---
title: "Announcing: Docker VMM Public Beta"
url: https://daily.dev/posts/announcing-docker-vmm-public-beta-k46n1vpls
source_url: https://www.docker.com/blog/docker-vmm-public-beta
type: article
source: "Docker"
published: 2026-08-12T18:17:31.013Z
updated: 2026-08-19T23:09:05.182Z
tags: ["infrastructure", "docker", "containers"]
reading_time: 4
upvotes: 18
comments: 0
language: en
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Announcing: Docker VMM Public Beta

**[Docker](https://daily.dev/sources/docker)** · 4 min read · 18 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

Docker Desktop v4.86 introduces the public beta of Docker VMM, a fully rebuilt, first-party virtualization layer replacing the third-party VMM that previously ran under the hood on Mac and Windows. The new engine promises faster container startup, quicker file I/O between host and container, smarter memory reclamation when containers are idle, and improved stability specifically on Windows, matching Hyper-V isolation with WSL2-like speed. The same engine also powers Docker Sandboxes, and Docker frames this as the foundation for a unified runtime spanning laptop, cloud, and on-prem. Mac users already on Docker VMM get auto-upgraded; Windows users can opt in via Settings > General. General availability, including Linux support, is targeted for the end of October 2026, when Docker VMM becomes the default engine for new installs.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.docker.com/blog/docker-vmm-public-beta>

## Questions this post answers

### What is Docker VMM and how do I enable it in Docker Desktop 4.86?

Docker VMM is Docker's own first-party virtualization layer replacing the third-party VMM previously used under Docker Desktop, now in public beta on Mac and Windows starting with Docker Desktop v4.86. Mac users already using Docker VMM in Settings are auto-upgraded on update; Windows users opt in via Settings > General by switching the new Docker VMM option on. No feature flag or waitlist is required.

_daily.dev helps developers track engine-level changes like this before they upgrade Docker Desktop._

### When does Docker VMM become the default engine for Docker Desktop and does it support Linux?

General availability for Docker VMM is targeted for the end of October 2026, at which point it becomes the default engine for new Docker Desktop installs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Linux support is not part of the current beta and will only arrive at GA; the beta itself covers only Mac and Windows.

_Developers planning Docker Desktop upgrades can follow rollout milestones like this via daily.dev._

### What performance improvements does Docker VMM bring compared to the previous Docker Desktop virtualization engine?

Docker VMM delivers measurably faster container startup across first launch, project switches, and restart recovery, plus significantly faster file sharing between container and host during edit-compile-test loops. It also returns memory to the host when containers sit idle instead of holding onto RAM, and on Windows it combines Hyper-V-level isolation with WSL2-level speed.

_Teams evaluating container tooling performance can compare engine changes like this on daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Docker Desktop 4.50 Release](https://daily.dev/posts/docker-desktop-4-50-release-c9hmmyd0f) · Docker · 4 upvotes · 0 comments

---

Tags: [#infrastructure](https://daily.dev/tags/infrastructure), [#docker](https://daily.dev/tags/docker), [#containers](https://daily.dev/tags/containers)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/announcing-docker-vmm-public-beta-k46n1vpls)