Cache Cleaner

Cache Cleaner is a lightweight Windows utility that removes temporary files and cache leftovers in one click.

It is built with Python and Tkinter, with a simple popup interface, configurable cleanup options, and clear space-recovered results.

Highlights

• One-click cleanup workflow.
• Shows recovered space and deleted item counts after every run.
• Built-in settings panel with tabs for Theme, Cleanup, Info, and About.
• Multiple visual themes.
• Optional system-level cleanup mode.
• Optional Windows Recycle Bin emptying.

What It Can Clean

By default, Cache Cleaner targets:

• C:\Windows\Temp
• C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Temp
• C:\Windows\Prefetch

Optional targets:

• C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download (Windows Update download cache)
• Windows Recycle Bin

File Type Modes

You can choose one of these modes in Cleanup settings:

• Delete all file types.
• Delete only selected groups:
  • Temporary: .tmp, .temp
  • Logs: .log, .etl
  • Crash dumps: .dmp, .mdmp
  • Cache leftovers: .cache, .bak, .old

Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• Python 3.10+

Installation

python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Run

Recommended (no console window when possible):

• Double-click start_cache_cleaner.bat

From terminal:

python run.py

Administrator Rights

Some folders require administrator access.

• On normal startup, the app asks for elevation once to run with full cleanup capability.
• If not running as admin, protected system locations are skipped and shown as skipped in results.

Notes

• Some files may be in use by Windows or other apps and cannot be removed immediately.
• Cleanup is performed in a background thread to keep the UI responsive.
• Results include deleted files, deleted folders, failures, skipped locations, and total space recovered.

Build an EXE (Optional)

pip install pyinstaller
pyinstaller --noconfirm --onefile --windowed --name CacheCleaner run.py

Project Structure

CacheCleaner/
├── app/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── cleaner.py
│   ├── elevation.py
│   ├── main.py
│   └── popup.py
├── assets/
│   ├── icon.png
│   └── logo.png
├── run.py
├── start_cache_cleaner.bat
├── requirements.txt
└── README.md