Dockge Login: First Setup, Admin Account and Password Reset

Published 2026-05-25Updated 30 Aug 20263 min readdockge.org editorial desk
Illustration of the Dockge sign-in screen

Searching for a Dockge default login? There isn't one — and that's by design. Dockge asks you to create the admin account the first time the interface loads. This guide covers the first-run setup, day-to-day sign-in and what to do when a password is lost.

Creating the first Dockge login

  1. Finish the installation and confirm the container is running.
  2. Open http://your-server-ip:5001 in a browser.
  3. Dockge shows a one-time setup form: choose an admin username and a strong password.
  4. Submit — you are signed in and land on the dashboard.

Because the setup form appears to whoever reaches the page first, create the account immediately after starting Dockge, especially on machines other people can reach.

Why there is no default password

Shipping fixed credentials is one of the most common security holes in self-hosted software. Dockge avoids the problem completely: no account exists until you create one, so there is nothing for a bot to guess straight after install.

How to reset a forgotten Dockge password

Run Dockge's interactive reset tool through the Compose service:

cd /opt/dockge
docker compose exec dockge npm run reset-password

Enter and confirm the new password at the prompt, then sign in again. If you installed Dockge somewhere else, change the directory to the folder containing Dockge's own compose.yaml.

Login security checklist

  • Use a long, unique password from a password manager.
  • Never expose port 5001 directly to the internet; use a VPN or an authenticated reverse proxy.
  • Keep Dockge current — the update guide shows the two-command upgrade.

Protect the login page

A strong password is necessary but not sufficient for an administration interface that controls the Docker daemon. Restrict network access, use HTTPS for remote access, keep Dockge updated, and avoid sharing the administrator account. If you publish the interface through a reverse proxy, make sure WebSocket upgrade headers are preserved.

If the reset command does not run

First confirm that you are in the directory containing Dockge's own compose.yaml and that the service is running:

cd /opt/dockge
docker compose ps

If your Compose service is not named dockge, use the service name shown in that file. Avoid deleting Dockge's data directory as a first troubleshooting step because it contains application state. Back up the data directory before any destructive recovery action.

After regaining access, review how the interface is exposed. A password reset solves account access; it does not fix unsafe public exposure, missing HTTPS, or weak network controls.

Official references

Technical details in this guide are checked against upstream sources. Verify release-sensitive commands before changing a production host.

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