---
description: Jumpstart your client-side server applications with Docker Engine on
  Ubuntu. This guide details prerequisites and multiple methods to install Docker Engine on Ubuntu.
keywords: docker install script, ubuntu docker server, ubuntu server docker, install
  docker engine ubuntu, install docker on ubuntu server, ubuntu 22.04 docker-ce, install
  docker engine on ubuntu, ubuntu install docker ce, ubuntu install docker engine
title: Install Docker Engine on Ubuntu
linkTitle: Ubuntu
weight: 10
toc_max: 4
aliases:
- /ee/docker-ee/ubuntu/
- /engine/installation/linux/docker-ce/ubuntu/
- /engine/installation/linux/docker-ee/ubuntu/
- /engine/installation/linux/ubuntu/
- /engine/installation/linux/ubuntulinux/
- /engine/installation/ubuntulinux/
- /install/linux/docker-ce/ubuntu/
- /install/linux/docker-ee/ubuntu/
- /install/linux/ubuntu/
- /installation/ubuntulinux/
- /linux/step_one/
download-url-base: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu
---

To get started with Docker Engine on Ubuntu, make sure you
[meet the prerequisites](#prerequisites), and then follow the
[installation steps](#installation-methods).

## Prerequisites

### Firewall limitations

> [!WARNING]
>
> Before you install Docker, make sure you consider the following
> security implications and firewall incompatibilities.

- If you use ufw or firewalld to manage firewall settings, be aware that
  when you expose container ports using Docker, these ports bypass your
  firewall rules. For more information, refer to
  [Docker and ufw](/manuals/engine/network/packet-filtering-firewalls.md#docker-and-ufw).
- Docker is only compatible with `iptables-nft` and `iptables-legacy`.
  Firewall rules created with `nft` are not supported on a system with Docker installed.
  Make sure that any firewall rulesets you use are created with `iptables` or `ip6tables`,
  and that you add them to the `DOCKER-USER` chain,
  see [Packet filtering and firewalls](/manuals/engine/network/packet-filtering-firewalls.md).

### OS requirements

To install Docker Engine, you need the 64-bit version of one of these Ubuntu
versions:

- Ubuntu Questing 25.10
- Ubuntu Noble 24.04 (LTS)
- Ubuntu Jammy 22.04 (LTS)

Docker Engine for Ubuntu is compatible with x86_64 (or amd64), armhf, arm64,
s390x, and ppc64le (ppc64el) architectures.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Installation on Ubuntu derivative distributions, such as Linux Mint, is not officially
> supported (though it may work).

### Uninstall old versions

Before you can install Docker Engine, you need to uninstall any conflicting packages.

Your Linux distribution may provide unofficial Docker packages, which may conflict
with the official packages provided by Docker. You must uninstall these packages
before you install the official version of Docker Engine.

The unofficial packages to uninstall are:

- `docker.io`
- `docker-compose`
- `docker-compose-v2`
- `docker-doc`
- `podman-docker`

Moreover, Docker Engine depends on `containerd` and `runc`. Docker Engine
bundles these dependencies as one bundle: `containerd.io`. If you have
installed the `containerd` or `runc` previously, uninstall them to avoid
conflicts with the versions bundled with Docker Engine.

Run the following command to uninstall all conflicting packages:

```console
$ sudo apt remove $(dpkg --get-selections docker.io docker-compose docker-compose-v2 docker-doc podman-docker containerd runc | cut -f1)
```

`apt` might report that you have none of these packages installed.

Images, containers, volumes, and networks stored in `/var/lib/docker/` aren't
automatically removed when you uninstall Docker. If you want to start with a
clean installation, and prefer to clean up any existing data, read the
[uninstall Docker Engine](#uninstall-docker-engine) section.

## Installation methods

You can install Docker Engine in different ways, depending on your needs:

- Docker Engine comes bundled with
  [Docker Desktop for Linux](/manuals/desktop/setup/install/linux/_index.md). This is
  the easiest and quickest way to get started.

- Set up and install Docker Engine from
  [Docker's `apt` repository](#install-using-the-repository).

- [Install it manually](#install-from-a-package) and manage upgrades manually.

- Use a [convenience script](#install-using-the-convenience-script). Only
  recommended for testing and development environments.

{{% include "engine-license.md" %}}

### Install using the `apt` repository {#install-using-the-repository}

Before you install Docker Engine for the first time on a new host machine, you
need to set up the Docker `apt` repository. Afterward, you can install and update
Docker from the repository.

