Fix: Docker Stuck on “Docker is starting…” in Windows

Running Docker on Windows can sometimes be tricky. One of the most common issues users face is Docker Desktop staying forever in the “Docker is starting…” state. This prevents you from running containers and can be frustrating when you need to get work done quickly.

This guide explains why this happens and the steps to fix it.

1️⃣ Common Causes

Several reasons can cause Docker Desktop to hang at startup on Windows:

  • Virtualization disabled in BIOS/UEFI (Hyper-V or WSL2 won’t work without it).
  • Corrupt Docker Desktop data or misconfigured settings.
  • Conflicts with Hyper-V or WSL2 (depending on your backend).
  • Insufficient system resources (low RAM or CPU).
  • Outdated version of Docker Desktop.
  • Antivirus/Firewall blocking services.

2️⃣ Basic Troubleshooting

✅ Step 1: Restart Docker Desktop

  • Right-click the Docker Desktop icon → Quit Docker Desktop.
  • Restart it from the Start Menu.
  • Sometimes a simple restart resolves the issue.

✅ Step 2: Restart WSL2 or Hyper-V Backend

  • If using WSL2: wsl --shutdown wsl --list --verbose Then restart Docker Desktop.
  • If using Hyper-V:
    • Open Services (services.msc).
    • Restart:
      • Hyper-V Host Compute Service
      • Docker Desktop Service

✅ Step 3: Ensure Virtualization Is Enabled

  • Open Task Manager → Performance → CPU.
  • Look for Virtualization: Enabled.
  • If disabled, enable virtualization in your BIOS/UEFI settings and reboot.

3️⃣ Advanced Fixes

🔹 Reset Docker Desktop to Factory Defaults

  • Open Docker Desktop.
  • Go to Settings → Troubleshoot → Reset to factory defaults.
  • This clears corrupted configs but removes all local containers and images.

🔹 Clear WSL2 Data (if using WSL backend)

wsl --unregister docker-desktop
wsl --unregister docker-desktop-data

Then restart Docker Desktop to reinitialize.

🔹 Increase Resources for Docker

  • Go to Settings → Resources.
  • Allocate more CPU and RAM to Docker.
  • Apply & restart.

🔹 Update Docker Desktop

🔹 Check for Firewall/Antivirus Interference

  • Some security tools block the Docker engine.
  • Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall and restart Docker.
  • If it works, add Docker Desktop to the exception list.

4️⃣ Last Resort

If none of the above works:

  1. Uninstall Docker Desktop.
  2. Delete leftover config folders:
    • %AppData%\Docker
    • %LocalAppData%\Docker
    • %UserProfile%\.docker
  3. Reinstall Docker Desktop from scratch.

📌 Summary

If Docker Desktop on Windows is stuck at “Docker is starting…”:

  • ✅ Restart Docker & backend services (WSL2/Hyper-V).
  • ✅ Check if virtualization is enabled in BIOS.
  • ✅ Reset Docker Desktop or clear WSL data.
  • ✅ Allocate more resources.
  • ✅ Reinstall if nothing else works.

With these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and get Docker Desktop running again.

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