---
name: "paccache"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pacman-contrib"
version: "1.13.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/paccache"
---

# paccache(8)

flexible pacman cache cleaning utility

## NAME

paccache - flexible pacman cache cleaning utility

## SYNOPSIS

*paccache* \<operation\> \[options\] \[target ...\]

## DESCRIPTION

*paccache* removes old packages from the pacman cache directory. By default the last three versions of a package are kept.

## OPERATIONS

**-d, --dryrun**

Perform a dry run, only finding candidate packages.

**-m, --move \<dir\>**

Move candidate packages from the cache directory to *dir*.

**-r, --remove**

Remove candidate packages from the cache directory.

## OPTIONS

- **-a, --arch \<arch\>**

  Scan for packages for a specific architecture. Default is to scan for all architectures.

- **-c, --cachedir \<dir\>**

  Specify a different cache directory. This option can be used more than once. Default is to use the cache directory configured in *pacman.conf*.

- **-f, --force**

  Apply force to *mv* and *rm* operations.

- **-h, --help**

  Display syntax and command-line options.

- **-i, --ignore \<pkgs\>**

  Specify packages to ignore, comma-separated. Alternatively "-" can be used to read the package names from stdin, newline-delimited.

- **-k, --keep \<num\>**

  Specify how many versions of each package are kept in the cache directory, default is 3.

- **--min-atime \<time\>**, **--min-mtime \<time\>**

  Keep packages with an atime/mtime that is not older than the time given, even if this means keeping more than specified through the *--keep* option. Accepts arguments according to *info "Date input formats"*, e.g. *30 days ago*.

- **--nocolor**

  Do not colorize output.

- **-z, --null**

  Use null delimiters for candidate names (only with -v and -vv).

- **-q, --quiet**

  Minimize the output.

- **-u, --uninstalled**

  Target uninstalled packages.

- **-v, --verbose**

  Increase verbosity, can be specified up to 3 times.

- **-V, --version**

  Display version information.

## SYSTEMD TIMER

The package cache can be cleaned periodically using the systemd timer *paccache.timer*. If the timer is enabled the cache will be cleaned weekly with paccache’s default options.

## SEE ALSO

[**pacman**(8)](/pacman/8.md), [**pacman.conf**(5)](/pacman.conf/5.md), [**systemctl**(1)](/systemctl/1.md)

## BUGS

Bugs? You must be kidding; there are no bugs in this software. But if we happen to be wrong, file an issue with as much detail as possible at https://gitlab.archlinux.org/pacman/pacman-contrib/-/issues/new.

## AUTHORS

Current maintainers:

• Johannes Löthberg \<johannes@kyriasis.com\>

• Daniel M. Capella \<polyzen@archlinux.org\>

For additional contributors, use git shortlog -s on the pacman-contrib.git repository.