Docker Desktop on Debian 13

---
title: Docker Desktop on Debian 13
description: Step-by-step guide to installing Docker Desktop on Debian 13 with proper credential management.
---

A step-by-step guide to installing Docker Desktop on Debian 13 with proper credential management.

## Prerequisites

- Debian 13 (or 12) system
- Internet connection
- Terminal access

## Step 1: Add Docker's Official Repository

First, install required dependencies:

```bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ca-certificates curl
```

Create the keyrings directory and add Docker's GPG key:

```bash
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
```

Add Docker's official repository:

```bash
echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian \
  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
```

## Step 2: Remove Conflicting Packages

If you have Docker installed from Debian's repositories, there may be conflicting packages. Remove them:

```bash
sudo apt remove docker-buildx docker-compose
```

## Step 3: Install Docker CE CLI

Update your package list and install the official Docker CLI:

```bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce-cli
```

Clean up any unused dependencies:

```bash
sudo apt autoremove
```

## Step 4: Download and Install Docker Desktop

Download the Docker Desktop DEB package from the [Docker Desktop release page](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop) or using wget:

```bash
cd ~/Downloads
wget https://desktop.docker.com/linux/main/amd64/docker-desktop-amd64.deb
```

Install Docker Desktop:

```bash
sudo apt install ./docker-desktop-amd64.deb
```

## Step 5: Set Up GPG Key for Credential Management

Generate a GPG key (required for secure credential storage):

```bash
gpg --generate-key
```

Follow the prompts to enter your details. The output will show your GPG key ID, which looks like:

```
E64B253FC0A9C047E6FAD55E8B1D86868A885711
```

Save this key ID — you'll need it in the next step.

## Step 6: Configure Docker Credentials

Edit your Docker config file:

```bash
nano ~/.docker/config.json
```

Change `"credsStore": "desktop"` to `"credsStore": "pass"`:

```json
{
    "auths": {},
    "credsStore": "pass",
    "currentContext": "desktop-linux"
}
```

Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X in nano).

## Step 7: Initialize Pass Password Manager

Initialize `pass` with your GPG key (replace with your actual key ID):

```bash
pass init E64B253FC0A9C047E6FAD55E8B1D86868A885711
```

Verify that `docker-credential-pass` is installed:

```bash
which docker-credential-pass
```

It should show `/usr/bin/docker-credential-pass`.

## Step 8: Start Docker Desktop

As your regular user (not root), start Docker Desktop:

```bash
systemctl --user start docker-desktop
```

Check that it's running:

```bash
systemctl --user status docker-desktop
```

## Step 9: Log In to Docker

Open Docker Desktop from your applications menu (under "Development" in KDE). Click the "G" icon to sign in with Google and complete the authentication process.

Your credentials will now be securely stored using `pass` and your GPG key.

## Step 10: Verify Installation

Test that Docker is working:

```bash
docker version
docker run hello-world
```

## Optional: Enable Docker Desktop on Startup

To automatically start Docker Desktop when you log in:

```bash
systemctl --user enable docker-desktop
```

## Troubleshooting

**Docker Desktop won't start:**
- Make sure you're running commands as your regular user, not root
- Check status with: `systemctl --user status docker-desktop`

**Login fails:**
- Verify `pass` is initialized: `pass`
- Check GPG key: `gpg --list-keys`
- Restart Docker Desktop: `systemctl --user restart docker-desktop`

**Permission denied errors:**
- Add your user to the docker group: `sudo usermod -aG docker $USER`
- Log out and log back in for changes to take effect

## References

- [Docker Desktop Documentation](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/)
- [Docker Desktop Credentials Management for Linux](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/setup/sign-in/#credentials-management-for-linux-users)

A step-by-step guide to installing Docker Desktop on Debian 13 with proper credential management.

Prerequisites

Debian 13 (or 12) system
Internet connection
Terminal access

Step 1: Add Docker’s Official Repository

First, install required dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ca-certificates curl

Create the keyrings directory and add Docker’s GPG key:

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

Add Docker’s official repository:

echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian \
  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

Step 2: Remove Conflicting Packages

If you have Docker installed from Debian’s repositories, there may be conflicting packages. Remove them:

sudo apt remove docker-buildx docker-compose

Step 3: Install Docker CE CLI

Update your package list and install the official Docker CLI:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce-cli

Clean up any unused dependencies:

sudo apt autoremove

Step 4: Download and Install Docker Desktop

Download the Docker Desktop DEB package from the Docker Desktop release page or using wget:

cd ~/Downloads
wget https://desktop.docker.com/linux/main/amd64/docker-desktop-amd64.deb

Install Docker Desktop:

sudo apt install ./docker-desktop-amd64.deb

Step 5: Set Up GPG Key for Credential Management

Generate a GPG key (required for secure credential storage):

gpg --generate-key

Follow the prompts to enter your details. The output will show your GPG key ID, which looks like:

E64B253FC0A9C047E6FAD55E8B1D86868A885711

Save this key ID — you’ll need it in the next step.

Step 6: Configure Docker Credentials

Edit your Docker config file:

nano ~/.docker/config.json

Change "credsStore": "desktop" to "credsStore": "pass":

{
    "auths": {},
    "credsStore": "pass",
    "currentContext": "desktop-linux"
}

Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X in nano).

Step 7: Initialize Pass Password Manager

Initialize pass with your GPG key (replace with your actual key ID):

pass init E64B253FC0A9C047E6FAD55E8B1D86868A885711

Verify that docker-credential-pass is installed:

which docker-credential-pass

It should show /usr/bin/docker-credential-pass.

Step 8: Start Docker Desktop

As your regular user (not root), start Docker Desktop:

systemctl --user start docker-desktop

Check that it’s running:

systemctl --user status docker-desktop

Step 9: Log In to Docker

Open Docker Desktop from your applications menu (under “Development” in KDE). Click the “G” icon to sign in with Google and complete the authentication process.

Your credentials will now be securely stored using pass and your GPG key.

Step 10: Verify Installation

Test that Docker is working:

docker version
docker run hello-world

Optional: Enable Docker Desktop on Startup

To automatically start Docker Desktop when you log in:

systemctl --user enable docker-desktop

Troubleshooting

Docker Desktop won’t start:

Make sure you’re running commands as your regular user, not root
Check status with: systemctl --user status docker-desktop

Login fails:

Verify pass is initialized: pass
Check GPG key: gpg --list-keys
Restart Docker Desktop: systemctl --user restart docker-desktop

Permission denied errors:

Add your user to the docker group: sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
Log out and log back in for changes to take effect