Getting Started with Kudu Desktop

Install Kudu on Windows, macOS, or Linux and run your first system scan to clean junk files and check system health.

Installation

Download the latest release for your platform from the GitHub releases page.

Platform	Format	Architecture
Windows	NSIS installer (.exe)	x64
macOS	DMG disk image	x64, Apple Silicon (arm64)
Linux	AppImage, .deb package	x64

Windows

Download the .exe installer
Run the installer — it will walk you through choosing an install location
Launch Kudu from the Start menu or desktop shortcut

macOS

Download the .dmg file for your Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon)
Open the DMG and drag Kudu to your Applications folder
Launch from Applications — you may need to allow it in System Settings > Privacy & Security on first run

Linux

AppImage (any distro):

Download the .AppImage file
Make it executable: chmod +x Kudu-*.AppImage
Run it directly

Debian/Ubuntu (.deb):

Download the .deb file
Install with: sudo dpkg -i kudu-*.deb
Launch from your application menu

First Launch

When you open Kudu for the first time, you'll see the Dashboard — a summary view showing your system's status and quick actions.

Running as Administrator

Some features require elevated privileges to work fully, including:

Registry cleaning and repair
Service management
Driver removal
System file cleaning
Privacy setting changes

If Kudu isn't running with admin rights, you'll see a banner at the top of the window. Click it to relaunch with the necessary permissions.

Your First Scan

Click Cleaner in the sidebar
You'll see five scan categories: System, Browser, App, Gaming, and Recycle Bin
Click Scan to analyze all categories
Review the results — each item shows what it is and how much space it uses
Select or deselect items as needed
Click Clean to remove the selected items

Kudu will never delete anything without your confirmation.

Quick Clean

For a faster workflow, the Dashboard includes a Quick Clean button that runs a scan across all categories and presents the results in one step.

Auto-Updates

Kudu checks for updates automatically when it launches. When an update is available, you'll be notified and it will download in the background. The update installs the next time you restart the app. You can disable auto-updates in Settings.