How to Fix Low Disk Space on Linux

What Causes This?

Low disk space on Linux usually happens when temporary files, package caches, old logs, and unused downloads build up over time. Large applications, old kernels, container images, and forgotten files in the home folder can also take up a lot of storage. On smaller SSDs or virtual machines, even normal system updates can quickly push the drive close to full.

Common Symptoms

• You see “No space left on device” errors
• Apps fail to install, update, or save files
• System updates stop partway through
• The PC becomes slow or unstable
• Large files cannot be copied or downloaded

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check which disk is full.

   1. Open a terminal.
   2. Run:

      df -h

   3. Look for the partition that is near 100% usage, usually /.

2. Find large folders.

   1. In the terminal, run:

      sudo du -sh /* 2>/dev/null

   2. If your home folder may be the problem, also run:

      du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null

   3. This helps you spot folders like /var, /home, or /usr using the most space.

3. Clear the package manager cache.

   1. On Debian, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint, run:

      sudo apt clean

   2. Remove unused packages:

      sudo apt autoremove -y

   3. On Fedora, run:

      sudo dnf clean all

   4. On Arch Linux, run:

      sudo pacman -Sc

4. Remove old logs and temporary files.

   1. Clear systemd journal logs older than a few days:

      sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=7d

   2. Remove temporary files:

      sudo rm -rf /tmp/*

   3. Be careful with rm -rf and make sure the path is correct before pressing Enter.

5. Delete unused files in your home folder.

   1. Open your file manager.
   2. Check Downloads, Videos, and the Trash for large files you no longer need.
   3. If you use Flatpak, remove unused runtimes:

      flatpak uninstall --unused

   4. If you use Docker, clean unused images and containers:

      docker system prune -a

      Only do this if you understand that unused images and stopped containers will be removed.

6. Remove old kernels if your distro keeps them.

   1. On Ubuntu-based systems, sudo apt autoremove -y often removes old kernels automatically.
   2. Reboot after cleanup, then run:

      df -h

   3. Confirm that free space has increased.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

If you do not want to hunt through caches, logs, temp folders, and leftover app files by hand, Kudu can do the cleanup for you automatically. It scans for storage waste, identifies safe-to-remove junk, and helps free disk space quickly without digging through terminal commands.

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