EC
image not found / pull access denied
DockerERRORCriticalStartupHIGH confidence

Image does not exist locally or in a remote repository

What this means

This error means the Docker daemon could not find the specified image. This can happen because the image name or tag is misspelled, the image doesn't exist locally and cannot be pulled from any configured registry, or you are not authenticated to pull a private image.

Why it happens
  1. 1A typo in the image name or tag (e.g., 'ubunut' instead of 'ubuntu').
  2. 2The image exists in a private repository, but you have not run 'docker login' to authenticate.
  3. 3The specified image tag does not exist (e.g., 'node:17' when version 17 is no longer supported).
  4. 4A network issue is preventing the Docker daemon from reaching the remote registry (e.g., Docker Hub).
How to reproduce

A typo is made when trying to run a standard image.

trigger — this will error
trigger — this will error
docker run my-nginx:latest

expected output

Unable to find image 'my-nginx:latest' locally
docker: Error response from daemon: pull access denied for my-nginx, repository does not exist or may require 'docker login': denied: requested access to the resource is denied.

Fix 1

Correct the Image Name and Tag

WHEN The error is 'repository does not exist' or 'manifest unknown'.

Correct the Image Name and Tag
# Check Docker Hub or your private registry for the correct name/tag
# docker search <image_name>
# Corrected command
docker run nginx:latest

Why this works

Ensures Docker is looking for an image that actually exists.

Fix 2

Log in to the Docker Registry

WHEN The error is 'pull access denied' and the image is private.

Log in to the Docker Registry
# Log in to Docker Hub
docker login
# Or log in to a private registry
docker login myregistry.example.com

Why this works

This authenticates your Docker client, providing it with the necessary credentials to pull images from the private repository.

What not to do

✕ Commit API keys or credentials directly into a Dockerfile.

This is a major security risk. Anyone who gets the Dockerfile or image will have your credentials. Use 'docker login' or other secure authentication methods.

Sources
Official documentation ↗

Docker 'pull' command documentation

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