The current stable BleachBit is version 6.0.6, released on 17 October 2026, according to the project's news page. Its download page is not consistent about this: the FAQ there still names 6.0.4 as the latest stable release, while the news list on the same page announces 6.0.6. The news page carries the later dates, so this page treats 6.0.6 as current. The Windows installer is for Windows 10 and 11, and the program is free with no registration.
BleachBit is open source under the GNU General Public License version 3 or later, according to its GitHub project page. Its purpose, in the project's words, is to clean files to free disk space and protect privacy. You preview the files a cleaning run would affect and then click Delete.
Which BleachBit download to use
The download page offers a Windows installer, pre-release builds and the source code.
| Build | What the page says | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Windows installer | Easy-to-use installer, Authenticode-signed | 10 and 11 |
| Nightly builds | Pre-release builds from the project's CI site, updated daily, may be unstable | Not stated |
| Source code | GitHub repository, GPL 3 or later | Not applicable |
Scope: BleachBit's download page and GitHub project page, read 23 Oct 2026.
The page also warns that imposter sites and fake copies exist. Its advice is to download only from bleachbit.org, to look for the "Verified Publisher: Andrew Ziem" label that Windows shows for the installer, and to use the GPG-signed SHA256 checksums if you want to verify the file. The installer and executables are signed, but the page says antivirus programs can still raise false positives.
Recent releases
| Version | Date | What the news page says changed |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0.6 (stable) | 17 Oct 2026 | Faster application, new cleaners for the Helium browser and Docker, a fix for settings that would not save after running as administrator |
| 6.0.5 (beta) | 9 Oct 2026 | Pre-release; details not summarised here |
| 6.0.4 (stable) | 8 Sep 2026 | Security and bug fixes and four new cleaners |
Computed from the dates above: 39 days between stable releases 6.0.4 and 6.0.6, and 6 days from 6.0.6 to the check date of 23 Oct 2026. Three releases is too few to call a cadence; it only shows the project was active in the last two months.
Most entries are about adding cleaners for specific programs. That is the main way a tool of this kind stays useful, because each cleaner is a rule that names where one application keeps its cache, logs or history. When an application changes, the rule has to change with it.
What it costs and what it includes
BleachBit is free to download and use. The page says no payment or registration is required, and donations are welcome but optional. There is no paid edition on the pages we read, so nothing in the feature list is locked behind a tier. The project also offers an optional download of Winapp2.ini, a community file of extra cleaners.
The download page does not name the software licence. The GPL 3 or later statement comes from the GitHub project page.
What Windows already does for free
| Task | Built into Windows 10 and 11 | BleachBit |
|---|---|---|
| Delete temporary files | Storage Sense cleans temporary files by default | Cleaner rules for Windows and for individual programs, run when you choose |
| Empty the Recycle Bin | Storage Sense deletes Recycle Bin content after an age you set | Included as a cleaner |
| Clear browser data | Done inside each browser's own settings | Cleaner rules for several browsers, with more added in recent releases |
| Preview before deleting | Storage settings show categories and sizes | Shows the files a run would affect before you click Delete |
Scope: Microsoft's Storage Sense page (Windows 10 and 11) and BleachBit's GitHub page. Microsoft's page is inconsistent on whether Storage Sense is on by default; it works on the system drive only.
The comparison shows where the overlap is. Storage Sense covers temporary files, the Recycle Bin and, if you configure it, the Downloads folder and OneDrive content. Browser data and the leftovers of individual programs are not on that list, which is the space BleachBit's per-program rules are written for. Anyone who only wants to free space on the system drive may find Storage Sense enough.
Who it suits, going by the facts
BleachBit fits a reader who wants open-source code, a free tool with no upgrade tier and a preview before anything is removed. It does not list Windows 7 or 8.1 support on the download page, which names Windows 10 and 11 only. Readers on those older systems will find a different set of tools in the same category, such as Wise Disk Cleaner, whose download page lists Windows 7 and later, or the older build of CCleaner.
For finding out what is filling a drive before cleaning anything, a disk analyzer such as WinDirStat shows folder sizes. Microsoft PC Manager is Microsoft's own free cleanup app for Windows 10 and 11, and Mozilla Firefox is one of the browsers whose cache a cleaner like this one deals with.