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Docker rootless mode could not get XDG_RUNTIME_DIR

could not get XDG_RUNTIME_DIR

Rootless Docker could not start because XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is not set, which prevents it from creating runtime files and sockets in the expected user runtime directory.

could not get XDG_RUNTIME_DIRdaemon

Observed message

could not get XDG_RUNTIME_DIR

Why it happens

  • The XDG_RUNTIME_DIR environment variable is not set.
  • The user session was not created in a way that initializes the runtime directory automatically.

How to fix it

  1. On non-systemd hosts, create a runtime directory and export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR before starting rootless Docker.
  2. On systemd hosts, log in through a session that initializes pam_systemd so the runtime directory is set automatically.

Official reference

Docker Docs: Rootless troubleshooting

Related errors

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Docker rootless could not get XDG_RUNTIME_DIR: causes and fixes | Error Atlas