BleachBit 6.0.6 Fixes Forgotten Settings and The Promises of Faster Cleaning

If BleachBit has been refusing to remember your settings, its latest update may explain why. BleachBit 6.0.6, released October 17, fixes a permissions problem that could prevent settings from saving after running the program as administrator. The update also promises faster startup and cleaning.

What Is BleachBit?

BleachBit is a free, open-source cleanup utility that removes selected temporary files, application caches, browsing records, and other leftover data.

It is also a longstanding, respected competitor to CCleaner, particularly for users who prefer an open-source alternative. First released in December 2008, BleachBit has been around for the long haul with a considerable history and community behind it.

The appeal is straightforward. Choose the applications and types of data you want to clean, review what will be removed, and decide whether to proceed. You have control, although that also means paying attention to what you select, so what whay you click. Clean, in this case, really does mean clean and expert mode really does mean Expert. So be sure before you commit.

A Fix for Settings That Would Not Stick

According to the BleachBit version 6.0.5 on a Windows installation could leave configuration folders inaccessible during normal use after an initial administrator launch. Version 6.0.6 repairs those permissions. Linux users also receive fixes for configuration ownership when using sudo, so they won't feel left out.

The Windows build drops executable compression, which the developer notes should improve startup and memory use while reducing antivirus false positives. The tradeoff is about 22 MB of additional installed space, but that's a fairly small trade-off given what this program can clean from your PC. Deep scanning, deletion, and wiping also receive performance improvements.

I have not personally tested the speed improvement claims version to version with any precision but have no reason to doubt the author on that matter. That said, a scan of browsers and a few deep clean settings took maybe 10 seconds to preview, which is more than reasonably fast for that sort of thing. So, I'm happy.

Other additions include Helium browser and Docker Desktop cleaners, along with expanded browser and development-tool cleanup.

Preview Before You Clean

My advice with cleanup software remains pretty simple: having a checkbox does not mean you need to check it.

BleachBit’s usage instructions recommend reading each cleaner’s description and closing the applications you intend to clean. Then click Preview to see the proposed deletions without changing anything.

Review the results, adjust your selections, and preview again if necessary. Leave unfamiliar options unchecked until you understand what they remove.

The goal is to recover useful space or remove unwanted data. There is no prize for getting the biggest number on the cleanup screen.

Also, enabling expert mode in the settings removes any built-in guardrails for the application. We recommend you don't enable that setting unless you really, really need to.

Keep the Cookies You Actually Want

One existing feature worth knowing about is BleachBit’s Cookie Manager. For supported browsers, right-click the Cookies option and select Cookie Manager, then check the hosts whose cookies you want to preserve.

We love that because it can help avoid signing out of familiar websites every time you clean. Not all cookies are just wasting space, and relogging into everything is annoying. However, the selections do not protect localStorage or IndexedDB, which are separate forms of website storage.

Worth the Update?

If you already use BleachBit, particularly if your settings have refused to stick, this looks like a worthwhile maintenance update. Saved settings are a must, and faster operation is a welcome bonus.

Jim McMahon Jim McMahon, aka Corporal Punishment, is the founder of MajorGeeks.com. He has spent decades testing software, troubleshooting Windows, and helping users cut through the nonsense. He loves real freeware, hates bloatware, and runs on caffeine, sarcasm, and questionable choices.