The docker client must be run elevated to connect

Try this:

"Hardware assisted virtualization and data execution protection must be enabled in the BIOS" Typically, this problem is due to a disabled Hyper-V or because the hypervisor agent is not running. Open a Windows shell as administrator and enable Hyper-V with:

dism /Online /Enable-Feature:Microsoft-Hyper-V /All

Reboot your machine and see if Docker for Windows starts. If the above doesn't work, open a Windows shell as administrator and enable the hypervisor with:

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto

If Docker for Windows is still not working properly, try the following additional solutions, which are based on instructions extracted from this Docker for Windows issue thread.

Reboot your machine and see if Docker for Windows starts. Copy this path: Control Panel\Programs\Programs and Features into a File Explorer address bar.

Click Turn Windows feature on or off on the left side of the Control Panel. Clear the Hyper-V check box in the list of Windows features.

Reboot your machine and start Docker for Windows (or reinstall if necessary). If the above doesn't work, then Virtualization Based Security (VBS) might be interfering and needs to be disabled. Try the following to disable VBS: Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)

Go to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Guard Disable VBS.

I have encountered this problem myself. My problem was that I had configured Docker Desktop to not run at startup. As long as Docker Desktop is not running, you will not have the Docker daemon running, hence the error.

Quickly check whether you have a white whale in your taskbar before trying any more exotic solutions.