Docker buildx "multiple platforms feature is currently not supported" in CI

By Kaveh Alemi·Latchkey

You asked buildx to build multiple platforms with the default docker driver, which cannot do it. multiple platforms feature is currently not supported for docker driver means you need the docker-container (or another) driver for multi-arch builds.

What this error means

A docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 . fails with multiple platforms feature is currently not supported for docker driver. Please switch to a different driver.

ERROR: multiple platforms feature is currently not supported for docker driver.
Please switch to a different driver (eg. "docker buildx create --use")

Common causes

The active builder uses the docker driver

The default builder backed by the docker driver builds only the host platform. Multi-platform output requires the docker-container driver.

No docker-container builder was created

Without docker buildx create (or setup-buildx-action), buildx stays on the default driver and rejects multi-platform builds.

How to fix it

Create and use a docker-container builder

Switch to the container driver, which supports multi-platform builds.

docker buildx create --name ci --driver docker-container --use
docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 --push -t myorg/api:1.4.2 .

Let setup-buildx-action provide the builder

In Actions the action gives you a docker-container builder by default.

- uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
- uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
- uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
  with:
    platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
    push: true
    tags: ghcr.io/myorg/api:1.4.2

How to prevent it

• Use the docker-container driver for any multi-platform build.
• Set up buildx (and QEMU) before multi-arch builds in CI.
• Push multi-arch results to a registry; do not --load them.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• Docker documentation
• Docker build cache
• GitHub Actions documentation