Apps
Scoop Cache
Scoop stores downloaded package artifacts in its cache so repeated installs and updates do not need to fetch the same files again. That folder typically contains installer archives such as ZIP files, 7z packages, MSI installers, EXE setup files, and partially downloaded files left behind by interrupted transfers. Kudu removes these cached download artifacts from ~/scoop/cache without touching installed apps, manifests, buckets, user settings, or account data.
Why clean Scoop Cache?
- Old installer archives accumulate after upgrades, so the cache grows far beyond the size of the currently installed apps and users notice unexplained disk usage under their home directory
- Interrupted or failed downloads can leave partial archives in the cache, which leads to checksum mismatches or repeated install failures until the bad file is removed and downloaded again
- A stale cached installer may no longer match the current manifest hash after a bucket update, causing Scoop to stop with a verification error instead of installing or updating the package
- Cached EXE or MSI installers from previous releases can make troubleshooting harder because Scoop keeps reusing the local file, and users see the same broken installer behavior until it is purged
- Large package downloads such as browsers, runtimes, or developer tools can leave multiple old versions behind, so updates appear to consume disk space even when the app itself was replaced
- Corrupted archives in the download cache often surface as extraction errors, broken installs, or packages that fail midway and only succeed after Scoop fetches a clean copy
- Cleaning the cache forces Scoop to re-download current artifacts on demand, which is useful when installs repeatedly fail despite the package manifest itself being correct
What gets cleaned
Cache paths Kudu targets
Windows
~/scoop/cache |
Frequently asked
Common questions about Scoop Cache
Related cleaners
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