---
name: "docker-image-load"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "docker"
version: "1:29.9.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/docker-image-load"
---

# docker-image-load(1)

Load an image from a tar archive or STDIN

## NAME

docker-image-load - Load an image from a tar archive or STDIN

## SYNOPSIS

**docker image load \[OPTIONS\]**

## DESCRIPTION

Loads a tarred repository from a file or the standard input stream. Restores both images and tags. Write image names or IDs imported it standard output stream.

## EXAMPLES

```
$ docker images
REPOSITORY          TAG                 IMAGE ID            CREATED             SIZE
busybox             latest              769b9341d937        7 weeks ago         2.489 MB
$ docker load --input fedora.tar
# […]
Loaded image: fedora:rawhide
# […]
Loaded image: fedora:20
# […]
$ docker images
REPOSITORY          TAG                 IMAGE ID            CREATED             SIZE
busybox             latest              769b9341d937        7 weeks ago         2.489 MB
fedora              rawhide             0d20aec6529d        7 weeks ago         387 MB
fedora              20                  58394af37342        7 weeks ago         385.5 MB
fedora              heisenbug           58394af37342        7 weeks ago         385.5 MB
fedora              latest              58394af37342        7 weeks ago         385.5 MB
```

## See also

**[docker-image-save(1)](/docker-image-save/1.md)** to save one or more images to a tar archive (streamed to STDOUT by default).

## OPTIONS

**-i**, **--input**=""\
 	Read from tar archive file, instead of STDIN

**--platform**=\[\]\
 	Load only the given platform(s). Formatted as a comma-separated list of "os\[/arch\[/variant\]\]" (e.g., "linux/amd64,linux/arm64/v8").

**-q**, **--quiet**\[=false\]\
 	Suppress the load output

## SEE ALSO

**[docker-image(1)](/docker-image/1.md)**