How to fix error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon is not running in Docker

DockerBEGINNERMEDIUMUpdated Dec 1, 2025· 366 views

This error occurs on Windows when Docker Desktop is not running or cannot start. The Docker CLI cannot communicate with the Docker daemon through the named pipe.

Quick fix

Fixes error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon is not running

Start-Process "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe"
  1. Start Docker Desktop
  2. Verify Docker is running
  3. Restart Docker Desktop service
  4. Switch Docker daemon (if using Windows Containers)
docker — error
Start-Process "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe"
error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon is not running

What this error means

When you run Docker commands on Windows, the Docker CLI needs to communicate with the Docker daemon (dockerd). On Windows, this communication happens through a named pipe at `//./pipe/docker_engine` rather than a Unix socket. This error appears when: - Docker Desktop is not running - Docker Desktop failed to start properly - The Windows Containers or Hyper-V/WSL2 backend is misconfigured - There's a conflict with other virtualization software The full error message typically includes: "In the default daemon configuration on Windows, the docker client must be run elevated to connect. This error may also indicate that the docker daemon is not running."

Typical symptoms

  • Docker commands fail with 'error during connect' message
  • PowerShell or Command Prompt shows pipe connection errors
  • Docker Desktop icon shows 'Docker Desktop is starting...' indefinitely
  • The Docker whale icon in the system tray is not present or shows an error state
  • Running 'docker version' only shows Client information, not Server

Common causes

  1. Docker Desktop application is not running
  2. Docker Desktop service failed to start properly
  3. Hyper-V or WSL2 backend is not properly configured
  4. Virtualization is disabled in BIOS/UEFI settings
  5. Conflict with VirtualBox, VMware, or other virtualization software
  6. Windows Hypervisor Platform feature is not enabled
  7. Corrupted Docker Desktop installation
  8. Insufficient Windows permissions (need to run as Administrator)

How to fix "error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon is not running"

1Start Docker Desktop

The most common fix is simply starting Docker Desktop:

1. Click the Windows Start menu
2. Search for "Docker Desktop"
3. Click to launch the application
4. Wait for the whale icon in the system tray to stop animating (becomes solid)

Alternatively, you can start Docker Desktop from PowerShell:

powershell
Start-Process "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe"
2Verify Docker is running

After Docker Desktop starts, verify the daemon is accessible:

powershell
docker version

You should see both Client and Server information. If you only see Client info, the daemon is still not running.

Also check:

powershell
docker info

This provides detailed information about the Docker environment.

3Restart Docker Desktop service

If Docker Desktop appears running but commands still 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 (as Administrator):

powershell
Restart-Service -Name "com.docker.service"
4Switch Docker daemon (if using Windows Containers)

If you're switching between Linux and Windows containers, the daemon may be in the wrong mode:

Using PowerShell:

powershell
& 'C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\DockerCli.exe' -SwitchDaemon

Using Command Prompt:

cmd
"C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\DockerCli.exe" -SwitchDaemon

You may need to run this command multiple times if it doesn't work on the first try.

5Check Hyper-V and virtualization settings

Docker Desktop requires virtualization support. Verify it's enabled:

Check if Hyper-V is enabled:
1. Open "Turn Windows features on or off"
2. Ensure "Hyper-V" is checked (all sub-features)
3. Ensure "Windows Hypervisor Platform" is checked
4. Restart Windows if you made changes

Check Task Manager for virtualization:
1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
2. Go to Performance tab
3. Look for "Virtualization: Enabled" at the bottom

If virtualization is disabled, you'll need to enable it in your BIOS/UEFI settings.

6Update WSL2 (for WSL2 backend)

If using WSL2 backend (default for Windows Home), ensure it's up to date:

powershell
wsl --update
wsl --shutdown

Then restart Docker Desktop.

Check your WSL distributions:

powershell
wsl -l -v

You should see "docker-desktop" and "docker-desktop-data" distributions.

7Reset Docker Desktop to factory defaults

If other solutions don't work, reset Docker Desktop:

1. Open Docker Desktop
2. Click the gear icon (Settings)
3. Go to "Troubleshoot" (or click the bug icon)
4. Click "Reset to factory defaults"

Warning: This removes all containers, images, and volumes. Back up important data first.

8Clean reinstall Docker Desktop

As a last resort, perform a clean reinstall:

1. Uninstall Docker Desktop from Windows Settings > Apps
2. Delete remaining Docker data:

powershell
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:APPDATA\Docker"
   Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Docker"
   Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Docker"
   Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:PROGRAMDATA\DockerDesktop"

3. Restart Windows
4. Download and install the latest Docker Desktop from docker.com
5. Follow the installation prompts

Advanced notes

Running as Administrator:
In the default daemon configuration on Windows, the Docker client may need to run elevated (as Administrator) to connect. If you're not in the "docker-users" group, run your terminal as Administrator.

Adding user to docker-users group:

powershell
net localgroup docker-users "your-username" /ADD

Log out and back in for changes to take effect.

Conflicts with other virtualization software:
- VirtualBox versions before 6.0 conflict with Hyper-V. Update to VirtualBox 6.0+ or uninstall it.
- VMware Workstation versions before 15.5.5 have similar conflicts.
- Some gaming software (anti-cheat systems) disable Hyper-V on boot.

Re-enabling Hypervisor after it was disabled:

cmd
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto

Then restart Windows.

WSL2 vs Hyper-V backend:
- Windows Home: Only WSL2 backend available
- Windows Pro/Enterprise: Both options available
- WSL2 is recommended for most use cases due to better performance

Frequently asked questions

What does "error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon i" mean?
When you run Docker commands on Windows, the Docker CLI needs to communicate with the Docker daemon (dockerd). /pipe/docker_engine rather than a Unix socket. This error appears when: - Docker Desktop is not running - Docker Desktop failed to start properly - The Windows Containers or Hyper-V/WSL2 backend is misconfigured - There's a conflict with other virtualization software The full error message typically includes: "In the default daemon configuration on Windows, the docker client must be run elevated to connect.
How do I fix "error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon i"?
This error occurs on Windows when Docker Desktop is not running or cannot start. The Docker CLI cannot communicate with the Docker daemon through the named pipe.
What causes "error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon i"?
Docker Desktop application is not running Docker Desktop service failed to start properly Hyper-V or WSL2 backend is not properly configured
Is the "error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon i" error serious?
It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading