everything was fine, but then for some reason I decided to update docker and I started having exactly the same problem on the latest version 4.32, maybe the problem exists for several more releases because I haven’t updated docker for a long time. This problem makes it impossible to work with docker containers if you need to change files in the editor because you won’t get to them, it’s terrible, who has already created a bug report on github?
Guys im open github issue Issues using file explorer from Docker Desktop · Issue #14204 · docker/for-win · GitHub
1 Like
I came up with a temporary bypass bug that will allow you to not stop working until the docker team fixes the problem, but it’s a little long, you need to make a shared folder “Volumes” for example C:\sharefolder:/var/www/test and now you can copy the necessary files to change into this folder and edit the file on Windows and then copy it back. For example:
cp /usr/local/etc/php/php.ini-production /var/www/test/php.ini-production
Now you modify php.ini-production on windows in C:\sharefolder\php.ini-production
cp /var/www/test/php.ini-production /usr/local/etc/php/php.ini-production
Same experience here, click on a folder under files, means it drops down for a brief micro-second then closes again. Beyond annoying.
Hello, i found a workaround. using docker desktop on a macbook. simply click and press the space bar SIMULTANEOUSLY. the folder opens then properly 
2 Likes
That last comment is a troll, this actually just deleted the folder in the volume. This bug is extremely frustrating and makes the entire file explorer in docker basically useless.
It could only happen if you accidentally clicked on the context menu and clicked on “Delete” there or selected that menu item by pressing space. Which could happen since the first click opens the context menu, but I could not reproduce it only that I opened a file because when you click on a file, the first menu item is “Edit file”. It is inactive but still there when you click on a folder so it is harder to accidentally select it by pressing space, but possible to click on it.
So I don’t see trolls here. It is possible that the mentioned method solves the problem for some people for some reason or just sometimes and it seemed working then, but Docker Desktop should indeed ask for confirmation before deleting anything through the file explorer. I intentionally tried to delete the /etc folder and worked. Doing it on a volume can cause data loss.
EDIT:
I realized that this topic is about Docker Desktop for Windows, and the recommended solution was for macOS. I also have macOS and the Delete buttin is never the first in my Docker Desktop.
I’ve actually been using this method successfully for the last week since @chadiak75 posted it. Works great for me.
Are you using this on macOS or Windows? I realized it was recommended for Mac, but the topic is in the Windows category and th two desktops could be different.
I am using Mac, thanks for the clarification. Evidently my right clicking skills are not on par with chadiak75’s because I can’t seem to use this fix without deleting the folder. Appreciate the correct and I hope a fix for this comes one day soon.
I’m on Mac as well. But it’s not a right-click. Left-click and space is what works for me.
1 Like
This infact works for me!
I have no idea what’s different on my machine, but I can open folders with a left mouse click, or the right arrow (and left arrow to close it again).
If I navigate to a directory using the up/down arrow key (cell marked by blue outer lines), the space bar does nothing. Though, the right arrow key unfolds it and left arrow key folds it again.
Once a directory is left-clicked, It can be unfolded/folded using the space key.
same issue here.
version: Docker Desktop 4.33.1 (161083)
OS: windows 11
workaround: click the folder then press space, the folder will be expanded.
1 Like
I found that if I use the file editor (top right toggle button: “Open file editor”) I can then use the file explorer within Docker Desktop.
EDIT: apologies, this only works for directories that have not got the “modified” tag, for example I have usr directory and that opens and closes because it is seemingly being written to all the time collapsing the file structure
For me it fixed it when opening with space. then close the same folder by mouse(before it automatically closes).
after that i could normally reopen again