Explore the Volumes view in Docker Desktop

Table of contents

TheVolumesview in Docker Dashboard lets you create, delete, and perform other actions on your volumes.You can also see which volumes are being used as well as inspect the files and folders in your volumes.

View your volumes

You can view the following information about your volumes:

  • Name: The name of the volume.
  • Status: Whether the volume is in-use by a container or not.
  • Created: How long ago the volume was created.
  • Size: The size of the volume.
  • Scheduled exports: Whether a scheduled export is active or not.

By default, theVolumesview displays a list of all the volumes.

You can filter and sort volumes as well as modify which columns are displayed by doing the following:

  • Filter volumes by name: Use theSearchfield.
  • Filter volumes by status: To the right of the search bar, filter volumes by In useorUnused.
  • Sort volumes: Select a column name to sort the volumes.
  • Customize columns: To the right of the search bar, choose what volume information to display.

Create a volume

You use the following steps to create an empty volume. Alternatively, if you start a container with a volume that doesn't yet exist, Docker creates the volume for you.

To create a volume:

  1. In theVolumesview, select theCreatebutton.
  2. In theNew Volumemodal, specify a volume name, and then select Create.

To use the volume with a container, see Use volumes.

Inspect a volume

To explore the details of a specific volume, select a volume from the list. This opens the detailed view.

TheContainer in-usetab displays the name of the container using the volume, the image name, the port number used by the container, and the target. A target is a path inside a container that gives access to the files in the volume.

TheStored datatab displays the files and folders in the volume and the file size. To save a file or a folder, right-click on the file or folder to display the options menu, selectSave as...,and then specify a location to download the file.

To delete a file or a folder from the volume, right-click on the file or folder to display the options menu, selectDelete,and then selectDeleteagain to confirm.

TheExportstab lets you export the volume.

Clone a volume

Cloning a volume creates a new volume with a copy of all of the data from the cloned volume. When cloning a volume used by one or more running containers, the containers are temporarily stopped while Docker clones the data, and then restarted when the cloning process is completed.

To clone a volume:

  1. Sign in to Docker Desktop. You must be signed in to clone a volume.
  2. In theVolumesview, select theCloneicon in theActionscolumn for the volume you want to clone.
  3. In theClone a volumemodal, specify aVolume name,and then select Clone.

Delete one or more volumes

Deleting a volume deletes the volume and all its data. When a container is using a volume, you can't delete the volume, even if the container is stopped. You must first stop and remove any containers using the volume before you can delete the volume.

To delete a volume:

  1. In theVolumesview, selectDeleteicon in theActionscolumn for the volume you want to delete.
  2. In theDelete volume?modal, selectDelete forever.

To delete multiple volumes:

  1. In theVolumesview, select the checkbox next to all the volumes you want to delete.
  2. SelectDelete.
  3. In theDelete volumes?modal, selectDelete forever.

Empty a volume

Emptying a volume deletes all a volume's data, but doesn't delete the volume. When emptying a volume used by one or more running containers, the containers are temporarily stopped while Docker empties the data, and then restarted when the emptying process is completed.

To empty a volume:

  1. Sign in to Docker Desktop. You must be signed in to empty a volume.
  2. In theVolumesview, select the volume you want to empty.
  3. Next toImport,select theMore volume actionsicon, and then selectEmpty volume.
  4. In theEmpty a volume?modal, selectEmpty.

Export a volume

Beta feature

The export volume feature is currently in Beta.

You can export the content of a volume to a local file, a local image, an to an image in Docker Hub, or to a supported cloud provider. When exporting content from a volume used by one or more running containers, the containers are temporarily stopped while Docker exports the content, and then restarted when the export process is completed.

You can either export a volume nowor schedule a recurring export.

Export a volume now

  1. Sign in to Docker Desktop. You must be signed in to export a volume.

  2. In theVolumesview, select the volume you want to export.

  3. Select theExportstab.

  4. SelectQuick export.

  5. Select whether to export the volume toLocal or Hub storageorExternal cloud storage,then specify the following additional details depending on your selection.

    • Local file:Specify a file name and select a folder.
    • Local image:Select a local image to export the content to. Any existing data in the image will be replaced by the exported content.
    • New image:Specify a name for the new image.
    • Registry:Specify a Docker Hub repository. Note that Docker Hub repositories can be publicly accessible which means your data can be publicly accessible. For more details, see Change a repository from public to private.

    You must have a Docker Business subscriptionto export to an external cloud provider.

    Select your cloud provider and then specify the URL to upload to the storage. Refer to the following documentation for your cloud provider to learn how to obtain a URL.

  6. SelectSave.

Schedule a volume export

  1. Sign in to Docker Desktop. You must be signed in and have a paid Docker subscriptionto schedule a volume export.

  2. In theVolumesview, select the volume you want to export.

  3. Select theExportstab.

  4. SelectSchedule export.

  5. InRecurrence,select how often the export occurs, and then specify the following additional details based on your selection.

    • Daily:Specify the time that the backup occurs each day.
    • Weekly:Specify one or more days, and the time that the backup occurs each week.
    • Monthly:Specify which day of the month and the time that the backup occurs each month.

  6. Select whether to export the volume toLocal or Hub storageorExternal cloud storage,then specify the following additional details depending on your selection.

    • Local file:Specify a file name and select a folder.
    • Local image:Select a local image to export the content to. Any existing data in the image will be replaced by the exported content.
    • New image:Specify a name for the new image.
    • Registry:Specify a Docker Hub repository. Note that Docker Hub repositories can be publicly accessible which means your data can be publicly accessible. For more details, see Change a repository from public to private.

    You must have a Docker Business subscriptionto export to an external cloud provider.

    Select your cloud provider and then specify the URL to upload to the storage. Refer to the following documentation for your cloud provider to learn how to obtain a URL.

  7. SelectSave.

Import a volume

You can import a local file, a local image, or an image from Docker Hub. Any existing data in the volume is replaced by the imported content. When importing content to a volume used by one or more running containers, the containers are temporarily stopped while Docker imports the content, and then restarted when the import process is completed.

To import a volume:

  1. Sign in to Docker Desktop. You must be signed in to import a volume.

  2. Optionally, createa new volume to import the content into.

  3. Select the volume you want to import content in to.

  4. SelectImport.

  5. Select where the content is coming from and then specify the following additional details depending on your selection:

    • Local file:Select the file that contains the content.
    • Local image:Select the local image that contains the content.
    • Registry:Specify the image from Docker Hub that contains the content.

  6. SelectImport.

Additional resources