---
description: Instructions for installing Docker Desktop on Debian
keywords: debian, install, uninstall, upgrade, update, linux, desktop, docker desktop, docker desktop for linux, dd4l
title: Install Docker Desktop on Debian
toc_max: 4
redirect_from:
- /desktop/linux/install/debian/
---

This page contains information on how to install, launch, and upgrade Docker Desktop on a Debian distribution.

## Prerequisites

To install Docker Desktop successfully, you must:
 - Meet the [system requirements](linux-install.md#system-requirements). 
 - Have a 64-bit version of Debian 11.
 - Uninstall the tech preview or beta version of Docker Desktop for Linux. Run:

```console
$ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
```

For a complete cleanup, remove configuration and data files at `$HOME/.docker/desktop`, the symlink at `/usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli`, and purge
the remaining systemd service files.

```console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
$ sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli
$ sudo apt purge docker-desktop
```


> **Note**
>
> If you have installed the Docker Desktop for Linux tech preview or beta version, you need to remove all files that were generated by those packages (eg. `~/.config/systemd/user/docker-desktop.service`, `~/.local/share/systemd/user/docker-desktop.service`).

For a Gnome Desktop environment, you must also install AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem [Gnome extensions](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/615/appindicator-support/).

For non-Gnome Desktop environments, `gnome-terminal` must be installed:

```console
$ sudo apt install gnome-terminal
```


## Install Docker Desktop

Recommended approach to install Docker Desktop on Debian:

1. Set up [Docker's package repository](../../engine/install/debian.md#set-up-the-repository). 

2. Download latest [DEB package](https://desktop.docker.com/linux/main/amd64/docker-desktop-4.12.0-amd64.deb?utm_source=docker&utm_medium=webreferral&utm_campaign=docs-driven-download-linux-amd64).

3. Install the package with apt as follows:

```console
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install ./docker-desktop-<version>-<arch>.deb
```

> **Note**
>
> At the end of the installation process, `apt` displays an error due to installing a downloaded package. You
> can ignore this error message.
>
>  ```
>  N: Download is performed unsandboxed as root, as file '/home/user/Downloads/docker-desktop.deb' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
>  ```

There are a few post-install configuration steps done through the post-install script contained  in the deb package.

The post-install script:

- Sets the capability on the Docker Desktop binary to map privileged ports and set resource limits.
- Adds a DNS name for Kubernetes to `/etc/hosts`.
- Creates a link from `/usr/bin/docker` to `/usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli`.

## Launch Docker Desktop

{% include desktop-linux-launch.md %}


## Upgrade Docker Desktop

Once a new version for Docker Desktop is released, the Docker UI shows a notification. 
You need to download the new package each time you want to upgrade Docker Desktop and run:

```console
$ sudo apt-get install ./docker-desktop-<version>-<arch>.deb
```


## Uninstall Docker Desktop

To remove Docker Desktop for Linux, run:

```console
$ sudo apt remove docker-desktop
```

For a complete cleanup, remove configuration and data files at `$HOME/.docker/desktop`, the symlink at `/usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli`, and purge
the remaining systemd service files.

```console
$ rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop
$ sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli
$ sudo apt purge docker-desktop
```

Remove the `credsStore` and `currentContext` properties from `$HOME/.docker/config.json`. Additionally, you must delete any edited configuration files manually. 

## Next steps

- Take a look at the [Get started](../../get-started/index.md) training modules to learn  how to build an image and run it as a containerized application.
- Review the topics in [Develop with Docker](../../develop/index.md) to learn how to build new applications using Docker.
