This error appears on Windows when the Docker Desktop application is not running or failed to start. The Docker CLI cannot connect to the daemon service that manages containers.
When you run any Docker command on Windows (like `docker ps`, `docker run`, or `docker build`), the Docker CLI needs to communicate with the Docker daemon. On Windows, this communication happens through a named pipe at `//./pipe/docker_engine`. The "docker daemon is not running" error indicates that the Docker CLI cannot establish this connection. This typically means Docker Desktop is either not started, failed during startup, or has crashed. Without a running daemon, no container operations are possible. The full error message often includes additional context: "In the default daemon configuration on Windows, the docker client must be run elevated to connect." This hints that permissions or elevation might also be factors, though the primary cause is usually that Docker Desktop simply needs to be launched.
The most common solution is simply launching Docker Desktop:
1. Click the Windows Start menu
2. Type "Docker Desktop" and click the application
3. Wait for the whale icon to appear in the system tray
4. The icon animates while starting - wait until it becomes solid
Using PowerShell:
Start-Process "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe"Tip: Enable "Start Docker Desktop when you sign in to Windows" in Docker Desktop Settings to avoid this issue in the future.
Once Docker Desktop shows as running, verify the daemon is accessible:
docker versionYou should see both Client and Server sections. If only Client appears, the daemon is still not running.
Check detailed status:
docker infoThis should display information about containers, images, storage driver, and more.
Docker may require elevated privileges to connect:
1. Close your current terminal
2. Right-click on PowerShell or Command Prompt
3. Select "Run as administrator"
4. Try your Docker command again
Alternative - Add yourself to docker-users group:
# Run in elevated PowerShell
net localgroup docker-users "$env:USERNAME" /ADDLog out and log back in for the group change to take effect.
If Docker Desktop appears running but commands fail, restart the service:
Using Windows Services:
1. Press Win+R, type services.msc, press Enter
2. Find "Docker Desktop Service"
3. Right-click and select "Restart"
Using PowerShell (Administrator):
Restart-Service -Name "com.docker.service"Using the System Tray:
1. Right-click the Docker whale icon
2. Click "Restart"
If you've previously used Windows containers, Docker might be in the wrong mode:
& "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\DockerCli.exe" -SwitchDaemonOr right-click the Docker whale icon and select "Switch to Linux containers" (or vice versa).
Note: Most users should use Linux containers (the default).
If using the WSL2 backend (default on Windows 10/11 Home):
# Update WSL
wsl --update
# Shut down all WSL instances
wsl --shutdownThen restart Docker Desktop.
Check WSL distributions:
wsl -l -vYou should see "docker-desktop" and "docker-desktop-data" in the list.
Docker requires virtualization support. Verify it's enabled:
Check virtualization status:
1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
2. Go to the Performance tab
3. Look for "Virtualization: Enabled"
Enable Windows features:
1. Open "Turn Windows features on or off"
2. Enable these features:
- Hyper-V (for Windows Pro/Enterprise)
- Virtual Machine Platform
- Windows Subsystem for Linux
- Windows Hypervisor Platform
3. Click OK and restart Windows
If virtualization shows as Disabled, you need to enable it in BIOS/UEFI:
1. Restart your computer
2. Enter BIOS setup (usually F2, F12, Del, or Esc during boot)
3. Find "Intel VT-x", "AMD-V", or "Virtualization Technology"
4. Enable it and save/exit
If other solutions don't work, try resetting Docker:
1. Open Docker Desktop
2. Click the gear icon (Settings)
3. Go to "Troubleshoot" section
4. Click "Reset to factory defaults"
Warning: This removes all containers, images, volumes, and settings. Export important images first:
docker save my-image:tag -o my-image-backup.tarAs a last resort, perform a complete reinstall:
1. Uninstall Docker Desktop:
- Open Windows Settings > Apps
- Find Docker Desktop and uninstall
2. Remove leftover data:
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:APPDATA\Docker" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Docker" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Docker" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:PROGRAMDATA\DockerDesktop" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue3. Unregister WSL distributions:
wsl --unregister docker-desktop
wsl --unregister docker-desktop-data4. Restart Windows
5. Download and install the latest Docker Desktop from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/
Diagnosing startup failures:
Docker Desktop creates diagnostic logs that can help identify why the daemon fails to start:
& "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\com.docker.diagnose.exe" gather -uploadThis generates a diagnostic ID you can share with Docker support.
Antivirus interference:
Some security software blocks Docker's network or file operations. Common culprits include:
- Trend Micro
- Symantec Endpoint Protection
- McAfee
- Windows Defender (rarely)
Try temporarily disabling your antivirus or adding Docker to its exclusions:
- C:\Program Files\Docker\*
- C:\ProgramData\Docker\*
- C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Docker\*
Conflicts with other virtualization:
- VirtualBox versions before 6.0 conflict with Hyper-V
- VMware Workstation versions before 15.5.5 have similar issues
- Some gaming anti-cheat software disables Hyper-V
Re-enable Hyper-V if disabled:
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype autoThen restart Windows.
WSL2 vs Hyper-V backend:
- Windows Home: Only WSL2 backend available
- Windows Pro/Enterprise: Both available; WSL2 recommended for performance
- If WSL2 checkbox is greyed out, ensure WSL is installed: wsl --install
Corporate environments:
Group policies may prevent Docker from starting. Contact your IT department to ensure:
- Hyper-V/virtualization is allowed
- Your user is in the docker-users group
- No software restriction policies block Docker
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