---
description: Instructions for installing Docker Desktop on RHEL
keywords: red hat, red hat enterprise linux, rhel, rpm,
  update install, uninstall, upgrade, update, linux,
  desktop, docker desktop, docker desktop for linux, dd4l
title: Install Docker Desktop on RHEL
linkTitle: RHEL
download-url-base: https://download.docker.com/linux/rhel
aliases:
- /desktop/install/linux/rhel/
---

> **Docker Desktop terms**
>
> 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](https://www.docker.com/pricing/).

This page contains information on how to install, launch and upgrade Docker Desktop on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) distribution.

## Prerequisites

To install Docker Desktop successfully, you must:

- Meet the [general system requirements](_index.md#general-system-requirements).
- Have a 64-bit version of either RHEL 8 or RHEL 9.
- Have a [Docker account](/manuals/accounts/create-account.md), as authentication is required for Docker Desktop on RHEL.

- If `pass` is not installed, or it can't be installed, you must enable [CodeReady Linux Builder (CRB) repository](https://access.redhat.com/articles/4348511) and [Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL)](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/epel/).

   {{< tabs group="os_version" >}}
   {{< tab name="RHEL 9" >}}
   ```console
   $ sudo subscription-manager repos --enable codeready-builder-for-rhel-9-$(arch)-rpms
   $ sudo dnf install https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-9.noarch.rpm
   $ sudo dnf install pass
   ```

   {{< /tab >}}
   {{< tab name="RHEL 8" >}}
   ```console
   $ sudo subscription-manager repos --enable codeready-builder-for-rhel-8-$(arch)-rpms
   $ sudo dnf install https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm
   $ sudo dnf install pass
   ```

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

- For a GNOME desktop environment you must install AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem [GNOME extensions](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/615/appindicator-support/). You must also enable EPEL.

   {{< tabs group="os_version" >}}
   {{< tab name="RHEL 9" >}}
   ```console
   $ # enable EPEL as described above
   $ sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
   $ sudo gnome-extensions enable appindicatorsupport@rgcjonas.gmail.com
   ```

   {{< /tab >}}
   {{< tab name="RHEL 8" >}}
   ```console
   $ # enable EPEL as described above
   $ sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
   $ sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons
   $ sudo gnome-shell-extension-tool -e appindicatorsupport@rgcjonas.gmail.com
   ```

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

- If you're not using GNOME, you must install `gnome-terminal` to enable terminal access from Docker Desktop:

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

## Install Docker Desktop

To install Docker Desktop on RHEL:

1. Set up Docker's package repository as follows:

   ```console
   $ sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo {{% param "download-url-base" %}}/docker-ce.repo
   ```

2. Download the latest [RPM package](https://desktop.docker.com/linux/main/amd64/docker-desktop-x86_64-rhel.rpm?utm_source=docker&utm_medium=webreferral&utm_campaign=docs-driven-download-linux-amd64).

3. Install the package with dnf as follows:

   ```console
   $ sudo dnf install ./docker-desktop-x86_64-rhel.rpm
   ```

The RPM package includes a post-install script that completes additional setup steps automatically.

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 symlink from `/usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli` to `/usr/bin/docker`.
  This is because the classic Docker CLI is installed at `/usr/bin/docker`. The Docker Desktop installer also installs a Docker CLI binary that includes cloud-integration capabilities and is essentially a wrapper for the Compose CLI, at `/usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli`. The symlink ensures that the wrapper can access the classic Docker CLI. 
- Creates a symlink from `/usr/libexec/qemu-kvm` to `/usr/local/bin/qemu-system-x86_64`.

## Launch Docker Desktop

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

> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> After launching Docker Desktop for RHEL, you must sign in to your Docker account to start using Docker Desktop.

> [!TIP]
>
> To attach Red Hat subscription data to containers, see [Red Hat verified solution](https://access.redhat.com/solutions/5870841).
>
> For example:
> ```console
> $ docker run --rm -it -v "/etc/pki/entitlement:/etc/pki/entitlement" -v "/etc/rhsm:/etc/rhsm-host" -v "/etc/yum.repos.d/redhat.repo:/etc/yum.repos.d/redhat.repo" registry.access.redhat.com/ubi9
> ```

## Upgrade Docker Desktop

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

```console
$ sudo dnf remove docker-desktop
$ sudo dnf install ./docker-desktop-<arch>-rhel.rpm
```

## Next steps

- Review [Docker's subscriptions](https://www.docker.com/pricing/) to see what Docker can offer you.
- Take a look at the [Docker workshop](/get-started/workshop/_index.md) to learn how to build an image and run it as a containerized application.
- [Explore Docker Desktop](/manuals/desktop/use-desktop/_index.md) and all its features.
- [Troubleshooting](/manuals/desktop/troubleshoot-and-support/troubleshoot/_index.md) describes common problems, workarounds, how to run and submit diagnostics, and submit issues.
- [FAQs](/manuals/desktop/troubleshoot-and-support/faqs/general.md) provide answers to frequently asked questions.
- [Release notes](/manuals/desktop/release-notes.md) lists component updates, new features, and improvements associated with Docker Desktop releases.
- [Back up and restore data](/manuals/desktop/settings-and-maintenance/backup-and-restore.md) provides instructions
  on backing up and restoring data related to Docker.
