How to Clear Kdenlive Cache to Free Up Disk Space

Over time, Kdenlive can consume gigabytes of hard drive space by storing temporary project cache files, proxy clips, audio thumbnails, and timeline previews. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough on how to locate, manage, and safely delete this cache data within Kdenlive to quickly reclaim your disk space.

Method 1: Using the Global Cache Manager

Kdenlive includes a built-in tool that allows you to view and delete accumulated cache files across all projects.

  1. Open Kdenlive.
  2. Go to Settings > Configure Kdenlive (on Windows/Linux) or Kdenlive > Preferences (on macOS).
  3. Select the Environment tab from the left-hand menu.
  4. Click on the Cache data sub-tab.
  5. Here, you will see the paths and sizes for various cache categories (Proxy Clips, Timeline Preview, Audio Thumbs, etc.).
  6. Click the Manage Cache button. This opens a window displaying the disk space used by different projects.
  7. Select the unwanted project caches and click Delete to free up the space.

Method 2: Cleaning the Active Project

If you want to clear temporary files associated only with your currently open project, you can do so directly from the project menu.

  1. Open the specific project in Kdenlive.
  2. Click on Project in the top menu bar.
  3. Select Clean Project from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose the specific cache elements you want to remove (such as unused clip files or render previews) and confirm the deletion.

Method 3: Manual Cache Deletion

If Kdenlive is running slowly or you prefer to delete cache files manually through your operating system’s file manager, you can find them in the default directory paths:

Navigate to these folders using your file explorer and delete the contents inside the cache or proxy directories. Kdenlive will automatically recreate these files when needed for active projects.