Authentication required - incorrect username or password error after extensive troubleshooting on Docker Desktop for Windows

Docker Desktop
1

Hello Docker Community,

I am experiencing a persistent Error response from daemon: authentication required - incorrect username or password when trying to run any Docker command that requires pulling an image from Docker Hub (e.g., docker-compose up -d --build for a Laravel project, or even docker run hello-world).

My Docker Diagnostics ID is: E55D5804-A338-4696-925A-2B65220553F5/20250717032356

Here’s a summary of my environment and the troubleshooting steps I’ve already taken:

Environment:

  • Operating System: Windows (up-to-date as of recent update)
  • Docker Desktop Version: (Please check your Docker Desktop “About” tab and insert the exact version here, e.g., “Docker Desktop 4.29.0 (145265)”)
  • WSL2: Configured and running correctly (wsl -l -v shows Ubuntu, Version 2, Stopped/Running as expected).
  • Docker Hub Account: I can successfully log in to Docker Hub via a web browser and within the Docker Desktop application itself.

Extensive Troubleshooting Steps Taken (all performed after PC reboots where applicable):

  1. Multiple reinstallations of Docker Desktop: Including full uninstallation and reinstallation.
  2. Cleared Docker-related credentials from Windows Credential Manager: Manually deleted all entries containing “docker”.
  3. Performed “Clean / Purge data” in Docker Desktop Settings: Selected both “WSL2” and “Windows Containers” for deletion.
  4. Shutdown WSL instances: Executed wsl --shutdown multiple times.
  5. Updated Windows OS: Performed all available Windows Updates.
  6. Temporarily disabled/re-enabled Windows Defender Firewall: For testing purposes, the firewall was briefly turned off.
  7. Cleared network adapter cache and reset network settings: Used ipconfig /flushdns, netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset commands.
  8. Removed version attribute from docker-compose.yml: As per warning message.
  9. Confirmed Docker Desktop application login: I am consistently logged into my Docker Hub account within the Docker Desktop app.

Despite all these efforts, I still receive the same authentication required error when Docker tries to pull any image. It seems the Docker Engine is unable to use the authentication credentials provided by the Docker Desktop application.

Could you please assist me in diagnosing and resolving this persistent issue? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and support.

2

Only the Docker Staff could see your diagnostics data, but we are mostly community members. If you want to share your diagnostic data, you can report the issue on GitHub

I see you tried many things already, and if you managed to find all the files that could store any credentials or tokens, that should have helped. So I don’t think it will help in this case, but please, still try to run

docker logout

and try to pull images again. If it works, then try docker login again and pulling images. It usually helps, but as I wrote, it will probably not this time.

But since you menitoned you are constantly logged in in Docker Desktop, if there is an issue with your user, if you are trying to pull public images, logging out might temporary help until fixing whatever causes your issue.

You could also update Docker Desktop as the current version is 4.32.2 and if pulling images worked with the same version, I can imagine a bug that affects older, not tested versions while the recent, tested versions work. Even if that is the case, if we find out what happened or what version is affected, that could be reported to the Docker staff.