# docker volume rm: Remove Volumes & In-Use Errors

> How docker volume rm works: deleting named volumes, the volume-in-use error, removing dangling volumes, and CI cleanup patterns.

Source: https://latchkey.dev/learn/command-reference/docker-volume-rm-command  
Updated: 2026-06-25

Delete a named volume and reclaim its disk.

docker volume rm removes one or more volumes. This page covers the in-use error and how it differs from docker volume prune.

## What it does

docker volume rm deletes named volumes and their data. A volume cannot be removed while a container (even a stopped one) references it.

## Common usage

```Terminal
docker volume rm pgdata
docker volume rm $(docker volume ls -q --filter "dangling=true")
```

## Common errors in CI

"Error response from daemon: remove pgdata: volume is in use - [container-id]" means a container still references it - remove that container first (docker rm -f), then the volume. Removing a volume deletes its data irreversibly; do not run blanket volume removals on shared runners with persistent state you care about.

## FAQ

### docker volume rm: Remove Volumes & In-Use Errors?

docker volume rm removes one or more volumes. This page covers the in-use error and how it differs from docker volume prune.

### What it does?

docker volume rm deletes named volumes and their data. A volume cannot be removed while a container (even a stopped one) references it.

### Common errors in CI?

"Error response from daemon: remove pgdata: volume is in use - [container-id]" means a container still references it - remove that container first (docker rm -f), then the volume. Removing a volume deletes its data irreversibly; do not run blanket volume removals on shared runners with persistent state you care about.

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