Windows drives normally appear in WSL under /mnt: C:UsersnameDocuments becomes /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents, while D:projects becomes /mnt/d/projects. In the other direction, open a Linux distribution in File Explorer with \wsl$DistroNamehomenameproject or \wsl.localhostDistroNamehomenameproject. From a WSL shell, explorer.exe . opens the current Linux directory in Explorer.
The best place for an active project depends on which environment performs most file operations. Linux compilers, package managers and build tools are generally fastest with files in the WSL filesystem; Windows-heavy workflows are usually better on a Windows drive. The two filesystems are accessible from either side, but crossing the boundary can be slower and permissions are handled differently.
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Access Windows files from a WSL shell
With the default WSL automount configuration, fixed Windows drives are mounted below /mnt, using a lowercase drive letter. The mapping is predictable:
| Windows location | Path in WSL |
|---|---|
C:UsersnameDocuments |
/mnt/c/Users/name/Documents |
D:projects |
/mnt/d/projects |
E:mediaphotos |
/mnt/e/media/photos |
Use normal Linux commands after changing to the translated path:
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cd /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents
ls
cat notes.txtLinux paths use forward slashes. A Windows drive letter and colon are not part of the WSL path, so C: becomes the mount point /mnt/c. Directory and file names retain their spelling, including spaces and capitalization. Quote a path when it contains spaces:
cd "/mnt/c/Program Files/Example"
ls "/mnt/c/Users/name/My Documents"Open a Windows file with a Windows application
From the WSL prompt, pass the Windows path to a Windows program. For example, after locating a file under /mnt/c, you can open its containing directory with:
explorer.exe /mnt/c/Users/name/DocumentsWSL accepts the mounted Linux form for this command and Windows Explorer displays the corresponding Windows folder. For a single file, provide its full path to a suitable Windows application or use Explorer to select it.
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Convert paths instead of rewriting them manually
The wslpath utility converts between Windows and Linux syntax:
wslpath "C:Usersnamefile.txt"
wslpath -w /home/name/file.txt
wslpath -m /mnt/c/Users/name/file.txtwslpath "C:Usersnamefile.txt"returns the WSL form of a Windows path.wslpath -w /home/name/file.txtreturns a Windows-facing path, normally using backslashes.wslpath -m /mnt/c/Users/name/file.txtreturns a drive-letter path with forward slashes, useful to programs that accept Windows drive paths but prefer slash separators.
Use the conversion that matches the command you are about to run. A Linux command generally needs the first form; a Windows executable often needs the -w or -m result.
Access Linux files from Windows and File Explorer
WSL exposes each registered distribution through a Windows UNC path. In File Explorer’s address bar, type:
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\wsl$DistroNamehomenameprojectYou can also use the alternate form:
\wsl.localhostDistroNamehomenameprojectReplace DistroName with the distribution’s actual registered name and replace the remainder with the Linux directory you need. Do not assume that every installation is named Ubuntu. The distribution names shown by your WSL installation are the names that belong in the UNC path.
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Entering \wsl$ in Explorer displays the distributions that Windows can currently expose. Select a distribution, then open directories such as home, your Linux user directory, or a project directory. A direct path is faster once you know the name:
\wsl$UbuntuhomenameprojectThe example uses Ubuntu only as an illustration; use your own registered name. The UNC view is a Windows presentation of the Linux filesystem, not a second copy of the files.
Open the current WSL folder in Explorer
In a WSL shell, change to the directory you want and run:
cd /home/name/project
explorer.exe .The dot is significant: it means “the current directory.” Explorer opens that exact Linux folder through WSL’s file-sharing integration. The same command works from a directory under a mounted Windows drive, such as /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents, and opens the corresponding Windows folder.
When each UNC form is available
Microsoft documents \wsl$ as available while the WSL instance is running. It is not available when WSL is absent or when no distribution is registered. On Windows 11, \wsl.localhost can auto-start a distribution, so it may work when the older form does not yet have a running instance. Availability still depends on a valid WSL installation and registered distribution.
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Where should an active project live?
