Fix Docker permission denied while trying to connect to the Docker daemon socket

Before you begin

Match the environmentUse this guide only for All Linux Distributions or a clearly compatible setup.

Protect recoveryBack up important data and save encryption or account recovery keys before changing system state.

Know when to stopMake one change at a time and stop if the result differs from what the guide describes.

Problem overview

When you try to run a Docker command like docker ps, you receive a permission denied while trying to connect to the Docker daemon socket at unix:///var/run/docker.sock error.

Common causes

Your user account is not a member of the docker group.
The group changes have not been applied to your current terminal session.
The Docker daemon service is not running.

Solution 1: Add your user to the docker group

By default, the Docker daemon binds to a Unix socket owned by the root user. Members of the docker group also have access to this socket.

Open a terminal.
Create the docker group if it does not already exist:
```
sudo groupadd docker
```
Add your current user to the docker group:
```
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
```
Apply the new group membership immediately to your active terminal:
```
newgrp docker
```
Verify that you can run Docker commands without sudo:
```
docker run hello-world
```

Expert Tip

If you still get a permission denied error in your desktop environment (like a GUI IDE), log out and log back in completely.

Solution 2: Verify the Docker daemon is running

If fixing the permissions does not work, the Docker service itself might be stopped.

Check the status of the Docker service:
```
sudo systemctl status docker
```
If it is inactive, start the service:
```
sudo systemctl start docker
```
Enable the service to start automatically on boot:
```
sudo systemctl enable docker
```

Solution 3: Fix socket file ownership

If previous commands were run using sudo, the socket file might have incorrect permissions.

Change the ownership of the Docker socket to the docker group:
```
sudo chown root:docker /var/run/docker.sock
```
Restart the Docker service:
```
sudo systemctl restart docker
```

Confirm the result

Repeat the exact action that originally triggered the problem.

Confirm the original error or symptom is gone and no new warning has appeared.

If the guide changed a driver, service, package, or system setting, restart once and test again.

If the result is worse or unexpected, stop. Reverse only the last change using its documented restore option; if none is documented, use your backup or qualified support.

Questions about this fix

Is it safe to add my user to the docker group?

Adding a user to the docker group grants them privileges equivalent to the root user. Only do this for trusted users.

Do I have to reboot for the changes to apply?

No, you can use the newgrp command to apply the group changes immediately in your current terminal session.

Fix Docker permission denied while trying to connect to the Docker daemon socket

Before you begin

Problem overview

Common causes

Solution 1: Add your user to the docker group

Solution 2: Verify the Docker daemon is running

Solution 3: Fix socket file ownership

Confirm the result

Questions about this fix

Weighted Consensus Protocol

Did this solution resolve your issue?

Discussion (0)

Join the Discussion