Unable to Use Docker — Stuck at "Starting the Docker Engine..."

[li0817]

Description

After opening Docker Desktop, it gets stuck on the startup screen with continuous loading (spinning circle) and displays the message: "Starting the Docker Engine...".

Below are the troubleshooting steps I have already tried:

1. The Docker Desktop Service in Windows Services sometimes does not start. Even when manually started, the issue persists.
2. Running Docker installation or startup with administrator privileges did not help.
3. Cleared temporary files, removed all Docker-related residual data from the C drive, and reinstalled Docker — still no success.
4. Checked WSL status. Here is the relevant information:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> wsl --status
Default Distribution: docker-desktop
Default Version: 2

PS C:\Users\Administrator> wsl --version
WSL version: 2.6.1.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.66
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.19045.6093

5. Hyper-V and virtualization are enabled — no issues detected.
6. Checked for port conflicts and Windows port reservations — no conflicts found.
7. Investigated file system and permission issues — no permission restrictions or security software interference identified.
8. System information:

Edition: Windows 10 Pro
Version: 22H2
Install Date: 2021/03/13
OS Build: 19045.6093
Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.19062.1000.0

Despite repeatedly reinstalling both WSL and Docker (including trying downgraded versions), the problem remains unresolved.

Reproduce

I am not sure how to reproduce this issue on other machines. On my computer, however, the problem occurs immediately after installation — whether using the MSI installer from the official website or installing via the Microsoft Store.

Expected behavior

Docker Desktop should start normally and allow me to access the main interface.

docker version

Client:
 Version:           28.4.0
 API version:       1.51
 Go version:        go1.24.7
 Git commit:        d8eb465
 Built:             Wed Sep  3 20:59:40 2025
 OS/Arch:           windows/amd64
 Context:           desktop-linux
request returned 500 Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopLinuxEngine/v1.51/version, check if the server supports the requested API version

docker info

Client:
 Version:    28.4.0
 Context:    desktop-linux
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.9.11
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.28.0-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
  cloud: Docker Cloud (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.4.27
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-cloud.exe
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.39.2-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.42
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-desktop.exe
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.31
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-extension.exe
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-init.exe
  mcp: Docker MCP Plugin (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.18.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-mcp.exe
  model: Docker Model Runner (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.40
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-model.exe
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-sbom.exe
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.18.3
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

Server:
ERROR: request returned 500 Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopLinuxEngine/v1.51/info, check if the server supports the requested API version
errors pretty printing info

Diagnostics ID

3C527312-DFFF-4292-8354-EC04C67EA096/20250919000935

Additional Info

No response

[urzz]

Same problem.

On Windows, docker info failed:

Server:
ERROR: request returned 500 Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopLinuxEngine/v1.51/info, check if the server supports the requested API version
errors pretty printing info

But Inside Wsl2, docker info and docker ps -a is ok, docker build ... failed:

ERROR: failed to build: request returned 500 Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2Fvar%2Frun%2Fdocker.sock/v1.51/version, check if the server supports the requested API version: driver not connecting

[BradJ-BAH]

I don't know if it's the same problem but Docker Desktop never starts for me the first time after I've rebooted. I have to kill the docker tasks and then it will start the second time. I've written a .bat script to kill the tasks:

@echo off
echo Stopping Docker Desktop and backend processes...

taskkill /IM "Docker Desktop.exe" /F
taskkill /IM "com.docker.backend.exe" /F
taskkill /IM "com.docker.build.exe" /F

echo Docker stopped. Start Docker Desktop again when ready.
pause

[skeith]

I don't know if it's the same problem but Docker Desktop never starts for me the first time after I've rebooted. I have to kill the docker tasks and then it will start the second time. I've written a .bat script to kill the tasks:

@echo off echo Stopping Docker Desktop and backend processes...

taskkill /IM "Docker Desktop.exe" /F taskkill /IM "com.docker.backend.exe" /F taskkill /IM "com.docker.build.exe" /F

echo Docker stopped. Start Docker Desktop again when ready. pause

Can confirm this is the solution. It doesn't always happen, but most of the time it does.