Both locations are usable, but they are not equivalent for performance or permissions. Choose the filesystem used most heavily by your tools rather than choosing solely by which side can browse the files.
| Workflow | Preferred location | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Linux compiler, build system, package manager or test runner performs most operations | WSL filesystem, for example /home/name/project |
Microsoft recommends the WSL filesystem for fastest performance when working from a Linux command line. |
| Windows IDE, editor, indexing service or other Windows tools perform most operations | Windows filesystem, for example /mnt/c/Users/name/project |
Windows tools avoid repeatedly crossing into the Linux filesystem. |
| Both environments make frequent changes | Choose the side doing the majority of reads, writes and builds; expose it to the other side when needed | Cross-filesystem access works, but Microsoft characterizes it as slower than keeping files with the tools that use them most. |
| Project requires Linux permission semantics | WSL filesystem | Linux ownership, modes and executable bits behave more naturally there. |
| Project must be managed through Windows ACLs and Explorer | Windows filesystem | Windows security and file-management behavior remain authoritative. |
For example, a Node, Rust or C++ project built repeatedly by Linux tools is usually better under /home/name/project. A project edited, indexed and built primarily by Windows applications is usually better under a Windows drive. You can still open either location from the other environment when a specific task requires it.
Why crossing the boundary can feel slow
Files under /mnt/c are Windows files being accessed by Linux programs. Files under a WSL home directory are Linux files being accessed through the Windows sharing layer when a Windows program opens them. Microsoft warns that these cross-filesystem operations are slower, especially when Linux tools work on Windows-mounted files or Windows applications work across to Linux files. No universal slowdown percentage applies: workload, file count and application behavior determine the result.
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Windows files mounted in WSL
Access to a Windows drive through /mnt/c, /mnt/d and similar mounts is normally governed by Windows permissions. Microsoft describes the effective WSL permissions as either calculated from Windows permissions or read from WSL metadata that has been added to the file.
Consequently, a Linux command such as chmod does not automatically override a Windows account’s ACL. If Windows denies your account access, changing a Linux mode bit alone is not a reliable way to grant it. Check the file’s Windows security settings and the identity under which the Windows file is being accessed.
Linux files exposed through \wsl$
When a Windows application accesses a Linux file through \wsl$ or \wsl.localhost, WSL uses the distribution’s default user permissions. This is different from opening a Windows drive: the Linux distribution’s user and permission model remains relevant.
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Use the Linux shell to inspect ownership and mode bits for a file in the WSL filesystem:
ls -l /home/name/project/file.txtDo not treat a UNC connection as a way to bypass Linux permissions. If the default WSL user cannot access a file, a Windows application using the UNC path should not be expected to gain unrestricted access merely because it is running on Windows.
Metadata and mount options
WSL does not enable Linux permission metadata on Windows files by default. Optional metadata and permission masks can change how Linux permission bits are represented for DrvFS mounts. Settings such as umask, dmask and fmask affect the apparent permissions, while Windows permissions remain part of the access decision.
If a team needs precise Linux ownership, executable bits and mode behavior, keeping the project in the WSL filesystem is less surprising than relying on customized metadata for a Windows-mounted directory.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check automount settings when a drive is missing
The default WSL configuration has automount enabled and uses /mnt/ as the mount root. Fixed drives therefore appear as /mnt/c, /mnt/d and so on. These defaults can be changed, and an administrator can disable automount or mount drives manually.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsInspect the distribution’s /etc/wsl.conf if an expected drive is absent or appears somewhere other than /mnt. The relevant configuration is in the [automount] section:
[automount]
enabled=true
root=/mnt/enabled=truerequests automatic mounting of Windows drives.root=/mnt/places the drive mounts below/mnt; a different root changes the paths you must use.- Permission-related options, including
umask,dmask,fmaskand optional metadata, can alter the Linux view of Windows files.
If your configuration intentionally disables automount, /mnt/c will not be a valid assumption. Find the manual mount location or restore an appropriate automount configuration according to your system’s administration policy. A custom root also means that commands and scripts hard-coded to /mnt/c need to be updated.
