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alwsl was a real but unofficial 2016 project that used a Windows batch file to install an Arch Linux userspace inside the then-new Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). It mattered because early WSL was primarily associated with Ubuntu. In 2026, however, the old alwsl workaround is historical: new users should generally install Arch’s current official WSL image with wsl --install archlinux.
What was alwsl?
alwsl was an early community project from a group calling itself the Turbo Developers. Reported on October 4, 2016, it provided a .bat installer intended to place an Arch Linux environment inside WSL. Contemporary coverage described it as a way to run Arch tools and packages on Windows rather than installing Arch as a separate operating system.
That distinction is important. alwsl did not create a conventional dual-boot Arch installation or a complete virtual machine. It adapted an Arch userspace or root filesystem to WSL’s early Linux-compatibility environment. The project was unofficial, as contemporary Arch discussion noted.
See the original 2016 report and the contemporary Arch developer discussion for the historical context.
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Why alwsl mattered in 2016
Microsoft introduced WSL in Windows 10 as a way to run Linux command-line tools without traditional dual booting or a conventional virtual machine. The early WSL experience was strongly associated with Bash on Ubuntu, leaving users who preferred Arch Linux without an equally simple installation route.
Arch users had practical reasons to want that choice: the pacman package manager, Arch’s rolling-release model, Arch documentation, and development workflows built around Arch packages. alwsl showed that WSL could host distributions beyond its best-known Ubuntu installation.
Judged by its time, it filled a genuine gap. Judged by current standards, its original installer should not be treated as a supported installation method.
What changed: Arch now has an official WSL image
Modern Arch documentation lists an official Arch Linux WSL image, identified in the WSL catalog as archlinux. On a supported Windows installation with WSL 2 available, the normal installation command is:
wsl --install archlinuxAfter installation, launch it from the Start menu or run:
wsl -d archlinuxThis is fundamentally different from hunting down the old alwsl batch file. The current image is documented by the ArchWiki installation guide and integrated with modern WSL distribution management.
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Prerequisites for installing Arch on WSL today
- Windows 11, or Windows 10 version 2004 and later, build 19041 or later.
- WSL 2, which is required by the current official Arch image.
- Hardware virtualization enabled in UEFI or BIOS.
- Administrator access for initial WSL setup when WSL is not already installed.
Before installing, update WSL and inspect its state:
wsl --update
wsl --status
wsl --list --onlineThe final command displays distributions currently available through the WSL catalog. Windows build support and command behavior can change, so consult Microsoft’s current WSL installation documentation if your system reports a different result.
Install Arch Linux on WSL
If WSL is already installed and archlinux appears in the catalog, run PowerShell or Windows Terminal and enter:
wsl --install archlinuxThen start the distribution:
wsl -d archlinuxDo not confuse these PowerShell commands with commands run inside Arch. Once the Arch shell opens, Linux commands such as pacman, useradd, and passwd belong in the Linux environment.
If the installation fails
WSL is not installed
Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
wsl --installRestart Windows if prompted, then retry:
wsl --install archlinuxThe one-command setup path requires Windows 10 version 2004/build 19041 or later, or Windows 11.
The command shows help instead of installing
List available distributions and specify the name explicitly:
wsl --list --online
wsl --install -d archlinuxIf archlinux is not listed, the catalog, Windows version, or WSL installation state may not support that route yet.
The download is stuck at 0%
Microsoft documents an online-download alternative:
wsl --install --web-download -d archlinuxThis obtains the distribution from an online source rather than relying on the Microsoft Store path.
The distribution is using WSL 1
Check installed distributions and their versions:
wsl --list --verboseThe official Arch image requires WSL 2. If necessary, convert the installed distribution:
wsl --set-version archlinux 2To make WSL 2 the default for future installations:
wsl --set-default-version 2Old alwsl and later community releases may have had different requirements, so do not assume their behavior maps exactly to the current official image.
Arch is not listed in the catalog
The ArchWiki also documents installing an official .wsl image directly:
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wsl --install --from-file C:PathToarchlinux-image.wslYou can also assign a custom instance name:
wsl --install --from-file C:PathToarchlinux-image.wsl --name myarchImage filenames and support for command-line options can change. Use the current ArchWiki instructions for the exact image and syntax.
First steps inside the Arch environment
Installing the image gives you an Arch environment, not a fully configured workstation. Start by updating the package database and installed packages:
pacman -SyuIf the update asks for a second pass, run the command again:
pacman -SyuFor regular work, create a non-root user:
useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash username
passwd usernameTo configure administrative access, edit the sudoers file safely with:
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EDITOR=nano visudoThen enable the appropriate wheel-group rule, commonly:
%wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALLThe exact first-run behavior and default-user configuration can vary by image and WSL version. Follow the current Arch image documentation rather than copying old alwsl instructions. Arch is also a rolling-release distribution, so package names and setup guidance should be checked against current Arch documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Official Arch image versus ArchWSL
Do not conflate three different projects:
- alwsl: the early, unofficial project referenced by the 2016 news story.
- ArchWSL: a later, separate community project by yuk7, based on
wsldl. - Official Arch Linux WSL image: the current Arch-maintained distribution documented by ArchWiki and available through modern WSL installation mechanisms.
When to choose the official image
For a new installation, the official image is the sensible default. It is documented through Arch’s current WSL guidance, uses the catalog name archlinux, and avoids relying on an old third-party root filesystem or batch file.
When ArchWSL may still make sense
ArchWSL can remain useful if you already maintain it or specifically need its launcher, multiple-instance workflow, custom instance names, or ZIP, AppX, and Scoop installation paths. It also provides commands for tasks such as configuration, backup, and removing individual instances.
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What WSL is good for
WSL is well suited to Linux command-line tools, shell scripts, package testing, compilers, language runtimes, Git workflows, and development tools that need to run alongside Windows applications. WSL 2 uses a lightweight virtualized Linux environment while integrating closely with Windows.
For active Linux projects, storing files in the Linux filesystem is generally preferable when most of the work happens inside Linux. Keeping large, frequently accessed projects under /mnt/c can produce slower filesystem behavior than working in the distribution’s own filesystem. Microsoft’s WSL environment guidance covers file storage, editors, Git, databases, GUI applications, and GPU-related workflows.
What WSL does not replace
- A native Arch installation: WSL is not bare-metal Arch and does not provide the same hardware control, boot process, or kernel customization.
- Dual boot: WSL runs within a Windows-first environment; it does not turn the computer into a separately bootable Arch system.
- A full virtual machine: A VM can provide a clearer virtual hardware boundary, snapshots, independent networking, and a complete graphical Linux desktop.
- Every system service workflow: systemd, GUI applications, GPU acceleration, networking, and device access depend on current WSL and Windows support and may not behave exactly as they do on native Arch.
Choose a VM when kernel-level experimentation, isolation, snapshots, or a full Linux desktop is central. Choose dual boot or bare-metal Arch when Linux is your primary operating system and native hardware control matters more than Windows integration.
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The safest description is that alwsl is a historical, unofficial project rather than the current documented installation path. The available historical reporting establishes what it attempted to do, but it does not justify claiming that its 2016 batch file still works on current Windows.
Current users should not copy old alwsl commands into a modern WSL installation or treat an old third-party root filesystem as equivalent to the official Arch image. The important story is the transition: alwsl helped demonstrate Arch on early WSL in 2016, while today’s official image makes that workaround largely unnecessary.
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