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 learn how to preserve important data before uninstalling, refer to the back up and restore data section.

{{< tabs >}} {{< tab name="Windows" >}}

From the GUI

1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Select Docker Desktop from the Apps & features list and then select Uninstall.
3. Select Uninstall to confirm your selection.

From the CLI

1. Locate the installer:
   consoleCopy

   $ C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop Installer.exe
   

2. Uninstall Docker Desktop.

• In PowerShell, run:
  consoleCopy

  $ Start-Process 'Docker Desktop Installer.exe' -Wait uninstall
  

• In the Command Prompt, run:
  consoleCopy

  $ 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

1. Open Docker Desktop.
2. In the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop Dashboard, select the Troubleshoot icon.
3. Select Uninstall.
4. 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.

consoleCopy

$ /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 permitted

The operation not permitted error is reported either on the file .com.apple.containermanagerd.metadata.plist or 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

With Docker Desktop version 4.36 and earlier, the following files may also be left on the file system. You can remove these with administrative privileges:

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.vmnetd
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.socket

{{< /tab >}} {{< tab name="Ubuntu" >}}

To uninstall Docker Desktop for Ubuntu:

1. Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:

   consoleCopy

   $ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
   

   This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.

2. Manually remove leftover file.

   consoleCopy

   $ 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.

3. Clean up Docker config settings. In $HOME/.docker/config.json, remove the credsStore and currentContext properties.

   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:

1. Remove the Docker Desktop application:

   consoleCopy

   $ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
   

   This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.

2. Manually remove leftover file.

   consoleCopy

   $ 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.

3. Clean up Docker config settings. In $HOME/.docker/config.json, remove the credsStore and currentContext properties.

   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:

1. Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:

   consoleCopy

   $ sudo dnf remove docker-desktop
   

   This removes the Docker Desktop package itself but doesn’t delete all of its files or settings.

2. Manually remove leftover file.

   consoleCopy

   $ 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.

3. Clean up Docker config settings. In $HOME/.docker/config.json, remove the credsStore and currentContext properties.

   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:

1. Remove the Docker Desktop application. Run:

   consoleCopy

   $ sudo pacman -Rns docker-desktop
   

   This removes the Docker Desktop package along with its configuration files and dependencies not required by other packages.

2. Manually remove leftover files.

   consoleCopy

   $ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
   

   This removes configuration and data files at $HOME/.docker/desktop.

3. Clean up Docker config settings. In $HOME/.docker/config.json, remove the credsStore and currentContext properties.

   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 >}}