Configure Settings Management with the Admin Console

This page explains how administrators can use the Docker Admin Console to create and apply settings policies for Docker Desktop. These policies help standardize and secure Docker Desktop environments across your organization.

Prerequisites

• Install Docker Desktop 4.36.0 or later.
• Verify your domain.
• Enforce sign-in to ensure users authenticate to your organization.
• A Docker Business subscription is required.

Important

You must add users to your verified domain for settings to take effect.

Create a settings policy

1. Go to the Docker Admin Console and select your organization.

2. Under Docker Desktop, select Settings Management.

3. Select Create a settings policy.

4. Provide a name and optional description.

   Tip

   You can upload an existing admin-settings.json file to pre-fill the form. Admin Console policies override local admin-settings.json files.

5. Choose who the policy applies to:

   • All users

   • Specific users

     Note

     User-specific policies override the global default. Test your policy with a few users before rolling it out globally.

6. Configure the state for each setting:

   • User-defined: Users can change the setting.

   • Always enabled: Setting is on and locked.

   • Enabled: Setting is on but can be changed.

   • Always disabled: Setting is off and locked.

   • Disabled: Setting is off but can be changed.

     Tip

     For a complete list of available settings, their supported platforms, and which configuration methods they work with, see the Settings reference.

7. Select Create.

To apply the policy:

• New installs: Launch Docker Desktop and sign in.
• Existing installs: Fully quit and relaunch Docker Desktop.

Important

Restarting from the Docker Desktop menu isn't enough. Users must fully quit and relaunch Docker Desktop.

Docker Desktop checks for policy updates at launch and every 60 minutes. To roll back a policy, either delete it or set individual settings to User-defined.

Manage policies

From the Actions menu on the Settings Management page, you can:

• Edit or delete an existing settings policy
• Export a settings policy as an admin-settings.json file
• Promote a user-specific policy to be the new global default

Learn more

To see how each Docker Desktop setting maps across the Docker Dashboard, admin-settings.json file, and Admin Console, see the Settings reference.