docker resource_error ai_generated true

Error response from daemon: conflict: unable to remove image (image is being used)

ID: docker/image-prune-in-use

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
95%Fix Rate
95%Confidence
50Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
27 active — — —

Root Cause

Can't delete image because a container (running or stopped) is using it.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 95% success Remove containers using the image first: docker ps -a | grep <image> 
    docker rm $(docker ps -aq --filter ancestor=<image>)
docker rmi <image>

    Sources: https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/container/rm/

  2. 88% success Use docker system prune to clean up all unused resources safely 
    Use docker system prune to clean up all unused resources safely

    Sources: https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/system/prune/

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Force remove with -f 65% fail

    May break running containers that depend on this image

  2. Delete all images with docker image prune -a 70% fail

    Deletes ALL unused images — may remove images you still want

Error Chain

Frequently confused with: