Changing How Updates Work with Docker Desktop 3.3

Updated June 16, 2021
We’ve heard your feedback regarding how the “Skip this update” behavior introduced in Docker Desktop 3.3 was confusing and missed the mark. We’ve made some changes to how it works in response to your feedback in Docker Desktop 3.4. Read more about these changes in the Docker Desktop 3.4 blog.

Today we are pleased to announce the release of Docker Desktop 3.3.

We’ve been listening to your feedback on our Public Roadmap and we are consistently asked for three things: smaller downloads, more flexible installation options, and more frequent feature releases, bug fixes, and security updates.

We also heard from our community that the smaller updates are appreciated, requiring immediate installation is not convenient, and automatic background downloads are problematic for developers on constrained or metered bandwidth.

We’ve heard you and are changing how updates to Docker Desktop work, while still maintaining the ability to provide you with smaller, faster updates. We are also providing additional flexibility to developers with Pro or Team subscriptions.

Flexibility for Updates 

With Docker Desktop 3.3, when a new update to Docker Desktop is available, it will no longer be automatically downloaded and installed on your next restart. You can now choose when to start the download and installation process.

👁 - Screen Shot 2021 04 08 at 11.18.15 AM

To encourage developers to stay up to date, two weeks after an update becomes available, a daily reminder will appear, which you can dismiss.

If you use Docker Desktop at work you may need to skip a specific update. For this reason, Pro or Team subscription developers can skip notifications for a particular update when a reminder appears. Free users will not be required to install any particular update, but they will continue to get reminders to update.

👁 - SkipUpdate 1

Finally, developers in larger organizations, who don’t have administrative access to install updates to Docker Desktop, or are only allowed to upgrade to IT-approved versions, there is now an option in the Settings menu to opt out of notifications altogether for Docker Desktop updates if your Docker ID is part of a Team subscription.

👁 - TeamUpdate

It’s your positive feedback that helps us continue to improve the Docker experience. We truly appreciate it. Please keep that feedback coming by raising tickets on our Public Roadmap.

See the release notes for Docker Desktop for Mac and Docker Desktop for Windows for the complete set of changes in Docker Desktop 3.3 including the latest Compose release, update to Linux Kernel 5.10, and several other bug fixes and improvements you’ve been waiting for.

And check out our Tech Preview page for the latest updates on support for Apple Silicon (there’s an RC3!).

Interested in learning more about what else is included with a Pro or Team subscription in addition to more flexible update options? Check out our pricing page for a detailed breakdown.