Docker Desktop won't update on MacOS

Docker Desktop
21

I ran into this issue as well (macos 12.4 -air with m1 chip) while trying to auto update from 4.9.1,81317 to 4.10.1,82475.

The solution seems to be just reinstalling the most recent version. If you like brew, brew upgrade docker --cask works just fine. Though it re-downloads the .dmg anyways :slight_smile:

22

I canā€™t see brew in the official documentation.

Did you install Docker Desktop originaly using brew? I have the latest version on my Mac and I donā€™t remember the last time I had problem with the upgrade.

23

It seems I have indeed installed docker desktop using homebrew in the first place. Maybe that somehow caused the problem?

24

I donā€™t know, but it is possible. You should always follow the official documentation. On second thought, more likely that the problem is with the update process. When you updade Docker Desktop, just go to the dashboard and start updating there. I donā€™t know how brew updates the Desktop but that method is not supported by Docker.

25

Any updates on this issue? I am having the same problem.

26

Did you also used HomeBrew to install Docker Desktop?

27

Same. Updates are hung in ā€œDownloading updateā€¦ā€ status at v4.11.1

28

I am also having this issue

29

same here v4.21.1 only show updating but never apply

MacOS Ventura, MacBook Air M1

2 Likes
30

Same here with Docker v4.21.1. It appears to have downloaded the patch. When the downloading completes, the [Apply & Restart] button are greyed out.

I gave the Docker app ā€œFull Disk Accessā€ to no avail.

MacOS Ventura 13.5.1, MacBook Air M1

31

I agree. The upgrade functionality has never really worked on macOS.

32

Since I started using my MacBook, this feature has never worked on macOS, and I donā€™t know how Docker developer works.

33

I had the same problem with the UI of Docker Desktop. Then I tried by terminal with brew upgrade --cask docker and I could successfully upgrade the app. Hope this could help you if you have installed docker via brew.

34

For anyone worried about installing and upgrading via brew - I wouldnā€™t be worried. All itā€™s doing is downloading the official installer from https://desktop.docker.com and installing it the normal way. Really the only difference between what itā€™s doing and what youā€™d do manually is that itā€™s a bit more careful about not overwriting stuff that itā€™s not already managing, and it makes a backup of older versions in case you need to revert.

Iā€™ve never gotten the upgrade buttons in the app to work, I have no idea why Docker canā€™t get those to work. brew upgrade --cask docker works.

35

Thanks, this worked but I had to do a system restart. Only restarting Docker was not enough. (And I never got the notification)

36

I think what bothers me about this is that this is still an issue, all the way to 2023. I click on it on the desktop, it says it downloads, it says ā€œupdate and restartā€, it shuts off and doesnā€™t do anything. I click back on docker after several minutes and it re-opens without being updated, as if nothing happened. I should just forget ever using the update feature because itā€™s useless on Mac. I just waisted another 15-20 minutes of my life dealing with yet another problem. Itā€™s like dying with a thousand cuts of little things breaking like that. Ok fine, I have to restart my computer I guess, or I have to download the new update explicitly. But if it doesnā€™t work, why do you have it there in first place then???

37

I understand why you think the update feature is useless. There was a time when I was always afraid before updating because I found out that something was broken on the UI or in a previously working feature. It was one of the reasons why I made my video about reinstalling Docker Desktop on Mac. I donā€™t know what happened, but I had no update issue for years.

I definitely see the large number of reports regarding upadtes on Mac, but it must be hard to reproduce if it still happens. I almost hope I will experience an update issue again so I can spend a little time on investigating, even though I wouldnā€™t be able to fix anything.

Until that, you can folllow the issues on GitHub

and report these kind of issues or comment on already reported issues to make sure it is taken seriiously by the developers. Even if it is something that people are doing wrong, a good error message could certainly help.

1 Like
38

Well, after running into the same issues that the update button wasnā€™t working (and it still seems unresponsive), the app silently shut down and restarted and so it all worked out! Itā€™s still odd how it behaves, but it does seem that the functionality is there.

1 Like
39

I resolved the issue by downloading the latest version of Docker.dmg and installing it on top of the old version. Docker Desktop was upgraded to v. 4.29 and it looks much better than before (v. 3.6.0)! ā€œdocker versionā€ now returns 26.0.0 of March 24, 2024 and ā€œdocker-compose --versionā€ returns v2.26.1-desktop.1. I hope from now on the ā€œupdateā€ feature will work, otherwise Iā€™ll switch to brew. And a reminder that in Docker lingo upgrading Docker is called ā€œupdateā€, while ā€œupgradeā€ means upgrading your subscription :slight_smile: BTW Iā€™m now on MacOS Sonoma 14.3.1 and Mac mini 2018. And finally many thanks to everyone who posted to this thread! It helped me to realize that I was not the only one endlessly trying to update in vain :slight_smile:

40

Itā€™s been a while since OP, but had the same issue for the fist time after several years when upgrading to 4.35.0. Downloading from the website was not a solution as this seemed to still be an older version that would download. Turns out I needed to update MacOS then it updated with no issue.