Devcontainer stuck at `Container started` but never connect (only with VS Code 1.106.0)

[minhio]

I just updated to VS Code 1.106.0 (released today 11/12/2025) and devcontainer stopped working. I'm getting stuck at Container started but it never connects.

Devcontainer VS Code extension version: 0.431.0 OS: WSL within Windows

[kenjiamo]

I am experiencing the same issue.

I have found a workaround: using Ctrl + P and selecting "Reload Window." It's not a perfect solution, but it gets the job done.

I thought I was the only one experiencing this issue.

[minhio]

I am experiencing the same issue.

I have found a workaround: using Ctrl + P and selecting "Reload Window." It's not a perfect solution, but it gets the job done.

I thought I was the only one experiencing this issue.

Thanks for the workaround!

[KnorpelSenf]

The same happens on Linux/Debian 13 trixie. (Glad to see I am not the only one.)

$ code --version 
1.106.0
ac4cbdf48759c7d8c3eb91ffe6bb04316e263c57
x64

[dambrosio]

Running into the same issue here.

Here are some additional debug items:

code --version

1.106.0
ac4cbdf48759c7d8c3eb91ffe6bb04316e263c57
x64

ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers: 0.431.0

docker version

Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:           29.0.0
 API version:       1.52
 Go version:        go1.25.4
 Git commit:        3d4129b
 Built:             Mon Nov 10 21:46:03 2025
 OS/Arch:           linux/amd64
 Context:           default

Server: Docker Engine - Community
 Engine:
  Version:          29.0.0
  API version:      1.52 (minimum version 1.44)
  Go version:       go1.25.4
  Git commit:       d105562
  Built:            Mon Nov 10 21:46:03 2025
  OS/Arch:          linux/amd64
  Experimental:     false
 containerd:
  Version:          v2.1.5
  GitCommit:        fcd43222d6b07379a4be9786bda52438f0dd16a1
 runc:
  Version:          1.3.3
  GitCommit:        v1.3.3-0-gd842d771
 docker-init:
  Version:          0.19.0
  GitCommit:        de40ad0

I do see that the container starts:

docker ps
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE              COMMAND                  CREATED          STATUS          PORTS     NAMES
dfab6d775bec   dev:local   "/bin/sh -c 'echo Co…"   21 seconds ago   Up 20 seconds             devcontainer

Attaching to the container and dumping the process list:

USER         PID %CPU %MEM    VSZ   RSS TTY      STAT START   TIME COMMAND
dambros+       1  0.0  0.0   2680  1600 ?        Ss   02:10   0:00 /bin/sh -c echo Container started trap "exit 0" 15  exec "$@" while sleep 1 & wait $!; do :; done -
dambros+      38  1.0  0.0   2680  1440 pts/0    Ss   02:11   0:00 sh
dambros+      45  0.0  0.0   5580  1760 ?        S    02:11   0:00 sleep 1
dambros+      46  0.0  0.0   9392  3840 pts/0    R+   02:11   0:00 ps -aux

Another interesting debugging finding is that if I run devcontainer up --workspace-folder "$(pwd)" then open code and Reopen in container, it works as expected.

The Ctrl + P "Reload Window." is a nice workaround but if the devcontainer.json file has changed, I see the "Rebuild" popup.

[jorisguex]

There is a known issue with Docker 29.0.0 causing these exact same symptoms with devcontainers in general (not just in vscode): https://github.com/devcontainers/cli/issues/1102 Although that issue affects older vscode versions as well, not just 1.106.0

[gabrieletassoni]

I can confirm it looks like it's docker version related; I'm on:

Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 25.04
Release:	25.04
Codename:	plucky

and reading this comment, I tried downgrading the docker, as per instructions here selecting a specific version (the version right before 29.0.0):

VERSION_STRING=5:28.5.2-1~ubuntu.25.04~plucky
sudo apt-get install docker-ce=$VERSION_STRING docker-ce-cli=$VERSION_STRING containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

And now all the projects which use remote devcontainers works as expected. I pin docker version until it's resolved.

[kenjiamo]

The problem is with the docker client (if you use like me docker desktop intégrate in WSL).

[phillippesamer]

Same here with rootless Docker 29.0.0 on 6.14.0-35-generic #35~24.04.1-Ubuntu x86_64 GNU/Linux, and Dev Containers extension version 0.431.0 (tried a few others, without success). The workaround of [kenjiamo] was a day saver.

[kyrofa]

Oh man, same here. Debian 12. @kenjiamo thank you, this was really getting in my way today. This extension in particular has stolen my productivity too much. Extensions > Auto Update > None.

[KnorpelSenf]

This comment says that updating the VSCode extension to its pre-release version will fix this issue: https://github.com/devcontainers/cli/issues/1102#issuecomment-3529855579

I can confirm that this works on my machine.

[gabrieletassoni]

Just installed the Docker version 29.0.1, build eedd969 and with version 0.431.1 it works without a problem so far. also rebuilding works.

[Benargee]

I have a similar problem on windows 10 22h2 19045.6466, Docker Desktop 4.51.0 Docker version 28.5.2, build ecc6942. I get the error below when selecting "New Dev Container..."

Error running command remote-containers.newContainer: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'files'). This is likely caused by the extension that contributes remote-containers.newContainer.

then there are 3 files open, devContainerSpecCLI.js with about 700 lines and templates and apply open that are empty.

I downgraded to 1.105 and it didn't help my cause

I then tried updating ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers to 0.433.0 as @KnorpelSenf suggested. Still no luck

I then tried updating to 106 again with the pre-release of dev container. Still no luck.

If I choose the option to open current folder as a dev container I get the error

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'files')
        at rO (c:\Users\USER\.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers-0.433.0\dist\extension\extension.js:329:46942)

What did seem to work in the end was just to delete most of my extensions and then reinstall the ones I actually needed for dev containers.

[chrmarti]

This was fixed with 0.431.1. Thanks.