Docker Desktop very slow startup after 4.41.x update (appears frozen but eventually launches)

Description

The desktop GUI never launches and all containers are not running after installing and launching the 4.41.x update. First noticed the issue with 4.41.0 but 4.41.2 is still broken. Running on an M1 Mac Studio with macOS 15.4.1. Reverting to 4.40.0 restores functionality.

Reproduce

Install 4.41.x update.
Launch Docker Desktop
nothing works

Expected behavior

No response

docker version

Client:
 Version:           28.1.1
 API version:       1.49
 Go version:        go1.23.8
 Git commit:        4eba377
 Built:             Fri Apr 18 09:49:45 2025
 OS/Arch:           darwin/arm64
 Context:           desktop-linux
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///Users/jgleigh/.docker/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

docker info

Client:
 Version:    28.1.1
 Context:    desktop-linux
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.1.7
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-ai
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.23.0-desktop.1
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
  cloud: Docker Cloud (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.3.0
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-cloud
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.35.1-desktop.1
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.38
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-debug
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.8
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-desktop
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.2
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-dev
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.27
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-extension
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-init
  mcp: Docker MCP Plugin (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  dev
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-mcp
  model: Docker Model Runner (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.11
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-model
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-sbom
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.17.1
    Path:     /Users/jgleigh/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-scout

Server:
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///Users/jgleigh/.docker/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

Diagnostics ID

C0630CB9-BE8C-4B68-98F7-5C0393D5F704/20250507002400

Additional Info

No response

@tylermichael

@tylermichael @msasaki666 - are you facing this issue? Case yes, can you please share a diagnostics id to investigate? You can generate one from the terminal /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/com.docker.diagnose gather -upload

I did attempt to do that through the UI, but it would just hang, and I've since downgraded to 4.41.0 from 4.41.2.

I will upgrade again to see if I can replicate.

I tried running that but get this error:

C<-S ConnectionClosed GET /network/tcp (453.542µs): Get "http://ipc/network/tcp": dial unix /Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/backend.sock: connect: no such file or directory

@tylermichael

@tylermichael I couldn't get 4.41.0 to launch either. It would just hang with no GUI and no containers running.

I was running 4.41, and after the 4.41.2 upgrade the app doesn't start. I was using Docker Desktop on this Mac Mini M2 Pro from 2023 without problems folllowing every update. I've installed 4.40 and after a long wait I have a Desktop runing.

Hi,
I'm on Mac OS 15.4.1, on a Macbook pro M4 Max, and I'm having the same issue with version 4.41.2 .
I uninstalled docker and installed version 4.39.0 (from here: https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4390) and I waited a while for it to start but got an error with the following diagnostics ID: D57AF0BB-8DA5-45B1-AE95-2A278A03C4E5/20250513161036.
Was wondering if anyone has a solution?

The error shown is:
running engine: waiting for the Docker API: context deadline exceeded

It's ridiculous. My mac crashed overnight so I now have to wait like an hour for Docker to start. I'm switching to Colima.

I chose to move to Orbstack - zero issues and can focus on work again.

I chose to move to Orbstack - zero issues and can focus on work again.

Migration from Docker Desktop do OrbStack took less start than Docker's startup…
Just click of a button after the install and I'm up and running 🫠

I ended up having to do a factory reset on Docker Desktop and now it's back to normal, I'm now on the latest v4.43.2

Approx 34 minute startup time on an M2 Ultra with no obvious system load.

Diagnostic ID AAFFD841-8CAD-4544-82AB-FDA8D17EF695/20250815012125

Hi! I’ve started looking into this issue, and I have a few questions.

Does this happen only when restarting the App to complete an update, or also when just quitting the App?
If you experience this issue, or have experienced it, could you post the result of

ls -la ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.docker/*.dat

Also, if you haven’t already done so, please capture diagnostics and post the ID
Thanks!

We’ve managed to reproduce and fix the issue. It will be shipped in 4.46.
In the meanwhile if you experience slow (as in more than say 30s) startups or shutdowns, with or without an update being involved, you can do

rm ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.docker/*.dat

then restart Docker Desktop.

Does this happen only when restarting the App to complete an update, or also when just quitting the App?

For me it happened every time, on regular (non-updated) restarts or quit + start too.

I had a 2.6 MiB wc.dat file in ~/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.docker/, (re)moving it resulted in Docker Desktop starting in 2 seconds instead of 5-20 minutes.

Hi 👋
Closing this issue because a fix has been released in Docker Desktop 4.46.0.
See the release notes for more details.

@gabolaev

@gabolaev I just manually updated to 4.46.0 since I was seeing the same issue (was on 4.45.0), and also removed the *.dat from the folder you pointed at, but it is still hanging...
Mac M1 Pro here

@McCio

@McCio can you open a new issue, generate diagnostics, and tag me in it?

@mat007

@mat007 I suggest to reopen this bug instead of creating a new one, as the behaviour is exactly the same as in 4.45.0, so it's clearly not fixed and all the past investigation would be hidden away.
For the diags, I would gladly do that, but it's saying "Docker Desktop is starting" since more than 1h, so I hope when I'll have time to get diagnostics I'll remember to do it...

Versions from about window

Version: 4.46.0 (204649)
Engine: 28.4.0
Compose: v2.39.2-desktop.1
Credential Helper: v0.9.3
Kubernetes: v1.32.2

@McCio

@McCio you can try to create diagnostics from the terminal while it’s starting.

This issue is about Docker Desktop taking a long time to start, if it’s hanging forever, then it’s likely a different problem.
But, we’ll know more when we can look at the diagnostics.

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Docker Desktop very slow startup after 4.41.x update (appears frozen but eventually launches) #7671

Description

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Docker Desktop very slow startup after 4.41.x update (appears frozen but eventually launches) #7671

Description

Description

Reproduce

Expected behavior

docker version

docker info

Diagnostics ID

Additional Info

Activity

bsousaa commented on May 8, 2025

tylermichael commented on May 8, 2025

NickM-27 commented on May 8, 2025

jgleigh commented on May 8, 2025

delfireinoso commented on May 12, 2025

GabeYaw commented on May 13, 2025

24 remaining items

iRonin commented on Jul 10, 2025

wedwardbeck commented on Jul 10, 2025

iRonin commented on Jul 10, 2025

jnet-jon commented on Jul 21, 2025

afoster commented on Aug 15, 2025

mat007 commented on Aug 27, 2025

mat007 commented on Sep 1, 2025

jstasiak commented on Sep 1, 2025

gabolaev commented on Sep 11, 2025

McCio commented on Sep 12, 2025

mat007 commented on Sep 12, 2025

McCio commented on Sep 12, 2025

mat007 commented on Sep 12, 2025

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