Will "ha docker migrate-storage-driver" re-download existing image versions or update to latest versions?

[bcutter]

Reading posts like #4492 (comment) make me wonder:

Does ha docker migrate-storage-driver re-download the images with their specific current versions (based on image tags e.g.) or do I have to fear containers get updated to their latest versions?

So if I have homeassistant container using tag ghcr.io/home-assistant/raspberrypi5-64-homeassistant:2026.2.3, will the storage driver migration process re-download this specific version?

Specific circumstance in mind for this question: I'm not yet on the latest HA Core release. Having HA updated to latest 2026.7 would be a huge risk for me, so I want to clarify this before proceeding with "Docker Containerd Snapshotter" in https://github.com/home-assistant/operating-system/releases/tag/17.0. Same for HA OS (running 17.3, update 18.1 is available).

[yudin-s]

The migration should not be treated as a Home Assistant Core update.

The OS 17.0 release note says the Docker containerd snapshotter migration requires internet access because all container images are re-downloaded, and it is applied on the next reboot. That is about rebuilding Docker's image store under the new snapshotter, not about choosing newer application versions.

In Supervisor, the Docker image operations are version/tag based. For example, the Docker interface installs/pulls an explicit image plus version, and container checks compare the current container/image against the expected image:version. So if your current Core container is ghcr.io/home-assistant/raspberrypi5-64-homeassistant:2026.2.3, the migration path should re-pull the image needed for that installed Core version, not silently decide to pull 2026.7.

The caveats I would still observe:

• make a full HA backup first, as the release note recommends;
• do the OS update and confirm the system is healthy before starting the optional migration;
• expect downtime and image downloads on reboot;
• record ha core info / ha supervisor info before the migration so you can compare after it comes back.

So the short answer is: yes, expect re-downloads, but no, the storage-driver migration itself should not upgrade Core to the latest release. If that answers the risk question, please mark it as answered.