How to Remove Unused Packages in Ubuntu to Boost Performance

Cleaning up your Ubuntu system regularly is essential to maintain performance and free up valuable disk space. One effective method is to remove unused packages in Ubuntu. These packages, along with old dependencies and cached files, can accumulate over time, slowing your system. In this guide, we’ll cover nine practical ways to declutter your Ubuntu installation.

Remove Unused Packages in Ubuntu using apt

Ubuntu stores downloaded packages in a cache, which can grow large over time. To remove all cached package files, run:

sudo apt clean

This simple command frees up space without affecting installed programs. For more info on package management, check the official Ubuntu documentation.

Remove Old Log Files

Logs are crucial for monitoring your system, but outdated logs occupy unnecessary space. Remove logs older than 7 days using:

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=7d

Or limit total log size to 100 MB:

sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=100M

Regular log maintenance keeps your system lean and responsive. Its best to setup a corn job to clean the logs weekly.

Remove Old Kernels

Ubuntu retains old Linux kernels after updates. To identify your current kernel:

uname -r

Then safely remove older kernels:

sudo apt --purge remove linux-image-<version>

Removing outdated kernels prevents storage bloat.

Use dpkg to Remove Specific Packages

To delete a package while keeping configuration files:

sudo dpkg --remove <package_name>

For a complete removal, including configs:

sudo dpkg --purge <package_name>

This method is handy when you know specific packages you no longer need.

Remove Unused Snap Packages

Snap packages are self-contained but can occupy a lot of space. List installed snaps:

snap list

Remove unnecessary snaps:

sudo snap remove <snap_name>

This is particularly useful for freeing disk space on modern Ubuntu installations.

Auto-remove Unneeded Dependencies

When packages are uninstalled, leftover dependencies may remain. Clean them with:

sudo apt autoremove

This command removes unnecessary dependencies, ensuring your system stays clean.

Auto-clean Obsolete Packages

To delete old versions of packages from the cache, run:

sudo apt autoclean

This targets outdated files without touching current installations, freeing up storage efficiently.

Use BleachBit for Deep Cleanup

BleachBit offers a graphical and terminal interface for cleaning caches, temporary files, and logs. Install it using:

sudo apt install bleachbit

After installation, you can run BleachBit from the terminal with root privileges to perform a deep system cleanup:

sudo bleachbit

This tool simplifies bulk system cleanup, but caution is advised since it can remove files you may still need. Run BleachBit as needed for a thorough system cleanup.

Remove Orphaned Packages

Orphaned packages are installed dependencies no longer required by any software. Identify and remove them. To do so we need to first install `deborphan`

sudo apt install deborphan

Then, run the command to list orphaned packages:

deborphan

To remove these orphaned packages, use:

sudo apt-get remove --purge $(deborphan)

This cleans up packages that were once used by other applications but are no longer required.

Final Thoughts

Regularly implementing these nine steps ensures your Ubuntu system remains optimized. Cleaning unused packages, old logs, caches, and unnecessary kernels not only boosts performance but also secures your system against clutter-related issues. For advanced Ubuntu maintenance tips, visit Ubuntu’s official optimization guide.