# podman images: List Local Images

> podman images lists images in local storage. Reference for --format, --filter, --quiet, --digests, and the storage and parse issues in CI.

Source: https://latchkey.dev/learn/command-reference/podman-images  
Updated: 2026-06-30

podman images shows the images in local storage with their repository, tag, ID, and size.

podman images mirrors docker images. The --format Go template is the reliable way to extract a single field in a script without fragile column parsing.

## What it does

podman images (alias podman image ls) lists the images stored locally, one row per repository:tag, including the image ID, creation time, and size. It accepts Go template output and filters for scripting.

## Common usage

```Terminal
podman images
podman images --quiet
podman images --filter "reference=ghcr.io/owner/*"
podman images --format '{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}} {{.ID}}'
```

## Options

| Flag | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| -q, --quiet | Print only image IDs |
| -a, --all | Include intermediate images |
| --filter <f> | Filter, e.g. reference=, dangling=true, before=, since= |
| --format <tmpl> | Go template output, e.g. {{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}} |
| --digests | Show the manifest digest column |
| --noheading | Omit the header row |

## In CI

Use --format with a Go template rather than parsing columns, since spaces in sizes and times break awk-based scripts. --filter dangling=true lists untagged leftovers you can feed to podman rmi to reclaim space.

## Common errors in CI

An empty list right after a build inside a container usually means a different storage location, often because rootless and root use separate stores; run the same user that built the image. "Error: error parsing format ..." means a malformed Go template; check the {{.Field}} names against podman images --format with a known field.

## FAQ

### podman images: List Local Images?

podman images mirrors docker images. The --format Go template is the reliable way to extract a single field in a script without fragile column parsing.

### What it does?

podman images (alias podman image ls) lists the images stored locally, one row per repository:tag, including the image ID, creation time, and size. It accepts Go template output and filters for scripting.

### In CI?

Use --format with a Go template rather than parsing columns, since spaces in sizes and times break awk-based scripts. --filter dangling=true lists untagged leftovers you can feed to podman rmi to reclaim space.

### Common errors in CI?

An empty list right after a build inside a container usually means a different storage location, often because rootless and root use separate stores; run the same user that built the image. "Error: error parsing format ..." means a malformed Go template; check the {{.Field}} names against podman images --format with a known field.

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