[gislerro]

I don't know if it's the same problem but Docker Desktop never starts for me the first time after I've rebooted. I have to kill the docker tasks and then it will start the second time. I've written a .bat script to kill the tasks:

@echo off echo Stopping Docker Desktop and backend processes...

taskkill /IM "Docker Desktop.exe" /F taskkill /IM "com.docker.backend.exe" /F taskkill /IM "com.docker.build.exe" /F

echo Docker stopped. Start Docker Desktop again when ready. pause

Didn't work for me. docker info works for me on both PowerShell and within WSL2. The desktop GUI is stuck at Starting the Docker Engine...

After running both
wsl --shutdown
wsl
now seems to initalize the GUI propertly. However the 'Volumes', 'Images' and 'Containers' tab seem to be broken

docker image ls works in both PowerShell and my distro

Edit: uninstalling Docker Desktop, disabling WSL feature and reenabling it (make sure you backup your distro) and then installing Docker Desktop seemed to fix it

[ericmedlock]

Edit: uninstalling Docker Desktop, disabling WSL feature and reenabling it (make sure you backup your distro) and then installing Docker Desktop seemed to fix it

Same here, but I keep having to do it... it'll work a few days... maybe a week, and then all the sudden, no more. I've tried everything I could think of. Killing processes/restarting, rebooting, reset to factory default, wipe the wsl image so docker desktop would reinstall... absolutely nothing. I think I'll try one more fresh reinstall but if no joy then podman gets my biz going forward...

[krzysztofkuczek]

same problem, killing the tasks did not help, reboot/reinstall either...
Diagnostics ID: DCF14882-43A5-4539-B97D-45EB1DB33F64/20251220123802

[Firemad03]

Same issues here. I'm on Windows ARM. The killing batch file didn't work.

[YoshiWalsh]

I am currently having this issue. Rebooting hasn't helped, reinstalling Docker Desktop hasn't helped. I found instructions online suggesting to delete %APPDATA%/Docker/settings.json, but this file doesn't exist.

I checked %LOCALAPPDATA%/Docker/log/vm/ and (after clearing it out and restarting Docker Desktop) it only gets populated with a single file, init.log:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------->8

com.docker.backend.exe.log seems to have some more useful info, I've uploaded a full copy of this file here.

[liyuliang]

I am currently having this issue. Rebooting hasn't helped, reinstalling Docker Desktop hasn't helped. I found instructions online suggesting to delete %APPDATA%/Docker/settings.json, but this file doesn't exist.

I checked %LOCALAPPDATA%/Docker/log/vm/ and (after clearing it out and restarting Docker Desktop) it only gets populated with a single file, init.log:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------->8

com.docker.backend.exe.log seems to have some more useful info, I've uploaded a full copy of this file here.

After uninstall the Docker Desktop, I have deleted the whole directory %APPDATA%/Docker and reinstall the app. It's work for me.

[karolstawowski]

I tried everything mentioned by people above. Unfortunately nothing worked. I noticed directory with docker-data was set to read only. Worked on Windows 10.

1. Open %LOCALAPPDATA%\Docker directory
2. Open properties of %LOCALAPPDATA%\Docker\wsl directory
3. Uncheck "Read-only" option in "Attributes" section
4. Apply change for directory, subdirectories and files

[zaiplanet]

I am currently having this issue. Rebooting hasn't helped, reinstalling Docker Desktop hasn't helped. I found instructions online suggesting to delete %APPDATA%/Docker/settings.json, but this file doesn't exist.
I checked %LOCALAPPDATA%/Docker/log/vm/ and (after clearing it out and restarting Docker Desktop) it only gets populated with a single file, init.log:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------->8

com.docker.backend.exe.log seems to have some more useful info, I've uploaded a full copy of this file here.

After uninstall the Docker Desktop, I have deleted the whole directory %APPDATA%/Docker and reinstall the app. It's work for me.

Confirm worked.
Uninstall Docker Desktop -> delete %APPDATA%/Docker -> reinstall app -> Restart pc -> Done on Win 10 22H2.