Docker desktop does not start on macOS

[lollipapa]

Hello everyone, I downloaded docker desktop but it does not start. When I double clicked the app icon, nothing happened, no matter how long I waited. The activity monitor also showed no docker.

I also tried starting the app using the docker desktop start command but it got stuck in Starting Docker Desktop, with a spinning square on the far left. I inspected the processes using the ps command and noticed the cli-plugins/docker-desktop desktop start started a <defunct> process.

I tried reinstalling docker, restarting my computer, and installing xCode. Nothing helped.

The docker version I’m using is 4.41.2.
My mac version is Apple M4 Pro, Sequoia 15.3.1

[lollipapa]

For anyone who’s interested, I gave up on Docker and start using Colima instead: GitHub - abiosoft/colima: Container runtimes on macOS (and Linux) with minimal setup

[kasunsjc]

Hi lollipapa,

I’m really surprised why Docker Desktop is not working. Can you give more information on how you installed the Docker desktop? I’m using a MacBook M3 and it works well. Anyway please follow the below Docker Documentation

Mac

[rimelek (Ákos Takács)]

It is known issue:

Can’t start docker desktop on macOS

I think I had this issue recently. I say I think, because I don’t remember the exact message, since I just killed the Docker Desktop process, because I had to make it work quickly and I also reinstalled Docker Desktop later and I’m not sure whether I had a nightly build when the issue happened or not. But you can try to stop Docker Desktop, check the processes on the Mac host, make sure there are no Docker Desktop processes, and start Docker Desktop again. I had to run pkill -9 Docker on my h…

except that I saw the GUI, but tthere are other known issues as well when the GUI is not visible

Cannot launch docker desktop for mac apple silicon chip

I had the same problem – Docker wouldn’t start. (This is separate from the malware issue.) After much restarting and trial and error, I went to Settings > General and excluded Docker-related listings from “allow in the background.” The moment I did that, the application finally started.

It was also asked on Slack where the Docker staff reacted, so they are on it. I think I had both of the linked issues, but I’m not 100% sure about the second.

I also have to add that when these issues happen, the developers need some diagnostics data as described here:
https://docs.docker.com/desktop/troubleshoot-and-support/troubleshoot/#diagnose-from-the-terminal

and the diagnostics ID can be shared for example on GitHub as a new issue or in an existing issue:
https://github.com/docker/for-mac

[lollipapa]

I would like to add one more observation. The docker desktop did start but it exited immediately. I was able to confirm this because I saw some docker files created right when I double clicked the app icon but when I tried to find the process, it’s gone. I also saw docker console logs on mac.

I also tried the toggling off of allowing docker to run in the background trick but it didn’t help either. Deleting all docker files, restarting mac, and reinstalling docker desktop also didn’t help.