System
GNOME Tracker Cache (Legacy)
Older GNOME Tracker deployments keep per-user cache data under ~/.cache/tracker to speed up desktop search and metadata extraction. This directory can contain temporary extractor output, thumbnail and file metadata staging data, journal-like cache files, and SQLite support files created while Tracker indexes documents, media, and other filesystem content. Kudu removes only this legacy cache so Tracker can rebuild it cleanly, without touching your indexed files, search preferences, accounts, or personal documents.
Why clean GNOME Tracker Cache (Legacy)?
- Stale extractor cache entries can leave renamed or modified files showing old titles, tags, or previews in GNOME search results until Tracker rebuilds them
- Corrupted cache state may cause tracker-miner or tracker-extract to loop on the same files, which shows up as constant disk activity and higher CPU use when the desktop is idle
- Leftover thumbnail and metadata staging files from interrupted indexing runs can make search results appear incomplete, with missing previews or delayed file details
- Legacy SQLite cache files can accumulate free pages and internal fragmentation over time; rebuilding effectively acts like a VACUUM rewrite, compacting the database file without deleting your actual indexed content
- Cache data carried over from older Tracker versions or schema changes can produce inconsistent search hits, where deleted files still appear or new files do not show up promptly
- A damaged cache journal or support file can trigger repeated reindex attempts after login, leading to long session startup delays and persistent background I/O
- Large old cache directories waste home-folder disk space even after files were moved or deleted, while search quality does not improve until the obsolete cache is cleared
What gets cleaned
Cache paths Kudu targets
Linux
~/.cache/tracker |
Frequently asked
Common questions about GNOME Tracker Cache (Legacy)
Related cleaners
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