How to fully uninstall Docker Desktop on Mac
Docker Desktop leaves 5–20 GB of containers, images, volumes, and support files on your Mac. A normal uninstall barely makes a dent. Here's how to get it all.
5–20 GB
Typical leftover size
~/Library/Containers
Key location
Yes — system level
Privileged helpers
Why Docker leaves so much behind
Docker Desktop runs a lightweight Linux VM on your Mac to host containers. That VM, along with all your pulled images and running container data, lives in~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/.
This folder grows every time you pull a new image or run a container. Active Docker users often find 10–20 GB in this folder alone — sometimes more if they've been running databases or building images locally.
Docker also installs privileged helper tools in /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/(system-level, outside your home folder) that require manual removal or admin privileges to clean up.
What Docker leaves behind
| Location | Contents |
|---|---|
| ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/ | Docker VM, images, containers, volumes — the biggest folder (often 5–15 GB) |
| ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.docker/ | Shared Docker group container data |
| ~/Library/Application Support/Docker Desktop/ | App settings, extension data, crash reports |
| ~/Library/Caches/com.docker.docker/ | Docker Desktop UI cache |
| ~/Library/Preferences/com.docker.docker.plist | Docker Desktop user preferences |
| ~/Library/Logs/Docker Desktop/ | Docker daemon and app logs |
| ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.docker.docker.savedState/ | Window state |
| ~/.docker/ | CLI config, credentials, contexts (in home directory, not Library) |
| /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.* | Docker privileged helper tools (system-level) |
Before you remove Docker
If you plan to reinstall Docker later, save anything you need first:
- →
Export important container data: docker export <container> > backup.tar - →
Push important images to Docker Hub or a registry - →
Back up custom docker-compose.yml files from your projects - →
Note any custom daemon configurations from ~/.docker/daemon.json
Complete manual removal
- 1. Quit Docker DesktopClick the Docker whale in the menu bar → Quit Docker Desktop. Wait for it to fully stop.
- 2. Use Docker's built-in uninstaller (recommended first step)Open Docker Desktop → click the bug icon (top right) → Troubleshoot → Uninstall. This removes some data cleanly.
- 3. Delete the appIf Docker.app is still in /Applications, drag it to Trash.
- 4. Delete the Containers folder (biggest cleanup)Press ⌘ Shift G → type
~/Library/Containers→ delete thecom.docker.dockerfolder. - 5. Delete Group ContainersNavigate to
~/Library/Group Containers→ delete any folder starting withgroup.com.docker. - 6. Delete remaining Library filesDelete
~/Library/Application Support/Docker Desktop/,~/Library/Caches/com.docker.docker/,~/Library/Preferences/com.docker.docker.plist, and~/Library/Logs/Docker Desktop/. - 7. Remove ~/.docker/ (CLI config)In Terminal:
rm -rf ~/.docker - 8. Remove privileged helpers (requires sudo)In Terminal:
sudo rm -rf /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.*
Automated removal with Zapper
Zapper handles steps 3–6 automatically — finding everything in ~/Library including the Containers and Group Containers folders that are most commonly missed:
- Run Docker Desktop's built-in uninstaller first (Troubleshoot → Uninstall)
- Drop
Docker.apponto Zapper's window. - Zapper scans all 11 Library directories and shows every leftover with file sizes.
- Click Zap — files move to Trash. You'll likely see 5–15 GB recovered.
Note: Zapper removes files from ~/Library. The privileged helper tools in /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools (system-level) require sudo in Terminal. Docker's built-in uninstaller handles those.