Arc
Built on Chromium, Arc stores the same high-churn browser caches you see in other Chromium-based apps: HTTP disk cache entries, Code Cache bytecode for JavaScript and Wasm, GPUCache data, Service Worker caches, Media Cache files, and web storage leftovers under its User Data directory. These files speed up page loads, streaming, login flows, and rendering, but they can also go stale after Arc updates, site changes, or graphics driver changes; Kudu removes only the disposable cache layers and temporary browser data, not your profiles, saved passwords, bookmarks, spaces, or account data.
Why clean Arc?
- Corrupted HTTP disk cache entries can make sites load with missing CSS or outdated scripts, so pages look broken or keep showing an old version until the cache is cleared
- Invalidated Code Cache after an Arc or Chromium engine update can cause unusually slow first launches and sluggish tab opening while JavaScript bytecode is rebuilt
- Stale GPUCache data after a graphics driver update can trigger black flashes, flickering tabs, or blank web content because old shader data no longer matches the current driver
- Oversized Service Worker and site storage caches can keep web apps stuck on the wrong build, leading to login loops, broken notifications, or pages that behave differently from other browsers
- Media Cache corruption can cause streaming sites to buffer endlessly, restart playback, or fail to seek even when the network connection is fine
- Accumulated cache data in heavy browsing sessions can consume multiple gigabytes under User Data, leaving users with unexplained disk usage growth despite not downloading large files
- SQLite-backed browser databases can become page-fragmented over time; VACUUM rewrites the database to compact free pages without deleting rows, which can reduce bloat and fix odd lag when Arc reads site data
Cache paths Kudu targets
Windows
%LocalAppData%/Arc/User Data |
macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Arc/User Data |
Linux
~/.config/arc/User Data |
Common questions about Arc
Download Kudu and reclaim your disk space.
Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. No account required, no feature gates, no telemetry without consent. All cleaning targets are open source and community-auditable.