Docker Disk Space: How to Check Usage and Free Up Space

Docker can consume 20-50GB or more without you realizing it. Images, containers, volumes, and build cache accumulate over time. This guide shows you how to check Docker disk usage and reclaim that space.

How to Check Docker Disk Space Usage

Quick Overview

docker system df

Output:

TYPE            TOTAL     ACTIVE    SIZE      RECLAIMABLE
Images          45        12        18.5GB    12.3GB (66%)
Containers      23        3         2.1GB     1.9GB (90%)
Local Volumes   12        5         5.2GB     3.1GB (59%)
Build Cache     -         -         8.4GB     8.4GB

RECLAIMABLE shows how much you can safely free—in this example, 25GB+.

Detailed View

docker system df -v

Shows individual images, containers, and volumes with sizes.

Check Image Sizes

docker images --format "table {{.Repository}}\t{{.Tag}}\t{{.Size}}" | sort -k3 -hr

Check Container Disk Usage

docker ps -as

Check Volume Sizes

docker system df -v | grep -A 100 "Local Volumes"

Where Does Docker Store Data?

macOS (Docker Desktop)

~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data/Docker.raw

This single file contains all Docker data. It grows but doesn't shrink automatically.

Linux

/var/lib/docker/
├── overlay2/      # Image layers
├── containers/    # Container data
├── volumes/       # Named volumes
├── image/         # Image metadata
└── buildkit/      # Build cache

Windows (Docker Desktop with WSL 2)

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Docker\wsl\data\ext4.vhdx

What Consumes Docker Disk Space?

1. Docker Images

Every image you've pulled or built stays until you remove it.

# List all images
docker images

# List dangling (untagged) images
docker images -f "dangling=true"

Typical usage: 5-30GB

2. Docker Containers

Stopped containers keep their writable layer.

# List all containers including stopped
docker ps -a

# List only stopped containers
docker ps -a -f "status=exited"

Typical usage: 100MB-5GB

3. Docker Volumes

Named volumes persist data between container runs. Orphaned volumes remain after containers are deleted.

docker volume ls

Typical usage: 1-20GB

4. Docker Build Cache

BuildKit caches every layer from docker build.

docker builder du

Typical usage: 2-15GB

How to Free Docker Disk Space

Remove Dangling Images (Safest)

docker image prune

Removes untagged images—leftovers from builds. Always safe.

Remove All Unused Images

docker image prune -a

Removes images not used by any container. You'll need to re-pull them.

Remove Stopped Containers

docker container prune

Removes all containers not currently running.

Remove Unused Volumes

docker volume prune

Warning: Deletes data! Check volumes before pruning:

docker volume inspect volume_name

Remove Build Cache

docker builder prune

Clears build cache. Next builds will be slower initially.

Remove Everything Unused

docker system prune

Removes:

Stopped containers
Dangling images
Unused networks
Dangling build cache

Maximum Cleanup (Nuclear)

docker system prune -a --volumes

Removes ALL unused data including images and volumes. Use carefully.

Docker Disk Space Commands Reference

Command	What It Removes	Typical Recovery
`docker image prune`	Dangling images	1-5GB
`docker image prune -a`	All unused images	5-20GB
`docker container prune`	Stopped containers	100MB-2GB
`docker volume prune`	Unused volumes	1-10GB
`docker builder prune`	Build cache	2-15GB
`docker system prune`	All dangling	5-15GB
`docker system prune -a --volumes`	Everything unused	10-50GB

See all your Docker resources

Visual cleanup that shows what's safe to delete.

Download Free

Docker Desktop Disk Space (macOS/Windows)

Docker Desktop uses a virtual disk that grows but doesn't automatically shrink.

Check Docker Desktop Disk Size

macOS:

ls -lh ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data/Docker.raw

Windows:

Get-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Docker\wsl\data\ext4.vhdx" | Select-Object Length

Shrink Docker Desktop Disk

After pruning, the virtual disk may still be large. To reclaim space:

macOS:

Docker Desktop → Settings → Resources
Reduce disk image size
Apply & Restart

Windows:

# Stop Docker Desktop first
wsl --shutdown
Optimize-VHD -Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Docker\wsl\data\ext4.vhdx" -Mode Full

Automating Docker Disk Cleanup

Cron Job

# Weekly cleanup - add to crontab -e
0 3 * * 0 docker system prune -f >> /var/log/docker-prune.log 2>&1

Docker Compose Integration

# After stopping services
docker-compose down -v --rmi local

CI/CD Pipelines

# GitHub Actions
- name: Docker cleanup
  if: always()
  run: docker system prune -f

How Cluttered Helps with Docker

Cluttered makes Docker cleanup visual and safe:

See all Docker resources at a glance
Reclaimable space shown clearly
Safe vs risky deletions identified
Project context for images
Multi-ecosystem cleanup

Unlike command-line prunes, Cluttered lets you selectively clean.

Best Practices to Reduce Docker Disk Usage

1. Use Specific Image Tags

# Bad - accumulates versions
FROM node:latest

# Good - single version
FROM node:20-slim

2. Use Slim Base Images

Image	Size
python:3.12	900MB
python:3.12-slim	150MB
python:3.12-alpine	50MB

3. Multi-Stage Builds

FROM node:20 AS builder
RUN npm ci && npm run build

FROM node:20-slim
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist

4. Use .dockerignore

node_modules
.git
*.log
.env

Prevents large files from entering build context.

5. Regular Cleanup

Monthly docker system prune prevents extreme accumulation.

Docker Disk Space Recovery Expectations

Docker Usage	Typical Usage	Reclaimable
Light (5-10 images)	5-10GB	3-5GB
Medium (20-30 images)	15-30GB	10-20GB
Heavy (50+ images)	40-80GB	25-50GB
CI/CD workers	50-100GB	30-70GB

Most developers recover 10-30GB from Docker cleanup.

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Stop Running Out of Disk Space

Cluttered finds and cleans node_modules, Rust targets, Xcode DerivedData, Docker cache, and more. Reclaim 50-100GB in minutes.

50-100GBtypical recovery

12+ecosystems

Safegit-aware cleanup

Download for MacmacOS 12.0+ · Apple Silicon & Intel

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Docker using so much disk space?

Common causes:

Old images never removed
Stopped containers not pruned
Build cache accumulation
Orphaned volumes
Using :latest tags (each pull cached separately)

Will cleaning Docker break my running containers?

No. Prune commands only affect unused resources. Running containers and their images are protected.

How often should I clean Docker?

Monthly for most developers. CI/CD systems should clean daily or after each job.

Can I recover deleted Docker images?

Only if they're in a registry. Local deletions are permanent—you'll need to re-pull.

Does Docker Desktop reclaim space automatically?

No. The virtual disk grows but doesn't shrink. After pruning, you may need to manually compact it.

What's the difference between docker system prune options?

docker system prune - Removes dangling resources only
docker system prune -a - Also removes unused images
docker system prune --volumes - Also removes volumes (data!)
docker system prune -a --volumes - Maximum cleanup

Conclusion

Docker disk space management requires regular attention. Between images, containers, volumes, and build cache, Docker easily consumes 20-50GB or more.

Use docker system df to monitor usage, and docker system prune for routine cleanup. For visual, safe cleanup across Docker and all your development tools, try Cluttered.

Download Cluttered and reclaim your Docker disk space today.