# Something for the FAQ: How do I stop Kopia using so much local disk space? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Topics\ **Created:** [February 25, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682 "2024-02-25T11:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChibbleClobbleBun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@ChibbleClobbleBun](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ChibbleClobbleBun)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/1 "2024-02-25T11:53:59Z")
I find that kopia (version 0.15.0) _uses almost seven gigabytes_ of disk space - and not in the cloud, but _on my system disk_. This surprises and indeed somewhat alarms ![pic](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/kopia/original/1X/cf30163a0c5aa577a34da2c809cc2c6589f449db.png) I, and the [FAQ](https://kopia.io/docs/faqs/), could do with some information and tips about amelioration. I did [find a post](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/disk-consumption-larger-than-source/2408) that gave to think that the following command might reduce the local disk usage: `kopia blob gc --advanced-commands=enabled --delete=yes` That gave the following welcome output. ```auto Looking for unreferenced blobs... Deleted total 32 unreferenced blobs (373.6 MB) ``` But that leaves more than six gigabytes . . The same post suggested `kopia maintenance info`. The output suggests that some maintainance had been occuring. But I rn `kopia maintenance run --full` anyway. So doing freed 87.5 MB. EDIT: In the documentation (not the FAQ) I found [this page](https://kopia.io/docs/advanced/caching/). The page mentioned `kopia cache clear`. Running that command reduced current disk usage by some 5 GB. The same page imparted how to move the cache. I will be moving the cache off my system drive. ---
**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 1:17pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/2 "2024-02-25T13:17:27Z")
It looks like you are backing up to your local disk. Not sure why you expect that it won’t use whatever space it needs. EDIT - actually I am wrong. It is rather local cache ---
**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/3 "2024-02-25T13:30:00Z")
It is local cache and it makes `kopia` run much faster by storing some data locally and avoiding repeated downloads from remote storage. Not sure how much data you backup but 7GB cache it nothing unusual. I have repos using 30GB+ of cache. More info here - [Caching | Kopia](https://kopia.io/docs/advanced/caching/) If it is a problem for your system you can: 1. Periodically clear cache: `kopia clear cache` 1. by default there are no hard limits of max space used by cache. To see cache parameters run `kopia cache info`. You can then change it by using `kopia cache set`. Less cache you have slower `kopia` will be. I would not tinker with it unless you have system with very limited local storage. ---
**Author:** ![ChibbleClobbleBun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@ChibbleClobbleBun](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ChibbleClobbleBun)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/4 "2024-02-25T13:58:16Z")
kapitainsky: understood. Yet, as I said: an entry for the FAQ? ---
**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/5 "2024-02-25T14:43:17Z")
Yeah good idea. Feel free to submit PR. Here you are github source to edit > ---
**Author:** ![ChibbleClobbleBun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@ChibbleClobbleBun](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ChibbleClobbleBun)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/6 "2024-02-25T17:57:14Z")
As it happens, I know - just about - how to create a pull request. Yet, evidently, I know little about the topic at issue. So I will not myself be creating the FAQ entry. ---
**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/7 "2024-02-25T20:13:15Z")
No problem. It is open source project - if somebody in community will feel it is needed then will add it. Personally not sure what it would add beyond already documented details. ---
**Author:** ![ChibbleClobbleBun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@ChibbleClobbleBun](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ChibbleClobbleBun)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/8 "2024-02-25T20:38:44Z")
> Personally not sure what it would add beyond already documented details. It would have a chance of arresting the following chain of events. 1. Some user has Kopia doing cloud backups. 2. The user notices large(ish) local disk usage. 3. The user consequently feels that s/he has a problem and perhaps that the software is malfunctioning. Admittedly, a moderately close read of the documentation would prevent the move from 2 to 3 (or prevent the user from remaining at 3). So too though, and I think more effectively, would a FAQ entry. Take my own case. I went through steps 1-3, and stayed at 3 - until posting on this forum and receiving answers. Yet, before posting, I had checked the FAQ . . ---
**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 8:50pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/something-for-the-faq-how-do-i-stop-kopia-using-so-much-local-disk-space/2682/9 "2024-02-25T20:50:37Z")
Not sure - but I might be wrong. I imagine users in general realise that many software use caches. My Firefox cache is few GB too. The same like `kopia` it is located in OS recommended location so does not interfere with anything, e.g. OS backup. My cache location is about 50GB (all together, not just kopia). I would be actually surprised if kopia used too little cache - at the end bottleneck is always cloud. In addition default soft limit for `kopia` cache is about 10GB. It is not amount most people care about. Anyway - you think it would be better to clarify things in FAQ? Then please do. Documentation can be always made better.