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To open Linux files in Windows, use a WSL network path such as \wsl.localhostUbuntu-22.04homeusernameproject, or run explorer.exe . from the relevant WSL directory. To open Windows files from Linux, use the mounted drive path—usually /mnt/c/ for the C: drive. Use wslpath to convert between path formats. Where you keep active project files matters: cross-filesystem access can be slower, and permissions behave differently in each direction.
Open Linux files from Windows
In File Explorer’s address bar, enter a UNC path using your distribution’s name and the Linux path you want to open. For example:
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\wsl$Ubuntu-22.04homeusernameproject\wsl.localhostUbuntu-22.04homeusernameproject
Ubuntu-22.04 is an example distribution name, not a required version. Replace it with the name of your installed distribution and use the actual Linux username and directory. Microsoft documents both \wsl$ and \wsl.localhost paths in its WSL interop guidance.
You can also open the current Linux directory directly from a WSL shell:
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explorer.exe .
The period means “the current directory.” The command is useful when you are already in the folder you want to browse.
The distribution needs to be available for the network path to work: Microsoft notes that \wsl$ does not resolve when the instance is shut down. On Windows 11, \wsl.localhost can auto-start the distribution. That documented Windows 11 behavior should not be assumed to establish a universal version-specific feature matrix.
Open Windows files from Linux
Fixed Windows drives are usually mounted under /mnt/ in WSL. The common paths are:
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D:drive:/mnt/d/
For example, Windows C:UsersusernameDocuments corresponds to /mnt/c/Users/username/Documents. From a WSL shell, you can work with files there using Linux commands or point a Linux application at that path. Microsoft’s WSL FAQ describes using a Windows-mounted project directory for Linux building or testing.
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If the drive mount is missing or somewhere else
Check your distribution’s /etc/wsl.conf. The [automount] setting enabled defaults to true, and its root defaults to /mnt/. If you change these settings, stop and restart the distribution for the changes to take effect. See Microsoft’s advanced WSL configuration documentation.
Convert Windows and Linux paths with wslpath
Use wslpath in a WSL shell when you need to pass a path between Windows and Linux. It avoids manually rewriting drive prefixes and separators:
# Windows path to Linux path
wslpath "C:\Users\username\file.txt"
# Linux path to Windows UNC path
wslpath -w /home/username/file.txt
# Linux path to Windows drive-letter format
wslpath -m /mnt/c/Users/username/file.txtMicrosoft’s examples map a Windows C: path to /mnt/c/... and a Linux home path to a \wsl.localhost<distro>... path. The -w form returns a Windows path, while -m returns a Windows-style path with forward slashes. Consult the interop documentation for the documented path examples.
Choose where project files should live
Microsoft recommends keeping files in the filesystem best suited to the tools that do most of the work. Linux command-line projects generally belong in the WSL filesystem; projects handled mainly by Windows command-line tools generally belong in the Windows filesystem. Accessing files across the boundary can be slower, but the documented guidance does not give a universal speed multiplier.
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| Workflow | Practical location | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Linux tools do frequent operations, such as builds, dependency handling, or Git work | Keep the project in the WSL filesystem, such as under /home/username/ |
Windows access through \wsl$ or \wsl.localhost is available for browsing or occasional work, but Microsoft describes it as slower than working within the Linux filesystem. |
| Windows command-line tools do most of the work | Keep the project in a Windows directory, such as C:Usersusernameproject |
Linux can reach it under /mnt/c/, but intensive Linux workloads over a Windows-mounted directory can incur cross-filesystem overhead. |
| Both Windows and Linux tools need the same files | Use the filesystem that serves the most frequent or intensive operations | The other environment can still access the files using its UNC or mounted-drive path; choose that convenience with the performance trade-off in mind. |
Microsoft specifically advises against Windows-mounted project directories such as /mnt/c/ for intensive Linux workloads involving build systems, node_modules, and Git repositories. Conversely, Windows access to Linux files through \wsl$ is better suited to occasional access than tight loops. See Microsoft’s guidance on working across Windows and Linux file systems and Windows and Linux integration.
Understand permissions in each direction
Permission behavior depends on which side is accessing the files. A Linux mode displayed in one environment does not always determine whether a write will succeed in the other.
- Windows accessing Linux files: When Windows applications use
\wsl$, they use the distribution’s default Linux user and that user’s permissions. - Linux accessing Windows files: Permissions are calculated from the Windows user’s effective permissions unless WSL metadata is present. Metadata is not enabled by default, so Windows-side access restrictions can still prevent a write even if a Linux listing appears to show write permission.
For Windows drives, WSL provides umask, dmask, and fmask mount settings in /etc/wsl.conf to control how permissions are presented. Linux-native files in the distribution’s own filesystem follow standard Linux conventions. Microsoft explains the distinction in its WSL file permissions guide and configuration documentation.
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Before starting a project, consider these workflow details:
- Which environment’s tools perform most file operations?
- Will you cross between Windows and Linux frequently, or only browse or edit occasionally?
- Does the work depend on Linux permissions or file behavior that differs from the Windows filesystem?
- Has the distribution’s
/etc/wsl.confchanged drive automounting or permission presentation?
For Linux-heavy development, a project under the WSL home directory avoids relying on a Windows-mounted path for intensive operations. For a Windows-heavy workflow, a Windows directory is the natural location, with Linux reaching it through /mnt/. When tools on both sides must use the same files, the paths provide access, but the cross-filesystem performance and permission differences remain relevant.
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