Delete Old Files Automatically in Linux

Over time, your Linux system can get cluttered with unused or outdated files , especially in directories like Downloads or logs. Cleaning these up regularly saves disk space and keeps your system fast . In this guide, you’ll learn how to find and delete files older than 30 days using simple terminal commands.

Why You Should Delete Old Files​

Removing old files:

• Frees up valuable storage space
• Keeps your directories organized
• Prevents performance slowdowns

Important: Make sure you don’t need those files before deleting! These commands won’t ask for confirmation.

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Understanding the mtime Command​

mtime stands for Modification Time - it refers to the last time a file’s content was changed.

• -mtime +30 means “files modified more than 30 days ago.”
• Each number equals 24 hours. So, -mtime +2 = 2 days.

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Example 1: Find & Delete Files Older Than 30 Days​

First, let’s just list old files under /home/linuxgeek/Downloads to review them safely:

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 -print

Once you confirm they’re not needed, delete them:

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm -f {} \;

or

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 | xargs rm -f

Command Breakdown​

• find: search command
• -type f: only files
• -mtime +30: files older than 30 days
• -exec rm -f: execute delete command
• {}: represents each found file
• \;: ends the command

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Example 2: Delete Files Older Than X Days by Name Pattern​

If you have specific log or temporary files (e.g., starting with “Trans_suc”), test first with:

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -name "Trans_suc*" -mtime +30 -print

Then, once confirmed, delete them safely:

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -name "Trans_suc*" -mtime +30 -exec rm -f {} \;

or

find /home/linuxgeek/Downloads -type f -name "Trans_suc*" -mtime +30 | xargs rm -f

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Example 3: Delete Files Older Than 10 Days by Extension​

Need to clean up .log files older than 10 days in /var/log?
First, preview:

find /var/log -type f -name "*.log" -mtime +10 -print

Then remove them:

find /var/log -type f -name "*.log" -mtime +10 -exec rm -f {} \;

or

find /var/log -type f -name "*.log" -mtime +10 | xargs rm -f

You can replace .log with .jpg, .zip, .txt, etc. to target specific file types.

Pro Tip​

Want to automate cleanup? Add your find command to a cron job to run it weekly or monthly.
Example:

0 3 * * 7 find /home/user/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm -f {} \;

That runs cleanup every Sunday at 3 AM

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Final Thoughts​

Regularly deleting old files helps keep your system optimized and clutter-free. Whether you choose 10, 30, or 90 days, Linux’s find command gives you total control over file cleanup - fast and automatic .