Troubleshoot paths that do not resolve
/mnt/c or another drive does not exist
- Check whether you are using the expected WSL distribution; mount configuration is per distribution.
- Inspect
/etc/wsl.conffor[automount], especiallyenabledandroot. - Look for a custom mount location rather than assuming
/mnt. - Confirm that the Windows drive itself is available to Windows. A disconnected, encrypted or unavailable drive cannot be reached from WSL simply by creating a directory with the same name.
\wsl$ is not working
- Verify that WSL is installed and that at least one distribution is registered. Microsoft notes that the UNC share is unavailable without both.
- Start the intended distribution by opening WSL, then try
\wsl$again. - Use the exact registered distribution name, including spaces or punctuation if it has them.
- Try the alternate form
\wsl.localhostDistroName, particularly on Windows 11. - If the root share opens but a subdirectory fails, check the Linux path and the distribution user’s permissions.
The UNC path opens, but the project is not where expected
A Windows drive path and a Linux path are different namespaces. A Windows project at C:Usersnameproject is under \wsl.localhost only if it is actually inside the Linux distribution; otherwise use /mnt/c/Users/name/project from WSL or the normal Windows path in Explorer. Conversely, a project at /home/name/project is reached through the distribution’s UNC path, not through C:homenameproject.
A command rejects the path
Convert the path for the program’s environment with wslpath. Pay attention to spaces, drive letters and slash direction. Keep the converted result quoted when it contains spaces:
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wslpath "D:projectsapp"If a script passes a Linux path to a Windows executable, use wslpath -w or -m. If a Linux command receives a Windows path, convert it without those options.
Access is denied
- For a path under
/mnt, inspect Windows ACLs first; Linux mode changes do not supersede them. - For a path under
\wsl$, inspect Linux ownership and mode bits using the WSL shell. - Check whether the file is locked or controlled by a security policy on the side that owns it.
- Do not copy a permission problem from one filesystem to the other by assuming both use the same user identity.
Builds or indexing are unexpectedly slow
Identify which application performs the most file operations. Move the active working tree to that environment’s filesystem, then expose it to the other side only for editing or inspection. Keep generated dependency trees, caches and frequent temporary files with the tools that create them when possible; these are often the operations most affected by boundary crossings.
Reliable two-environment workflows
Linux-first development with occasional Windows editing
- Store the repository at a Linux path such as
/home/name/project. - Run compilers, package managers, tests and scripts from WSL there.
- Open the current directory with
explorer.exe .when you need Explorer or a Windows editor. - If a Windows command requires the location, generate its path with
wslpath -w /home/name/project.
Windows-first development with occasional Linux commands
- Store the repository at a Windows path such as
C:Usersnameproject. - From WSL, use
/mnt/c/Users/name/projectfor Linux commands. - Expect Linux-heavy builds or large dependency trees to be slower than equivalent work in the WSL filesystem.
- Use Windows permissions as the authority for access to the files under
/mnt/c.
Copy a file between filesystems deliberately
When you need a separate copy rather than shared access, use ordinary commands and make the direction explicit:
cp /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents/input.txt /home/name/project/
cp /home/name/project/output.txt /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents/Copying avoids repeated cross-filesystem operations during a build, but it creates two versions that can diverge. Use it for inputs, exports and release artifacts when that trade-off is acceptable; do not assume edits to one copy update the other.
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Quick Recap
Quick reference
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Reach Windows C: from WSL | /mnt/c |
| Reach another fixed Windows drive | /mnt/<drive-letter>, unless automount was customized |
| Browse Linux files in Explorer | \wsl$DistroName... or \wsl.localhostDistroName... |
| Open the current WSL directory | explorer.exe . |
| Convert Windows syntax to WSL syntax | wslpath "C:pathfile" |
| Convert a Linux path to a Windows path | wslpath -w /home/name/file |
| Convert to a drive-letter path with forward slashes | wslpath -m /mnt/c/path/file |
Check why a drive is not under /mnt |
Inspect /etc/wsl.conf and its [automount] settings |
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