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To run Linux containers from a WSL distribution, install Docker Desktop for Windows, use its WSL 2 engine, and enable WSL integration for that distribution. Then run Docker CLI commands in its Linux terminal. Keep your project files in the distribution’s Linux filesystem for Docker’s recommended WSL development workflow.
Check Windows and WSL requirements
Docker’s current Windows installation guidance lists these requirements. Check the live Windows install page before installing: supported Windows versions can change, and Docker says supported versions must remain within Microsoft’s servicing timeline.
- Windows 10 64-bit Enterprise, Pro, or Education, version 22H2 (build 19045), or Windows 11 64-bit Enterprise, Pro, or Education, version 23H2 (build 22631) or higher.
- WSL 2.1.5 or later, with the WSL 2 feature enabled. Docker recommends using a current WSL version.
- A 64-bit processor with SLAT, at least 8 GB of system RAM, and hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS or UEFI.
In PowerShell or Command Prompt, list installed distributions and their WSL versions:
wsl.exe -l -vIn the output, check that the distribution you plan to use has version 2. If it shows version 1, convert it from an elevated or regular Windows terminal as appropriate for your setup:
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wsl.exe --set-version <distribution name> 2Replace <distribution name> with the name shown by wsl.exe -l -v. To make a distribution the default for commands that do not specify one, use:
wsl.exe --set-default <distribution name>Docker’s installation guidance distinguishes per-user and all-users installs. Per-user installation is recommended for most users and does not require administrator rights to install or update; all-users installation requires elevation and supports additional backend and container features. The guidance does not require membership in docker-users for ordinary Linux containers using WSL 2.
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Install Docker Desktop and enable WSL integration
- Install Docker Desktop for Windows. Follow the current Windows installation instructions. Choose the WSL 2 backend if the installer asks which backend to use.
- Start Docker Desktop. Open Settings > General and confirm Use WSL 2 based engine is selected, if that control appears. Docker says it is enabled by default on systems that support WSL 2, so the control may not be visible. Apply any change.
- Enable your distribution. Open Settings > Resources > WSL Integration, turn on the distribution where you want Docker commands, and apply. Docker enables integration for the default WSL distribution by default; select any additional distributions explicitly.
- Open that distribution’s Linux terminal. Run Docker CLI commands there. Docker Desktop provides the engine; you do not need to install a separate Docker Engine inside the distribution for this workflow.
This setup is for Linux containers. If WSL Integration is missing, Docker’s WSL documentation says Docker Desktop may be in Windows container mode. Use the Docker taskbar menu to switch to Linux containers.
Verify the Docker CLI can reach the engine
In the integrated Linux terminal, check client and server connectivity:
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docker versionThe output should include both a client and a server section. To verify with a simple container, run:
docker run hello-worldIf the command cannot reach a server, confirm Docker Desktop is running and that WSL integration is enabled for the exact distribution you opened. Also recheck that the distribution is running as WSL 2 with wsl.exe -l -v.
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Keep project files in the Linux filesystem
For this workflow, Docker recommends storing source code inside the WSL distribution’s Linux filesystem rather than under a Windows-mounted path. This is the documented approach for Docker’s WSL development workflow; see its WSL best practices for bind-mount guidance.
Docker documents a VS Code workflow that keeps the editor interface on Windows while the development context runs in the Linux distribution:
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- Install the WSL extension in VS Code.
- Open a WSL terminal and navigate to your project directory in the Linux filesystem.
- Run
code .to open the project in VS Code.
Troubleshoot startup and integration problems
Docker Desktop cannot start its WSL virtual machine
Check that hardware virtualization is enabled in your computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings. In Windows, confirm the Windows Subsystem for Linux and Virtual Machine Platform optional features are enabled. Docker’s troubleshooting guidance associates missing Windows components or disabled virtualization with WSL startup errors, including HCS errors.
Docker works in Windows but not in the Linux terminal
Check the version for the affected distribution with wsl.exe -l -v. It must be version 2 for this setup. Then open Docker Desktop’s Settings > Resources > WSL Integration and make sure that specific distribution is enabled.
WSL Integration settings are missing
Confirm Docker Desktop is set to Linux containers rather than Windows containers. Use the Docker taskbar menu to switch modes if needed, then check the settings again.
WSL hangs, uses too much memory, or behaves unreliably
Update WSL before changing Docker settings. Docker’s best-practices page links older WSL versions with hangs, memory use by vmmem.exe, deployment failures, network-filter behavior, and GPU failures. Docker notes that autoMemoryReclaim has been available experimentally since WSL 1.3.10; it is an optional experimental setting, not a prerequisite for Docker Desktop.
Check whether Docker Desktop’s commercial terms apply
Docker’s Windows installation page states that commercial use of Docker Desktop in larger enterprises—more than 250 employees or more than $10 million USD in annual revenue—requires a paid subscription. Check Docker’s current terms for your organization and use case.
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