Install Docker Desktop on Mac

Table of contents

Docker Desktop terms

Commercial use of Docker Desktop in larger enterprises (more than 250 employees OR more than $10 million USD in annual revenue) requires a paid subscription.

This page contains download URLs, information about system requirements, and instructions on how to install Docker Desktop for Mac.

Docker Desktop for Mac with Apple silicon
Docker Desktop for Mac with Intel chip

For checksums, see Release notes.

System requirements

  • A supported version of macOS.

    Important

    Docker supports Docker Desktop on the most recent versions of macOS. That is, the current release of macOS and the previous two releases. As new major versions of macOS are made generally available, Docker stops supporting the oldest version and supports the newest version of macOS (in addition to the previous two releases).

  • At least 4 GB of RAM.

  • A supported version of macOS.

    Important

    Docker supports Docker Desktop on the most recent versions of macOS. That is, the current release of macOS and the previous two releases. As new major versions of macOS are made generally available, Docker stops supporting the oldest version and supports the newest version of macOS (in addition to the previous two releases).

  • At least 4 GB of RAM.

  • For the best experience, it's recommended that you install Rosetta 2. There is no longer a hard requirement to install Rosetta 2, however there are a few optional command line tools that still require Rosetta 2 when using Darwin/AMD64. See Known issues. To install Rosetta 2 manually from the command line, run the following command:

    $ softwareupdate --install-rosetta

Install and run Docker Desktop on Mac

Tip

See the FAQs on how to install and run Docker Desktop without needing administrator privileges.

Install interactively

  1. Download the installer using the download buttons at the top of the page, or from the release notes.

  2. Double-click Docker.dmg to open the installer, then drag the Docker icon to the Applications folder. By default, Docker Desktop is installed at /Applications/Docker.app.

  3. Double-click Docker.app in the Applications folder to start Docker.

  4. The Docker menu displays the Docker Subscription Service Agreement.

    Here’s a summary of the key points:

    • Docker Desktop is free for small businesses (fewer than 250 employees AND less than $10 million in annual revenue), personal use, education, and non-commercial open source projects.
    • Otherwise, it requires a paid subscription for professional use.
    • Paid subscriptions are also required for government entities.
    • Docker Pro, Team, and Business subscriptions include commercial use of Docker Desktop.

  5. Select Accept to continue.

    Note that Docker Desktop won't run if you do not agree to the terms. You can choose to accept the terms at a later date by opening Docker Desktop.

    For more information, see Docker Desktop Subscription Service Agreement. It is recommended that you also read the FAQs.

  6. From the installation window, select either:

    • Use recommended settings (Requires password). This lets Docker Desktop automatically set the necessary configuration settings.
    • Use advanced settings. You can then set the location of the Docker CLI tools either in the system or user directory, enable the default Docker socket, and enable privileged port mapping. See Settings, for more information and how to set the location of the Docker CLI tools.

  7. Select Finish. If you have applied any of the previous configurations that require a password in step 6, enter your password to confirm your choice.

Install from the command line

After downloading Docker.dmg from either the download buttons at the top of the page or from the release notes, run the following commands in a terminal to install Docker Desktop in the Applications folder:

$ sudo hdiutil attach Docker.dmg
$ sudo /Volumes/Docker/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/install
$ sudo hdiutil detach /Volumes/Docker

By default, Docker Desktop is installed at /Applications/Docker.app. As macOS typically performs security checks the first time an application is used, the install command can take several minutes to run.

The install command accepts the following flags:

  • --accept-license: Accepts the Docker Subscription Service Agreement now, rather than requiring it to be accepted when the application is first run.
  • --allowed-org=<org name>: Requires the user to sign in and be part of the specified Docker Hub organization when running the application
  • --user=<username>: Performs the privileged configurations once during installation. This removes the need for the user to grant root privileges on first run. For more information, see Privileged helper permission requirements. To find the username, enter ls /Users in the CLI.
  • --admin-settings: Automatically creates an admin-settings.json file which is used by administrators to control certain Docker Desktop settings on client machines within their organization. For more information, see Settings Management.
    • It must be used together with the --allowed-org=<org name> flag.
    • For example: --allowed-org=<org name> --admin-settings="{'configurationFileVersion': 2, 'enhancedContainerIsolation': {'value': true, 'locked': false}}"
  • --proxy-http-mode=<mode>: Sets the HTTP Proxy mode. The two modes are system (default) or manual.
  • --override-proxy-http=<URL>: Sets the URL of the HTTP proxy that must be used for outgoing HTTP requests. It requires --proxy-http-mode to be manual.
  • --override-proxy-https=<URL>: Sets the URL of the HTTP proxy that must be used for outgoing HTTPS requests, requires --proxy-http-mode to be manual
  • --override-proxy-exclude=<hosts/domains>: Bypasses proxy settings for the hosts and domains. It's a comma-separated list.

Tip

As an IT administrator, you can use endpoint management (MDM) software to identify the number of Docker Desktop instances and their versions within your environment. This can provide accurate license reporting, help ensure your machines use the latest version of Docker Desktop, and enable you to enforce sign-in.

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