Uninstall Docker Desktop
[!WARNING]
Uninstalling Docker Desktop destroys Docker containers, images, volumes, and other Docker-related data local to the machine, and removes the files generated by the application. To preserve important data before uninstalling, refer to the back up and restore data section.
{{< tabs >}} {{< tab name="Windows" >}}
From the GUI#
- From the Windows Start menu, select Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
- Select Docker Desktop from the Apps & features list and then select Uninstall.
- Select Uninstall to confirm your selection.
From the CLI#
- Locate the installer: ```console # all-user installation $ C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop Installer.exe
# per-user installation (Beta)
$ %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\DockerDesktop\Docker Desktop Installer.exe
2. Uninstall Docker Desktop.
- In PowerShell, run:console
$ Start-Process 'Docker Desktop Installer.exe' -Wait uninstall
- In the Command Prompt, run:console
$ start /w "" "Docker Desktop Installer.exe" uninstall
```
After uninstalling Docker Desktop, some residual files may remain which you can remove manually. These are:
C:\ProgramData\Docker
C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop
C:\Program Files\Docker
C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Local\Docker
C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Docker
C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Docker Desktop
C:\Users\<your user name>\.docker
{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Mac" >}}
From the GUI#
- Open Docker Desktop.
- In the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop Dashboard, select the Troubleshoot icon.
- Select Uninstall.
- When prompted, confirm by selecting Uninstall again.
You can then move the Docker application to the trash.
From the CLI#
Run:
$ /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall
You can then move the Docker application to the trash.
[!NOTE] You may encounter the following error when uninstalling Docker Desktop using the uninstall command.
console $ /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall Password: Uninstalling Docker Desktop... Error: unlinkat /Users/<USER_HOME>/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/.com.apple.containermanagerd.metadata.plist: > operation not permittedThe operation not permitted error is reported either on the file
.com.apple.containermanagerd.metadata.plistor on the parent directory/Users/<USER_HOME>/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/. This error can be ignored as you have successfully uninstalled Docker Desktop. You can remove the directory/Users/<USER_HOME>/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/later by allowing Full Disk Access to the terminal application you are using (System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access).
After uninstalling Docker Desktop, some residual files may remain which you can remove:
$ rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.docker
$ rm -rf ~/.docker
{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Ubuntu" >}}
To uninstall Docker Desktop for Ubuntu:
- Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:
console
$ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.
- Manually remove leftover file.
console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
$ sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli
$ sudo apt purge docker-desktop
This removes configuration and data files at $HOME/.docker/desktop, the symlink at /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli, and purges the remaining systemd service files.
- Clean up Docker config settings. In
$HOME/.docker/config.json, remove thecredsStoreandcurrentContextproperties.
These entries tell Docker where to store credentials and which context is active. If they remain after uninstalling Docker Desktop, they may conflict with a future Docker setup.
{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Debian" >}}
To uninstall Docker Desktop for Debian, run:
- Remove the Docker Desktop application:
console
$ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.
- Manually remove leftover file.
console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
$ sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli
$ sudo apt purge docker-desktop
This removes configuration and data files at $HOME/.docker/desktop, the symlink at /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli, and purges the remaining systemd service files.
- Clean up Docker config settings. In
$HOME/.docker/config.json, remove thecredsStoreandcurrentContextproperties.
These entries tell Docker where to store credentials and which context is active. If they remain after uninstalling Docker Desktop, they may conflict with a future Docker setup.
{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Fedora" >}}
To uninstall Docker Desktop for Fedora:
- Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:
console
$ sudo dnf remove docker-desktop
This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.
- Manually remove leftover file.
console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
$ sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli
$ sudo dnf remove docker-desktop
This removes configuration and data files at $HOME/.docker/desktop, the symlink at /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli, and purges the remaining systemd service files.
- Clean up Docker config settings. In
$HOME/.docker/config.json, remove thecredsStoreandcurrentContextproperties.
These entries tell Docker where to store credentials and which context is active. If they remain after uninstalling Docker Desktop, they may conflict with a future Docker setup.
{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Arch" >}}
To uninstall Docker Desktop for Arch:
- Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:
console
$ sudo pacman -Rns docker-desktop
This removes the Docker Desktop package along with its configuration files and dependencies not required by other packages.
- Manually remove leftover files.
console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
This removes configuration and data files at $HOME/.docker/desktop.
- Clean up Docker config settings. In
$HOME/.docker/config.json, remove thecredsStoreandcurrentContextproperties.
These entries tell Docker where to store credentials and which context is active. If they remain after uninstalling Docker Desktop, they may conflict with a future Docker setup.
{{< /tab >}} {{< /tabs >}}