This error appears when Docker Desktop detects corrupted configuration, incompatible settings after an update, or damaged internal data that prevents normal startup. A factory reset clears all Docker data and settings, returning Docker Desktop to its initial installation state.
Docker Desktop stores configuration data, cached images, containers, volumes, and internal VM state across multiple locations on your system. When Docker detects that this data is corrupted or incompatible with the current version, it may require a factory reset to recover. This typically happens after a failed update, when downgrading Docker Desktop versions, after system crashes during Docker operations, or when the settings version stored on disk is higher than what the installed version expects. The factory reset process removes all Docker-related data including containers, images, and volumes, essentially giving you a fresh Docker installation.
Before performing a factory reset, save any important data. If Docker can still run commands:
# List your images
docker images
# Save important images to files
docker save -o my-image-backup.tar my-image:tag
# Export container data if needed
docker export my-container > container-backup.tarIf Docker commands don't work, the data may already be inaccessible and you'll need to rebuild from source.
If Docker Desktop opens at all:
1. Click the Docker icon in your system tray/menu bar
2. Go to Troubleshoot (gear icon > Troubleshoot)
3. Click Reset to factory defaults
4. Confirm the reset and wait for Docker to restart
This removes all containers, images, volumes, and settings but keeps Docker Desktop installed.
Docker Desktop 4.3+ includes a CLI tool. On Windows, open PowerShell:
& 'C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe' --reset-to-factory-defaultsOn macOS, use Terminal:
/Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/Docker --reset-to-factory-defaultsThis performs the same reset as the GUI option.
If the reset button doesn't work, manually remove Docker data. Close Docker Desktop completely, then:
# Stop Docker processes
Stop-Process -Name "Docker Desktop" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Stop-Process -Name "com.docker.backend" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
# Remove Docker settings and data
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:APPDATA\Docker"
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Docker"
# If using WSL2 backend, unregister Docker distributions
wsl --unregister docker-desktop
wsl --unregister docker-desktop-dataRestart Docker Desktop after removing these directories.
Close Docker Desktop, then remove its data directories:
# Remove Docker settings and data
rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.docker
rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker
rm -rf ~/.docker
# Remove Docker Desktop preferences
rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.docker.docker.plist
rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.electron.docker-frontend.plistRestart Docker Desktop to recreate these with fresh defaults.
If the error mentions 'Settings version is too high', you can try editing the settings file instead of a full reset.
Windows: Edit %APPDATA%\Docker\settings.json
macOS: Edit ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.docker/settings.json
Look for settingsVersion and change it to a lower number (try 6 or the version that matches your Docker Desktop version). This is a workaround that may preserve your data.
If factory reset still fails:
Windows:
1. Uninstall Docker Desktop via Settings > Apps
2. Run the manual cleanup from Step 4
3. Restart your computer
4. Download fresh installer from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
5. Install Docker Desktop
macOS:
1. Move Docker.app to Trash
2. Run the cleanup from Step 5
3. Empty Trash and restart
4. Download and install Docker Desktop fresh
Ensure Docker has sufficient disk space and permissions:
# Check available disk space
df -h
# On macOS, check Docker's disk usage
du -sh ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.dockerDocker Desktop needs several GB of free space. If you're low on space, free up disk space before restarting Docker.
Preserving data during reset: On Windows with WSL2, your Docker data lives in \\wsl$\docker-desktop-data\. Before unregistering the WSL distribution, you can try copying the data folder to preserve images and volumes, though this isn't officially supported.
Downgrade scenarios: If you need to run an older Docker Desktop version, always perform a factory reset before downgrading. The newer version's data format is usually incompatible with older versions.
Corporate environments: In enterprise settings with Docker Desktop subscriptions, contact your IT administrator before resetting, as there may be company-specific configurations that need to be reapplied.
Linux note: Docker Desktop for Linux stores data differently. Reset by removing ~/.docker/desktop and Docker contexts. The Docker Engine data in /var/lib/docker is separate from Docker Desktop.
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