"Docker is damaged and can't be opened" error

[aroc]

Description

About once a week my docker for mac installation throws an error and wants me to delete it. This forces me to have to redownload and install Docker for mac. I get a MacOS alert with the message:

"Docker" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash.

After deleting and re-installing, one of two things happens

1. Either my installation is now ok and works for another 7 days or so before repeating this error.
2. I immediately get the error after re-install. If I reboot my computer, and re-install again, I often get outcome Expand the README with some useful links and information #1 above.

Though I'm not 100% sure, this seems to have started as of version 4.24.0, which I installed because I was excited about the new resource saver feature.

This has happened on version 4.24.0, 4.24.1, 4.24.2, and 4.24.5

Reproduce

1. Install docker for mac
2. Use it.
3. Eventually get the error

Expected behavior

I don't expect this to happen at all

docker version

Client:
 Cloud integration: v1.0.35+desktop.5
 Version:           24.0.6
 API version:       1.43
 Go version:        go1.20.7
 Git commit:        ed223bc
 Built:             Mon Sep  4 12:28:49 2023
 OS/Arch:           darwin/arm64
 Context:           desktop-linux

Server: Docker Desktop 4.25.0 (126437)
 Engine:
  Version:          24.0.6
  API version:      1.43 (minimum version 1.12)
  Go version:       go1.20.7
  Git commit:       1a79695
  Built:            Mon Sep  4 12:31:36 2023
  OS/Arch:          linux/arm64
  Experimental:     false
 containerd:
  Version:          1.6.22
  GitCommit:        8165feabfdfe38c65b599c4993d227328c231fca
 runc:
  Version:          1.1.8
  GitCommit:        v1.1.8-0-g82f18fe
 docker-init:
  Version:          0.19.0
  GitCommit:        de40ad0

docker info

Client:
 Version:    24.0.6
 Context:    desktop-linux
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.11.2-desktop.5
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.23.0-desktop.1
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.0
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-dev
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.20
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-extension
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.0-beta.9
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-init
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-sbom
  scan: Docker Scan (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.26.0
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-scan
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.0.9
    Path:     /Users/ericanderson/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-scout

Server:
 Containers: 18
  Running: 18
  Paused: 0
  Stopped: 0
 Images: 7
 Server Version: 24.0.6
 Storage Driver: overlay2
  Backing Filesystem: extfs
  Supports d_type: true
  Using metacopy: false
  Native Overlay Diff: true
  userxattr: false
 Logging Driver: json-file
 Cgroup Driver: cgroupfs
 Cgroup Version: 2
 Plugins:
  Volume: local
  Network: bridge host ipvlan macvlan null overlay
  Log: awslogs fluentd gcplogs gelf journald json-file local logentries splunk syslog
 Swarm: inactive
 Runtimes: io.containerd.runc.v2 runc
 Default Runtime: runc
 Init Binary: docker-init
 containerd version: 8165feabfdfe38c65b599c4993d227328c231fca
 runc version: v1.1.8-0-g82f18fe
 init version: de40ad0
 Security Options:
  seccomp
   Profile: unconfined
  cgroupns
 Kernel Version: 6.4.16-linuxkit
 Operating System: Docker Desktop
 OSType: linux
 Architecture: aarch64
 CPUs: 10
 Total Memory: 19.51GiB
 Name: linuxkit-7ecc7eae69be
 ID: 1cff2712-a691-4ffe-b744-bcd48c853a64
 Docker Root Dir: /var/lib/docker
 Debug Mode: false
 HTTP Proxy: http.docker.internal:3128
 HTTPS Proxy: http.docker.internal:3128
 No Proxy: hubproxy.docker.internal
 Experimental: false
 Insecure Registries:
  hubproxy.docker.internal:5555
  127.0.0.0/8
 Live Restore Enabled: false

WARNING: daemon is not using the default seccomp profile

Diagnostics ID

18F45D69-1E4A-48FF-BF3D-918A69C6C5B0/20231027142839

Additional Info

This is happening to several of my co-workers as well. We're all on Apple Silicon, and coworkers on Intel macs don't seem to experience this issue.

[rorylinehan-agora]

Happened to me as well. I restarted, re-downloaded, and managed to install. But I can't build images now - 4.25.0 seems to be completely borked on M1 macOS Sonoma 14.1

[faddah]

+1 — I'm seeing this also, also opening a ticket with Docker Support and have posted on the Docker Slack #docker-desktop-mac channel —

Docker Support Issue — can't install Docker for Mac Apple Silicon (M2)

Here are my specs —

• 2022 MacBook Air
• Apple M2 chip running @ 3.48 GHz
• 24 GB of RAM
• MacOS Sonoma v14.1.1

I had, I think, Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.24.1, and I tried to update in the Docker Desktop App to the new Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0. Whenever I tried to update, it not only deleted my old Docker Desktop app for Mac, but it won't launch the newer Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0, as when it is copying over, I get a message from Mac OS saying "Docker.app is damaged and cannot be opened. You should move it to the trash," with two buttons, "Move to Trash" and "Cancel." What makes matters worse, is this dialogue will not go away, no matter how long I hold down the Escape key to do the "Cancel," and will only go away once I've moved the new Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0 to the trash. I cannot move it out of the trash, as the moment I try, I immediately get the "Docker.app is damaged and cannot be opened. You should move it to the trash," with the two buttons, "Move to Trash" and "Cancel" again, over and over.

