.nh
.TH "DOCKER" "1" "Aug 2026" "Docker Community" "Docker User Manuals"

.SH NAME
docker-container-update - Update configuration of one or more containers


.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBdocker container update [OPTIONS] CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]\fP


.SH DESCRIPTION
The \fBdocker container update\fP command dynamically updates container configuration.
You can use this command to prevent containers from consuming too many
resources from their Docker host.  With a single command, you can place
limits on a single container or on many. To specify more than one container,
provide space-separated list of container names or IDs.


.SH OPTIONS
.SH memory
Memory limit (format: \fB<number>[<unit>]\fR, where unit = b, k, m or g)

.PP
Note that the memory should be smaller than the already set swap memory limit.
If you want update a memory limit bigger than the already set swap memory limit,
you should update swap memory limit at the same time. If you don't set swap memory
limit on docker create/run but only memory limit, the swap memory is double
the memory limit.


.SH EXAMPLES
The following sections illustrate ways to use this command.

.SS Update a container's cpu-shares
To limit a container's cpu-shares to 512, first identify the container
name or ID. You can use \fBdocker ps\fP to find these values. You can also
use the ID returned from the \fBdocker run\fP command.  Then, do the following:

.EX
$ docker container update --cpu-shares 512 abebf7571666
.EE

.SS Update a container with cpu-shares and memory
To update multiple resource configurations for multiple containers:

.EX
$ docker container update --cpu-shares 512 -m 300M abebf7571666 hopeful_morse
.EE

.SS Update a container's restart policy
You can change a container's restart policy on a running container. The new
restart policy takes effect instantly after you run \fBdocker container update\fR on a
container.

.PP
To update restart policy for one or more containers:

.EX
$ docker container update --restart=on-failure:3 abebf7571666 hopeful_morse
.EE

.PP
Note that if the container is started with "--rm" flag, you cannot update the restart
policy for it. The \fBAutoRemove\fR and \fBRestartPolicy\fR are mutually exclusive for the
container.


.SH OPTIONS
\fB--blkio-weight\fP=0
	Block IO (relative weight), between 10 and 1000, or 0 to disable (default 0)

.PP
\fB--cpu-period\fP=0
	Limit CPU CFS (Completely Fair Scheduler) period

.PP
\fB--cpu-quota\fP=0
	Limit CPU CFS (Completely Fair Scheduler) quota

.PP
\fB--cpu-rt-period\fP=0
	Limit the CPU real-time period in microseconds

.PP
\fB--cpu-rt-runtime\fP=0
	Limit the CPU real-time runtime in microseconds

.PP
\fB-c\fP, \fB--cpu-shares\fP=0
	CPU shares (relative weight)

.PP
\fB--cpus\fP=
	Number of CPUs

.PP
\fB--cpuset-cpus\fP=""
	CPUs in which to allow execution (0-3, 0,1)

.PP
\fB--cpuset-mems\fP=""
	MEMs in which to allow execution (0-3, 0,1)

.PP
\fB-m\fP, \fB--memory\fP=0
	Memory limit

.PP
\fB--memory-reservation\fP=0
	Memory soft limit

.PP
\fB--memory-swap\fP=0
	Swap limit equal to memory plus swap: -1 to enable unlimited swap

.PP
\fB--pids-limit\fP=0
	Tune container pids limit (set -1 for unlimited)

.PP
\fB--restart\fP=""
	Restart policy to apply when a container exits


.SH SEE ALSO
\fBdocker-container(1)\fP