If you’re using Docker Desktop on Windows and it’s stuck at the “Docker is starting…” message—you’re not alone. This is a common issue that can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you need to spin up containers quickly.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why this happens, and provide a step-by-step guide to resolve it, along with best practices to prevent it from happening again.
🧩 What Causes “Docker is starting…” to Hang?
Docker Desktop relies on several components to work properly on Windows, especially when using WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) or Hyper-V. Some common causes include:
- 🐢 WSL 2 issues or misconfigurations
- 💾 Corrupted Docker data or cached settings
- 🔒 Conflicting security software (VPNs, antivirus)
- 🧱 Firewall or network restrictions
- ⚙️ Windows updates or system instability
- 🧊 Docker’s own backend services failing silently
🛠️ Fixes and Workarounds
Here are proven steps to resolve the issue.
🔁 1. Restart Docker from System Tray
This is the simplest fix and often works.
- Right-click on the Docker icon in the system tray
- Select Quit Docker Desktop
- Start Docker again from the Start Menu
If this doesn’t help, move to the next steps.
⚙️ 2. Check and Restart WSL
Docker Desktop uses WSL 2 as its backend. If WSL isn’t working, Docker won’t start.
wsl --status
To restart WSL:
wsl --shutdown
Then reopen Docker Desktop.
⚠️ Make sure you’ve enabled WSL 2 and installed a Linux distro (like Ubuntu) from the Microsoft Store.
🧹 3. Reset Docker to Factory Defaults
Sometimes Docker settings or images get corrupted.
- Open Docker Desktop
- Go to Settings > Troubleshoot
- Click Reset to factory defaults
⚠️ This will remove all containers, images, and volumes.
🚀 4. Manually Delete Docker Data
If Docker remains unresponsive, try deleting the data folder manually.
- Quit Docker
- Navigate to:
%APPDATA%\Docker
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Docker
%USERPROFILE%\.docker
- Delete the contents of these folders
- Restart Docker
🔄 5. Reinstall Docker Desktop
As a last resort:
- Uninstall Docker Desktop
- Reboot your PC
- Download the latest version from Docker Desktop for Windows
- Reinstall
✅ Make sure to run the installer as Administrator.
🧪 Additional Checks
✅ Ensure Required Features Are Enabled:
Go to Windows Features and make sure the following are checked:
- Windows Subsystem for Linux
- Virtual Machine Platform
- Hyper-V (if not using WSL backend)
You can enable them using PowerShell:
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart
Then restart your PC.
🔍 View Docker Logs
Logs can help identify the root cause:
%APPDATA%\Docker\log\host
Look for errors related to WSL, networking, or service startup failures.
💡 Best Practices to Prevent the Issue
- ✅ Keep Docker Desktop updated
- ✅ Regularly clear unused containers/images (
docker system prune) - ✅ Avoid abrupt shutdowns during Docker operations
- ✅ Avoid using Docker in combination with unsupported VPNs or firewalls
🧠 Summary
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| ✅ Restart Docker | Simple first step |
| ✅ Restart WSL | Fix WSL backend issues |
| ✅ Reset Docker | Clear corrupt data |
| ✅ Delete Docker data folders | Manually clean up |
| ✅ Reinstall Docker Desktop | Start fresh |
| ✅ Enable required features | Make sure WSL/Hyper-V is on |
🛠️ Still Stuck?
If none of the above works, consider using:
- Docker Troubleshoot Tool
- Submit feedback via Docker Desktop → Troubleshoot → Get Support
- Join the Docker Community Forums or Stack Overflow
✅ Final Thoughts
“Docker is starting…” forever is a frustrating but solvable issue. In most cases, a reset, WSL fix, or reinstallation does the trick. Following the steps above will help you get Docker running smoothly again so you can focus on building and shipping containers—not debugging the Docker Desktop itself.