I have tried the following to resolve they and get the newer Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0 installed on my MacBook Air, as I need immediately it for my work and development projects —

• I have tried re-starting (power cycling) the MacBook Air, several times, and then re-downloading the Apple Silicon installer for Docker Desktop for the Mac OS (https://www.docker.com/get-started/ -or- https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/ -or- https://docs.docker.com/desktop/install/mac-install/). I get the same result of getting the Mac OS dialogue telling me the Docker.app is damaged and must be moved to the trash.
• Again, I have restarted the MacBook Air and deleted all previous *.dmg Docker install images and re-downloaded them again from the sites I referenced above, and I still get the same result of getting the Mac OS dialogue telling me the Docker.app is damaged and must be moved to the trash.
• I read in the Docker Community Forums this post 👉 https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-desktop-update-deleted-the-app/138439, where one of the responders to the post said to go to ls -lahs ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data and if the Docker.raw file is there, delete. I did so, and restarted my MacBook air, re-downloaded a new Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0 install *.dmg file, and tried copying Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0 to my MacBook Air Applications folder, and still get the same result of getting the Mac OS dialogue telling me the Docker.app is damaged and must be moved to the trash.
• I have also tried deleting from my ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker and ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.helper directories completely, as well as searching for and deleting any other com.docker.* directories or files and any docker-related *.plist files, restarting the MacBook Air and re-downloading the install dmg files for Docker Desktop app v4.25.0 for Apple Silicon and reinstalling, and I still get the same result of getting the Mac OS dialogue telling me the Docker.app is damaged and must be moved to the trash.
• I have also seen this recently opened Issue here on the GitHub Docker for Mac repository, Issue "Docker is damaged and can't be opened" error #7046, that states this problem also that is still open and has not been addressed 👉 "Docker is damaged and can't be opened" error #7046.

Obviously, I'm frustrated and at a loss for what to do here — I cannot be without Docker, my work / projects require I use that and some kubernetes stuff on AWS (AWS ECS Fargate & AWS EKS) so I cannot be without Docker and I have had this problem since last night. If someone could please tell me how I can properly download the latest Docker Desktop app for Mac for Apple Silicon v4.25.0 on my MacBook Air and have it install properly with no errors, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

[rorylinehan-agora]

@faddah If it helps, I fixed mine by downgrading to Docker desktop 4.24.2

[almunnings]

Same thing happened to me,
Normal auto-update of docker, ☠️

@faddah and I have had some luck re-installing rosetta, before installing docker.

Perhaps there is a hint in the response from installing rosetta:

2023-11-20 09:14:43.214 softwareupdate[2655:6978809] Package Authoring Error: 042-86463: Package reference com.apple.pkg.RosettaUpdateAuto is missing installKBytes attribute

Try:
softwareupdate --install-rosetta

Then re-drag-dropping the app into your Applications from the download dmg.

Seemed to work after that.
No idea why.

[neonima]

Hey there @aroc, would you be able to try what @almunnings suggested is working?

Can you also make sure @aroc you have your time system correctly synced? System Settings > Date and Time I've seen some users having this problem on other apps where the system time didn't match the created time of the signed DMG which can "confuse" gatekeeper

Thank you very much everyone for the investigation, that's really insightful - I am currently investigating how this problem is happening and how it could relate to rosetta 2

[faddah]

Actually, through @almunnings on the Docker Slack in the #docker-desktop-mac channel, i was finally able to get help and get this fixed. What @almunnings did was, from the Mac OS Terminal command line, he did $ softwareupdate --install-rosetta, and then downloaded the latest Docker Desktop for Mac v4.25.1 for Apple Silicon chip, copied that new version over, and it seemed to work without the dreaded, "'Docker' is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash." error. I did the same, and it is now working for me also.

However, I think this ticket needs to remain open, because Rosetta is for emulating / virtualizing Mac OS Apps that were created for Intel chip byte code, not the current Apple Silicon M1, M2 or M3 family chipset. There is no reason, if, as it purports to be, the Docker Desktop for Mac v4.25.1 for Apple Silicon is solely for Apple Silicon Macs, there should be no Rosetta or previous Intel emulation / virtualization needed. But that is the fix. So I think the Docker engineering team needs to really look at this and figure out why their Apple Silicon software download requires Rosetta emulations / virtualization to run properly.

[netopsengineer]

This happened to me also but on Intel Mac, this is the second time in about a year, and seemingly related to updating but not immediately after, usually after a reboot and the login item for Docker tries to start and it's a wrap. Latest Sonoma update, latest Docker Desktop, I've just finished uninstalling and about to reinstall but this requires deleting volumes and essentially losing everything related to Docker.

[MaximGns]

@almunnings Thanks for sharing this info, this made it work indeed!

[jwilliams-fn]

I was still getting this after running:

softwareupdate --install-rosetta

So I ended up copying Docker.app out of the .dmg and into my Downloads folder and then manually moving it to my applications directory with:

mv ~/Downloads/Docker.app /Applications/

For whatever reason that seemed to work.