1. Set up Docker's `apt` repository.

   ```bash
   # Add Docker's official GPG key:
   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install ca-certificates curl
   sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
   sudo curl -fsSL {{% param "download-url-base" %}}/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
   sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

   # Add the repository to Apt sources:
   sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.sources <<EOF
   Types: deb
   URIs: {{% param "download-url-base" %}}
   Suites: $(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}")
   Components: stable
   Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
   EOF

   sudo apt update
   ```

2. Install the Docker packages.

   {{< tabs >}}
   {{< tab name="Latest" >}}

   To install the latest version, run:

   ```console
   $ sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
   ```

   {{< /tab >}}
   {{< tab name="Specific version" >}}

   To install a specific version of Docker Engine, start by listing the
   available versions in the repository:

   ```console
   $ apt list --all-versions docker-ce

   docker-ce/noble 5:{{% param "docker_ce_version" %}}-1~ubuntu.24.04~noble <arch>
   docker-ce/noble 5:{{% param "docker_ce_version_prev" %}}-1~ubuntu.24.04~noble <arch>
   ...
   ```

   Select the desired version and install:

   ```console
   $ VERSION_STRING=5:{{% param "docker_ce_version" %}}-1~ubuntu.24.04~noble
   $ sudo apt install docker-ce=$VERSION_STRING docker-ce-cli=$VERSION_STRING containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
   ```

   {{< /tab >}}
   {{< /tabs >}}

    > [!NOTE]
    >
    > The Docker service starts automatically after installation. To verify that
    > Docker is running, use:
    > 
    > ```console
    > $ sudo systemctl status docker
    > ```
    >
    > Some systems may have this behavior disabled and will require a manual start:
    >
    > ```console
    > $ sudo systemctl start docker
    > ```

3. Verify that the installation is successful by running the `hello-world` image:

   ```console
   $ sudo docker run hello-world
   ```

   This command downloads a test image and runs it in a container. When the
   container runs, it prints a confirmation message and exits.

You have now successfully installed and started Docker Engine.

{{% include "root-errors.md" %}}

#### Upgrade Docker Engine

To upgrade Docker Engine, follow step 2 of the
[installation instructions](#install-using-the-repository),
choosing the new version you want to install.

### Install from a package

If you can't use Docker's `apt` repository to install Docker Engine, you can
download the `deb` file for your release and install it manually. You need to
download a new file each time you want to upgrade Docker Engine.

<!-- markdownlint-disable-next-line -->
1. Go to [`{{% param "download-url-base" %}}/dists/`]({{% param "download-url-base" %}}/dists/).

2. Select your Ubuntu version in the list.

3. Go to `pool/stable/` and select the applicable architecture (`amd64`,
   `armhf`, `arm64`, or `s390x`).

4. Download the following `deb` files for the Docker Engine, CLI, containerd,
   and Docker Compose packages:

   - `containerd.io_<version>_<arch>.deb`
   - `docker-ce_<version>_<arch>.deb`
   - `docker-ce-cli_<version>_<arch>.deb`
   - `docker-buildx-plugin_<version>_<arch>.deb`
   - `docker-compose-plugin_<version>_<arch>.deb`

5. Install the `.deb` packages. Update the paths in the following example to
   where you downloaded the Docker packages.

   ```console
   $ sudo dpkg -i ./containerd.io_<version>_<arch>.deb \
     ./docker-ce_<version>_<arch>.deb \
     ./docker-ce-cli_<version>_<arch>.deb \
     ./docker-buildx-plugin_<version>_<arch>.deb \
     ./docker-compose-plugin_<version>_<arch>.deb
   ```

    > [!NOTE]
    >
    > The Docker service starts automatically after installation. To verify that
    > Docker is running, use:
    > 
    > ```console
    > $ sudo systemctl status docker
    > ```
    >
    > Some systems may have this behavior disabled and will require a manual start:
    >
    > ```console
    > $ sudo systemctl start docker
    > ```

6. Verify that the installation is successful by running the `hello-world` image:

   ```console
   $ sudo docker run hello-world
   ```

   This command downloads a test image and runs it in a container. When the
   container runs, it prints a confirmation message and exits.

You have now successfully installed and started Docker Engine.

{{% include "root-errors.md" %}}

#### Upgrade Docker Engine

To upgrade Docker Engine, download the newer package files and repeat the
[installation procedure](#install-from-a-package), pointing to the new files.

{{% include "install-script.md" %}}

## Uninstall Docker Engine

1. Uninstall the Docker Engine, CLI, containerd, and Docker Compose packages:

   ```console
   $ sudo apt purge docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin docker-ce-rootless-extras
   ```

2. Images, containers, volumes, or custom configuration files on your host
   aren't automatically removed. To delete all images, containers, and volumes:

   ```console
   $ sudo rm -rf /var/lib/docker
   $ sudo rm -rf /var/lib/containerd
   ```

3. Remove source list and keyrings

   ```console
   $ sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.sources
   $ sudo rm /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
   ```

You have to delete any edited configuration files manually.

## Next steps

- Continue to [Post-installation steps for Linux](linux-postinstall.md).
