How to Install Docker on Windows 11

Installing Docker on your Windows 11 computer involves a few steps to ensure that you have the necessary prerequisites and configurations. Follow these steps to download and install Docker Desktop:

Step 1: Open Google Chrome

  1. Click on the Start menu (Windows icon) at the bottom-left corner of your screen.
  2. Type "Google Chrome" in the search bar.
  3. Click on Google Chrome to open the browser.

Step 2: Go to the Docker Download Page

  1. In Google Chrome, go to the address bar at the top of the browser window.
  2. Type https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop and press Enter.

Step 3: Download Docker Desktop Installer

  1. On the Docker Desktop page, click on the Download for Windows button.
  2. The download will start automatically. If prompted, click Save to save the installation file to your computer.

Step 4: Enable WSL 2 Feature

  1. Open the Start menu and type "powershell" in the search bar.
  2. Right-click on Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator.
  3. In the PowerShell window, type the following command to enable the WSL 2 feature and press Enter:
    wsl --install
    
  4. Restart your computer if prompted.

Step 5: Install Docker Desktop

  1. Once the download is complete, click on the Docker Desktop Installer.exe file at the bottom of the Google Chrome browser window. If you don’t see it, you can find it in your Downloads folder.
  2. If a User Account Control prompt appears asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device, click Yes.

Step 6: Complete the Installation

  1. The Docker Desktop installer will open. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  2. Make sure to select the option to use the WSL 2-based engine during the installation process.

Step 7: Start Docker Desktop

  1. After the installation is complete, Docker Desktop will start automatically. If it does not, you can open it manually by clicking the Start menu, typing "Docker Desktop," and selecting Docker Desktop.

Step 8: Verify the Installation

  1. Open the Start menu and type "cmd" in the search bar.
  2. Click on Command Prompt to open it.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, type docker --version and press Enter. You should see the version of Docker installed on your system.
  4. Additionally, type docker run hello-world and press Enter. This command will download and run a test container, verifying that Docker is installed and running correctly.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Docker on your Windows 11 computer. You can now start using Docker to create, manage, and run containers for your applications.


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