Change Docker’s Data Storage Location on Linux
📘 Overview By default, Docker stores all its images, containers, and volumes under the directory /var/lib/docker.
However, you might want to move this directory to another drive or partition — for example:
Free up space on your system drive Use a faster SSD Keep Docker data separate from the OS This guide explains how to safely change Docker’s storage path for native Linux installations (not Docker Desktop).
🧭 Table of Contents Stop Docker Service Copy Existing Data (Optional) Configure Docker Daemon Reload and Restart Docker Verify the Change Important Notes Stop Docker Service Before making any changes, stop the Docker daemon to avoid data corruption: