Summary

The web content provides a comprehensive guide on how to install Docker on Windows 10/11, including downloading Docker Desktop, configuring it with WSL 2, and testing the installation.

Abstract

The article "How to install Docker on Windows 10/11 (step by step)" is a detailed tutorial that walks readers through the process of installing Docker on their Windows 10 or 11 machines. It begins with downloading Docker Desktop from the official Docker website, noting that Docker Desktop is designed specifically for Windows 10/11 and not for Windows Server. The installation process involves configuring the system to use WSL 2 as the virtualization engine, which is recommended by Docker for running Linux on Windows. The guide includes visual aids, such as screenshots, to assist users through each step, including accepting the license agreement, installing WSL 2, and restarting the computer to finalize the installation. The article also covers troubleshooting common issues, such as problems installing WSL 2, and provides additional tips like automatically starting Docker with Windows. The final step is testing the Docker installation by running the docker run hello-world command to verify that Docker is functioning correctly. The author encourages engagement by asking readers to leave comments, share the article, and consider subscribing to Medium for more content.

Opinions

Docker Desktop is recommended for use with WSL 2 for optimal performance on Windows 10/11.
Docker remains free for personal use and small businesses, but larger organizations should clarify the license agreement with their IT department.
The author emphasizes the importance of following the steps carefully, especially when installing WSL 2 and configuring Docker to start automatically with Windows.
The article suggests that readers may encounter issues with WSL 2 installation, which might require enabling Virtual Machine Platform or selecting the appropriate Azure VM size if running Windows on Azure.
Engagement and feedback are valued by the author, who encourages readers to interact with the content by commenting, sharing, and showing appreciation through claps.
The author provides a call to action for readers to follow them on Medium and YouTube for more tutorials and content.

How to install Docker on Windows 10/11 (step by step)

With Docker being part of our daily development work, it is no wonder that more and more people install it on their computers. In this tutorial, we will take a look at installing Docker on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Step 1: Downloading Docker

The first place to start is the official Docker website from where we can download Docker Desktop.

Please note that Docker Desktop is intended only for Windows 10/11 and not for Windows Server.

So let’s open the downloaded installer and begin the installation.

Step 2: Configuration

To run Linux on Windows, Docker requires a virtualization engine. Docker recommends using WSL 2.

Step 3: Running the instalation

Click Ok, and wait a bit…

Step 4: Restart

For Docker to be able to properly register with Windows, a restart is required at this point.

Step 5: License agreement

After the restart, Docker will start automatically and you should see the window below:

Essentially, if you are a small business or use Docker for personal use, Docker contains to remain free. However, if you are in a large organization, please get in touch with your IT department to clarify the license agreement.

Step 6: WSL 2 installation

After you accept the license terms, the Docker Desktop window will open. However, we are not done yet. Since we have selected WSL 2 as our virtualization engine, we also need to install it. Don’t click Restart just yet!

Follow the link in the dialog window and download WSL 2.

Open the installer.

Click on Next to begin installing the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

After a few seconds, the installation should complete. So you may click on Finish.

If you still have the Docker Desktop dialog window still lurking in the background, click on Restart. Otherwise, just restart your computer as you normally do.

Step 5 — Starting Docker Desktop

If Docker Desktop did not start on its own, simply open it from the shortcut on your Desktop.

If you wish, you can do the initial orientation by clicking Start.

After this, your Docker Desktop screen should look like this.

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Step 6— Testing Docker

Open your favorite command line tool and type in the following command:

docker run hello-world

This will download the hello-world Docker image and run it. This is just a quick test to ensure everything is working fine.

Step 7 — Automatically start Docker

This step is dependently optional, but if you are working a lot with Docker, you may want to configure Docker Desktop to start automatically once you start Windows.

You can enable this from settings, as shown in the screenshot below.

Troubleshooting — Issues installing WSL 2

When opening Docker Desktop for the first time, you may get an error like this one:

Failed to deploy distro docker-desktop to C:\Users\valentin\AppData\Local\Docker\wsl\distro: : Please enable the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature and ensure virtualization is enabled in the BIOS.

For information please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2-install

Some WSL system related access rights are not set correctly. This sometimes happens after waking the computer or not being connected to your domain/active directory. Please try to reboot the computer. If not sufficient, WSL may need to be reinstalled fully. As a last resort, try to uninstall/reinstall Docker Desktop.

Unfortunately this it is not easy to debug.

Option 1: Enable Virtual Machine Platform

Make sure that Virtual Machine Platform is enabled on your Windows installation. You can easily check this by opening the Turn Windows features on or off from your Control panel.

On your list of features, check that Virtual Machine Platform is enabled.

Option 2: You are running Windows on Microsoft Azure

If your Windows instance is running using the Microsoft Azure cloud, make sure you have the right virtual machine size. To be more specific, you need a Dv3 VM size. Only these sized have nested virtualization and Hyper-V containers.

For example, Standard D2 v2 will not work. You need, for example, Standard D2s v3.

With this option, you can run WSL 2.

Conclusion

I hope this tutorial helped you install Docker on your Windows computer. Leave a comment in the section below if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you!

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