Detach from a Docker Container Without Stopping It

August 28, 2015 powershell containers docker

Saturday-morning Docker fun times (still only on Windows Server Core) – here’s something I found out that might be useful. It is documented in the official Docker docs but not in the Microsoft container docs.

Once you have attached to a Docker container via a CMD console, typing exit detaches from the container and stops it. That’s usually not what I want. To detach from the container without stopping it, press Ctrl + P followed by Ctrl + Q.

The container is still running after being detached.

This only applies to Docker containers that you connected to with docker attach or docker run. Windows Server Containers that you entered with Enter-PSSession can be exited with the standard Exit command.

Well, that’s enough for a Saturday morning!