🧼 Raspberry Pi – Remove Unused Software (2025 System Cleanup Guide)
🧲 Introduction – Clean Up Your Raspberry Pi for Better Performance
As you install new tools, software, and packages, your Raspberry Pi can quickly become cluttered—especially with a limited SD card or eMMC storage. Removing unused software helps free up disk space, boost speed, and reduce boot times.
🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How to identify and remove unused packages
- Use
apt,dpkg, and GUI tools for uninstallation - Clean up orphaned dependencies and cache
- Real-world examples and automation tips for regular maintenance
📦 Step 1: List Installed Software
✅ List all installed packages:
dpkg --get-selections
Filter manually or pipe to search:
dpkg --get-selections | grep libreoffice
✅ Helps identify large or unnecessary packages like wolfram-engine, libreoffice, minecraft-pi, etc.
🧹 Step 2: Remove Specific Applications
✅ Syntax:
sudo apt remove <package-name>
Example – Remove LibreOffice:
sudo apt remove --purge libreoffice*
Example – Remove Wolfram Engine:
sudo apt remove --purge wolfram-engine
✅ --purge also deletes configuration files.
🧽 Step 3: Clean Orphaned Packages and Cache
✅ Autoremove unused dependencies:
sudo apt autoremove
✅ Clean APT cache:
sudo apt clean
✅ These commands remove leftovers from previously uninstalled software.
🧰 Common Unused Software on Raspberry Pi OS (Desktop)
| 🗑️ Package | 💡 Description |
|---|---|
libreoffice* | Office suite (500MB+) |
wolfram-engine | Math engine rarely used by most users |
scratch* | Kids programming app |
minecraft-pi | Pre-installed Minecraft demo |
gnome-games | Lightweight games |
dillo, netsurf-gtk | Basic web browsers |
🖥️ Step 4: Use GUI for Software Removal (Optional)
If using Raspberry Pi Desktop:
- Open “Add / Remove Software” from menu
- Search by name (e.g., “libreoffice”)
- Uncheck unwanted apps
- Click Apply
✅ Best for beginners or those unsure of package names.
🔁 Step 5: Regular Maintenance Commands
| 🧹 Command | 🧾 What It Does |
|---|---|
sudo apt update && upgrade | Keeps system up to date |
sudo apt autoremove | Cleans unused libraries |
sudo apt clean | Deletes downloaded .deb cache |
df -h | View free disk space |
du -sh /path/* | Show folder sizes (e.g., /home/pi) |
🧠 Best Practices for Cleanup
| ✅ Do’s | ⚠️ Don’ts |
|---|---|
Use --purge to remove config files | Don’t delete core packages (raspberrypi-ui) |
Check space with df -h | Avoid removing systemd-related services |
| Backup before bulk uninstall | Don’t use rm -rf on system folders |
Review /var/cache, /tmp, /logs | Don’t remove /boot files manually |
📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps
Cleaning up unused software on your Raspberry Pi improves performance, storage availability, and system stability. Use apt remove, autoremove, and clean regularly, and avoid installing unnecessary bloat.
🔍 Key takeaways:
- Use
apt remove --purgefor full uninstallation - Clean orphaned packages with
autoremove - GUI tools available in Raspberry Pi Desktop
- Monitor space with
df -handdu -sh
⚙️ Real-world relevance: Ideal for Pi used as kiosk, IoT node, media center, or server where minimal overhead is crucial.
❓ FAQs – Removing Software on Raspberry Pi
❓ Will removing software break my system?
✅ No—if you avoid core desktop packages. Stick to known third-party tools and GUI apps.
❓ How can I find what’s using the most space?
✅ Use:
sudo du -ah / | sort -rh | head -n 20
❓ Does apt remove delete config files too?
✅ Not always. Use --purge to remove configs:
sudo apt remove --purge <package>
❓ Can I reinstall removed software later?
✅ Yes. Just run:
sudo apt install <package-name>
❓ Should I remove packages like minecraft-pi or scratch?
✅ Yes, if you’re not using them—they’re safe to remove and take up space.
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