Docker Data Folder Structure on Windows (Volume, Image, Container)

Docker Desktop on Windows doesn’t actually run on Windows itself. Instead, it runs inside a full Linux environment made possible by WSL2 — a subsystem that runs Linux natively inside Windows, so Docker behaves as if it’s running on a real Linux machine.

When you open this path in File Explorer:

\\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\

…what you’re seeing is the root filesystem of the Linux instance Docker uses to manage containers, images, volumes, and more.

📁 What’s inside \\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\?

This is a full-fledged Linux OS, with the standard directory structure. If you’re coming from Windows, it might feel a bit unfamiliar — but every folder here has its purpose:

• /bin – Core system commands like ls, sh, mkdir, etc.
• /etc – System config files (kind of like the Registry on Windows)
• /var – Logs, cache, temp files — includes system logs, APT cache, and Docker daemon data
• /home – User home directories (Docker Desktop rarely uses this)
• /proc, /sys, /dev – Special interfaces for talking to the kernel, devices, and processes
• /run, /tmp – Temporary runtime files and sockets
• /mnt – Mount point for drives, including the virtual disk Docker stores data on

This design is what allows Docker on Windows to truly operate within a real Linux environment — no emulation involved.

Where does Docker store data?

All Docker containers, images, volumes, and network data are stored inside a virtual disk file (.vhdx). This disk is mounted in Linux at:

\\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\mnt\docker-desktop-disk\data\docker\

Inside that docker\ directory, you’ll find:

• containers/ – Each container’s filesystem and metadata
• image/ – Layers, caches, and image data
• volumes/ – The actual data you save via Docker volumes
• network/ – Docker’s network settings
• buildkit/, tmp/ – Build-time and runtime temp files

This is the real guts of Docker Desktop — the place where all your Docker CLI actions end up.

Example:

You spin up a MySQL container with a volume for database storage:

docker run -d --name mysql-test -v mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql mysql

→ The actual database files get saved at:

\\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\mnt\docker-desktop-disk\data\docker\volumes\mysql_data\

But you should NOT edit these files directly — read on to see why.

Where is the actual .vhdx file?

Instead of writing every container file to your physical drive, Docker packs everything into a virtual disk file:

C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Local\Docker\wsl\data\ext4.vhdx

→ This file is mounted inside Linux at:

/mnt/docker-desktop-disk/

Every container, image, and volume you create via the Docker CLI lives inside this one file.

⚠️ Should you open or modify these files?

Nope. Don’t do it.
Even though you can browse \\wsl.localhost\... in File Explorer and see all the folders:

• These are system files actively in use by Linux
• Docker does not guarantee safety if you modify them manually
• You can mess up file permissions, break containers, or corrupt images

The right way to access data

Copy files from a container:

Want to pull a file out of a running container?

docker cp web_app:/app/backup.zip ./backup.zip

→ This copies backup.zip from the web_app container to your current directory.

Inspect contents of a volume:

Want to see what’s inside a volume called my_logs?

docker run --rm -it -v my_logs:/data alpine sh

→ This starts a temporary container, mounts the volume at /data, and lets you cat /data/log.txt or explore it directly.

Summary

• Docker Desktop on Windows runs inside a real Linux system using WSL2
• The path \\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\ is the Linux root filesystem
• All Docker data (containers, images, volumes…) lives at:
  \\wsl.localhost\docker-desktop\mnt\docker-desktop-disk\data\docker
• That whole thing is stored in a virtual disk file at:
  C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Local\Docker\wsl\data\ext4.vhdx
• You shouldn’t edit Docker files manually — use Docker CLI instead

Takeaway

Understanding Docker Desktop’s filesystem layout helps you:

• Debug container issues with confidence
• Manage data and volumes accurately
• Avoid breaking things by poking around the wrong way

🛠️ Docker runs on Linux — even when you’re using Windows.
Getting that into your head is key to mastering Docker Desktop.