Install Docker Desktop on Windows Full Guide

This guide intends to show you to Install Docker Desktop on Windows. As you know, Docker is a tool used to develop, distribute and run applications in an isolated environment. Docker Desktop is a tool that you can manage your Docker components from a graphical user interface.

You can follow the steps below to set up the Docker desktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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Steps To Install Docker Desktop on Windows

Steps To Install Docker Desktop on Windows

To complete this guide, you must log in to your Windows Client and follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Download Docker Desktop Installer

You can easily use an installer to download and install Docker Desktop. To do this, visit the Docker Windows page and click on Docker Desktop For Windows to download the package.

Step 2 – Install Docker Desktop

Double-click on your downloaded file when your download is completed and start your installation process.

First, you will see the following configuration screen, check the boxes next to recommended options and click ok.

At this point, your Docker desktop installation process will start. Wait for the process to finish.

When it is completed, you will get the following message that your windows must be restarted. Click on close and restart.

You should accept the Docker desktop license agreement when you have restarted your Windows.

Step 3 – Access Docker Desktop GUI

At this point, your Docker desktop dashboard should be opened for you automatically. If it didn’t, click on the Docker desktop icon on your desktop, or from your search bar search for it find it.

Then, you will see that your Docker engine should be started on your Windows.

From there, you can easily manage your Docker container, images, volumes and etc.

Step 4 – Execute Docker Commands on Windows

At this point, you can also access the Docker CLI on your Windows system. To verify this, simply open your PowerShell and run the docker command:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> docker

You should get the following output:

Output
Usage:  docker [OPTIONS] COMMAND

A self-sufficient runtime for containers

Common Commands:
  run         Create and run a new container from an image
  exec        Execute a command in a running container
  ps          List containers
  build       Build an image from a Dockerfile
  pull        Download an image from a registry
  push        Upload an image to a registry
  images      List images
  login       Log in to a registry
  logout      Log out from a registry
  search      Search Docker Hub for images
  version     Show the Docker version information
  info        Display system-wide information

Management Commands:
  builder     Manage builds
  buildx*     Docker Buildx (Docker Inc., v0.10.4)
  checkpoint  Manage checkpoints
  compose*    Docker Compose (Docker Inc., v2.17.3)
  container   Manage containers
  context     Manage contexts
  dev*        Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc., v0.1.0)
  extension*  Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc., v0.2.19)
  image       Manage images
  init*       Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc., v0.1.0-beta.4)
  manifest    Manage Docker image manifests and manifest lists
  network     Manage networks
  plugin      Manage plugins
  sbom*       View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc., 0.6.0)
  scan*       Docker Scan (Docker Inc., v0.26.0)
  scout*      Command line tool for Docker Scout (Docker Inc., v0.10.0)
  system      Manage Docker
  trust       Manage trust on Docker images
  volume      Manage volumes

Swarm Commands:
  config      Manage Swarm configs
  node        Manage Swarm nodes
  secret      Manage Swarm secrets
  service     Manage Swarm services
  stack       Manage Swarm stacks
  swarm       Manage Swarm

Commands:
  attach      Attach local standard input, output, and error streams to a running container
  commit      Create a new image from a container's changes
  cp          Copy files/folders between a container and the local filesystem
  create      Create a new container
  diff        Inspect changes to files or directories on a container's filesystem
  events      Get real time events from the server
  export      Export a container's filesystem as a tar archive
  history     Show the history of an image
  import      Import the contents from a tarball to create a filesystem image
  inspect     Return low-level information on Docker objects
  kill        Kill one or more running containers
  load        Load an image from a tar archive or STDIN
  logs        Fetch the logs of a container
  pause       Pause all processes within one or more containers
  port        List port mappings or a specific mapping for the container
  rename      Rename a container
  restart     Restart one or more containers
  rm          Remove one or more containers
  rmi         Remove one or more images
  save        Save one or more images to a tar archive (streamed to STDOUT by default)
  start       Start one or more stopped containers
  stats       Display a live stream of container(s) resource usage statistics
  stop        Stop one or more running containers
  tag         Create a tag TARGET_IMAGE that refers to SOURCE_IMAGE
  top         Display the running processes of a container
  unpause     Unpause all processes within one or more containers
  update      Update configuration of one or more containers
  wait        Block until one or more containers stop, then print their exit codes

Global Options:
      --config string      Location of client config files (default
                           "C:\\Users\\Administrator\\.docker")
  -c, --context string     Name of the context to use to connect to the
                           daemon (overrides DOCKER_HOST env var and
                           default context set with "docker context use")
  -D, --debug              Enable debug mode
  -H, --host list          Daemon socket(s) to connect to
  -l, --log-level string   Set the logging level ("debug", "info",
                           "warn", "error", "fatal") (default "info")
      --tls                Use TLS; implied by --tlsverify
      --tlscacert string   Trust certs signed only by this CA (default
                           "C:\\Users\\Administrator\\.docker\\ca.pem")
      --tlscert string     Path to TLS certificate file (default
                           "C:\\Users\\Administrator\\.docker\\cert.pem")
      --tlskey string      Path to TLS key file (default
                           "C:\\Users\\Administrator\\.docker\\key.pem")
      --tlsverify          Use TLS and verify the remote
  -v, --version            Print version information and quit

Run 'docker COMMAND --help' for more information on a command.

As you can see, you have full access to Docker CLI on your Windows too.

Conclusion

If you are a Docker user and you use the Windows operating system, you can easily use the Docker desktop tool to manage your Docker components such as containers, images, volumes and etc. Also, you can use the Docker CLI on your Windows.

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