s audio cache will force the video editor to redraw them from scratch. This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide on how to clear the audio waveform cache both from within the Kdenlive interface and manually through your system’s file manager to restore your visual audio tracks immediately.

Method 1: Clear Cache Within Kdenlive

The easiest way to force Kdenlive to rebuild your audio thumbnails is by using the built-in project settings menu.

1. Open your project in Kdenlive.
2. Go to the top menu bar and select Project > Project Settings.
3. Click on the Cache Data tab at the top of the settings window.
4. Locate the line labeled Audio Thumbs (or Timeline Preview if you wish to clear all cached timeline data).
5. Click the Delete (trash can) icon next to the Audio Thumbs option to remove the cached files.
6. Click OK to apply the changes.

Kdenlive will immediately begin scanning your audio files and redrawing the waveforms on your timeline.

Method 2: Manually Delete the Audio Cache Folder

If the internal option does not work, or if Kdenlive is freezing, you can manually delete the cache files from your operating system. Ensure Kdenlive is closed before performing these steps.

Navigate to the directory corresponding to your operating system and delete the audiothumbs folder:

• Windows: Press Windows Key + R, type %LocalAppData%\kdenlive\cache\, and press Enter. Find and delete the audiothumbs folder.
• Linux (Standard): Open your file manager, enable hidden files, and navigate to ~/.cache/kdenlive/. Delete the audiothumbs folder.
• Linux (Flatpak): Navigate to ~/.var/app/org.kde.kdenlive/cache/kdenlive/ and delete the audiothumbs folder.
• macOS: Open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G, type ~/Library/Caches/kdenlive/, and press Enter. Delete the audiothumbs folder.

Once you restart Kdenlive and open your project, the software will automatically generate fresh, accurate audio waveforms.

Verify Timeline Settings

If waveforms still do not appear after clearing the cache, ensure that they are set to display in your timeline settings:

1. Right-click on the track header of your audio track.
2. Ensure that Show Audio Thumbnails is checked.
3. Alternatively, click the Timeline Options icon (the hamburger menu or gear icon above the timeline) and verify that audio waveforms are enabled.