# Is it safe to delete Docker Desktop’s Docker.raw disk image?

- URL: https://moreroom.app/folders/docker-desktop
- Item: Docker Desktop disk image
- Location: `~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms`
- Verdict: Review first — Might hold something you care about. Look inside before removing it.
- Comes back on its own: no
- Typical size: 10–100 GB
- Official command: `docker system prune --all`
- Source: MoreRoom rules catalogue (2026-10-17), by Yando Pte. Ltd.

## What is it?

Docker Desktop runs a Linux virtual machine whose disk, `Docker.raw`, lives under `~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms`. It holds every image, container, volume and build cache you have. It is a sparse file that grows with use and is typically tens of GB.

## What happens if you delete it?

It does not come back as it was: deleting the file erases all images, containers and volumes, including databases stored in volumes. Docker Desktop creates a new, empty disk image at its next start.

## How to remove it properly

Clean up from Docker instead of deleting the file: `docker system prune --all --force` removes stopped containers, unused images, unused networks and build cache, but keeps volumes; it deletes permanently. Docker Desktop then gives the freed space back to macOS, which can take a few minutes. To erase everything, use Troubleshoot › Clean / Purge data in Docker Desktop.

## Before you delete it

Volumes are not pruned by that command on purpose; run `docker volume ls` and remove only volumes you are sure you no longer need. Images you built locally and never pushed cannot be downloaded again.