Issue with Docker Desktop on Windows 11: Won't Start After First Launch

Docker Desktop
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I recently installed Docker Desktop on my Windows 11 machine. After the initial installation, it started up automatically, and I was able to pull some images with everything working perfectly. However, whenever I close Docker Desktop and try to restart it, it fails to launch.

The only way I can get it working again is by uninstalling and reinstalling, but the issue repeats each time—Docker Desktop only starts up properly after the first installation and fails to launch after closing.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on troubleshooting or resolving the issue would be greatly appreciated!

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Any error messages you can find?

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Having this exact issue on Desktop 4.35.1.0. I have to reboot my Win 11 machine to be able to launch. Windows version is 22631.4460

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I found the issue. When you click on the desktop link for Docker Desktop, a new Docker Desktop and Docker Desktop Backend process is started and you see the app. When the app is closed, the Docker Desktop Backend process is not terminating.

Restart finds the old Docker Desktop Backend process, which sends Docker Desktop to the background. In Windows Task Manager you will find these two processes running in the background; if you click on the Docker Desktop shortcut, those background processes will increment. Do this five times and you’ll five background processes for each Desktop and Background.

Assuming you’ve signed out of Desktop to restart Docker Desktop, open a Windows task manager session and kill all Docker Desktop/Docker Desktop Background processes. If you have terminated them, then clicking on the short cut works.

Desktop will not re-launch if there are any background processes running.

I updated the stagnant issue on this in GitHub.

3 Likes
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do you have a link to the github issue?

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Thank you so much for sharing this; it worked! It makes sense that this is the issue. Thank you for reporting it!

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We are all in this together my friend.

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Thank you so much this worked! Just go to task manager, CTRL+F, search “docker” and kill the background process. after which running the shortcut launches docker desktop properly

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Thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately, it’s not working for me :pensive_face:

When searching “Docker” in Task Manager, I’ll find & kill those 5+ background Docker processes, but clicking Docker’s shortcut throws an error about starting the “Privileged helper” which requires UAC approval…and then it hangs at “Engine Starting” indefinitely. Truly no idea what/if I did anything to cause this problem (besides updating Docker via the Windows app) :confused:

Any other suggestions? Should I attempt a reinstall? Thanks again!

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I broke up with Windows, deleted it like a bad ex, and now I’m living my best life with Linux. Honestly, 10/10 decision — no regrets, just sudo privileges! :joy:

1 Like
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for windows 11 in command line

docker desktop restart

worked for me.

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Docker Desktop developers are asleep at the wheel apparently, this bug has been in Docker desktop since 2022 and nobody has even bothered to try fixing it. Just like anything free or that has a subscription service tier business model these days it’s horrid. Nobody is doing their job anymore.

1 Like
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I’m running into the same issue. Docker Desktop is simply not open again after closing it. Neither terminating the processes first nor the docker desktop restart command do anything, the GUI just won’t show again.

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This “Works”, but the underlying issue is still there, and every time you close the UI, you must open task manager, find and kill running docker processes, which is highly annoying.