Run a Full Windows Desktop Inside Docker – Quick Setup Guide

Developers who usually work on macOS often need to run Windows programs, but using a full virtual machine can be slow and cumbersome. The open‑source dockur/windows project lets you run an entire Windows system inside a Docker container, even allowing you to open the desktop in a browser.

What Docker Provides

Docker is a lightweight virtualization tool that packages an application and its runtime environment into a container. Containers include all necessary code, libraries, and configuration, start quickly, and use fewer resources than traditional VMs.

Supported Windows Versions

The default image installs Windows 11 Professional; you can change the VERSION environment variable to install other editions.

Installation and Usage Guide

1. Using Docker Compose

Create a docker-compose.yml file with the following content:

services:
  windows:
    image: dockurr/windows
    container_name: windows
    environment:
      VERSION: "11"
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm
      - /dev/net/tun
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 8006:8006
      - 3389:3389/tcp
      - 3389:3389/udp
    volumes:
      - ./windows:/storage
    restart: always
    stop_grace_period: 2m

2. Using Docker CLI

If you prefer not to write a Compose file, start the container directly:

docker run -it --rm --name windows \
  -p 8006:8006 \
  --device=/dev/kvm --device=/dev/net/tun \
  --cap-add NET_ADMIN \
  -v "${PWD:-.}/windows:/storage" \
  --stop-timeout 120 dockurr/windows

3. Deploying with Kubernetes

Apply the official Kubernetes manifest:

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dockur/windows/refs/heads/master/kubernetes.yml

After configuring the VERSION variable if needed, run docker-compose up -d. In a few minutes open http://localhost:8006 in a browser to see the Windows desktop.

Building the Image

First extract a Windows 11 image (instructions omitted for brevity), then start the build process. The screenshots below illustrate the extraction, build, and installation steps.