To run Windows containers, you need Windows 10 or Windows 11 Professional or Enterprise edition. Windows Home or Education editions only allow you to run Linux containers. Windows 11 64-bit: Enterprise, Pro, or Education version 22H2 or higher.

Download and install the latest version of Docker Desktop for Windows. Follow the usual installation instructions to install Docker Desktop. Depending on which version of Windows you are using, Docker Desktop may prompt you to turn on WSL 2 during installation. Read the information displayed on the screen and turn on the WSL 2 feature to continue.

Learn how to choose the best method for you to install Docker Engine. This client-server application is available on Linux, Mac, Windows, and as a static binary.

Quick installation and setup of a complete Docker development environment. Includes the latest version of Kubernetes. On Windows, the ability to toggle between Linux and Windows containers to build applications.

Why is Windows 10 or Windows 11 required? Docker Desktop uses the Windows Hyper-V features. While older Windows versions have Hyper-V, their Hyper-V implementations lack features critical for Docker Desktop to work.

The Docker Engine tab allows you to configure the Docker daemon used to run containers with Docker Desktop. You configure the daemon using a JSON configuration file. Here's what the file might look like:

Download and install Docker on the platform of your choice, including Mac, Linux, or Windows.

Under Security and access, select the Deploy Docker Desktop page. From the Windows OS tab, select the Download MSI installer button. Once downloaded, double-click Docker Desktop Installer.msi to run the installer.

In general, we recommend running Docker Desktop natively on either Mac, Linux, or Windows. However, Docker Desktop for Windows can run inside a virtual desktop provided the virtual desktop is properly configured.

Docker Desktop includes a standalone Kubernetes server and client, as well as Docker CLI integration, enabling local Kubernetes development and testing directly on your machine. The Kubernetes server runs as a single or multi-node cluster within a Docker container.