Google Chrome
Chrome stores several layers of temporary browser data under its profile, including HTTP disk cache entries for pages and media, GPUCache files for Skia and WebGL shader data, Code Cache bytecode generated by the V8 engine for JavaScript, and SQLite-backed history and quota databases that accumulate free pages over time. These files speed up page loads and rendering, but they can become stale after browser, site, or graphics driver changes. Kudu removes disposable Chrome cache data and can compact fragmented SQLite databases, while leaving bookmarks, saved passwords, cookies, extensions, and account data untouched.
Why clean Google Chrome?
- Corrupted HTTP cache entries can make sites load with missing CSS, broken images, or an old page version until Chrome refetches fresh content
- Invalidated V8 Code Cache after a Chrome update or major site change causes unusually slow first loads and high CPU while JavaScript bytecode is rebuilt
- Stale GPUCache data after a graphics driver update can trigger black rectangles, flickering video, or WebGL glitches because old shader and raster caches no longer match the driver
- An oversized media cache can consume multiple gigabytes under the profile folder, which users notice as disappearing free disk space even when downloads are elsewhere
- Bad cached redirects or partial responses can lead to endless reload loops, repeated sign-in prompts, or pages that work in Incognito but fail in the normal profile
- Service worker and site storage leftovers from heavily used web apps can keep outdated offline assets around, causing blank app shells or features that do not update until local cache is cleared
- SQLite databases such as History and quota-related stores can suffer page fragmentation over time; VACUUM rewrites the database file to reclaim unused space without deleting rows, reducing profile bloat
Cache paths Kudu targets
Windows
%LocalAppData%/Google/Chrome/User Data |
macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome |
Linux
~/.config/google-chrome |
Common questions about Google Chrome
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.