On Windows 11, the normal way to install Linux tools is to install a Linux distribution through Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), then install the tools inside that distribution. Start with wsl --install in PowerShell or Command Prompt, restart if prompted, and open the installed distribution once to finish its first-run setup. If setup or startup fails, use the exact error to choose a fix: a disabled WSL feature, a distribution stored off the system drive, a missing kernel update, and a shell or account mismatch need different checks.
Install a Linux distribution and start using its tools
Microsoft supports wsl --install on Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 (Build 19041) or later. On a supported Windows 11 system, the command enables the WSL and Virtual Machine Platform components, installs the latest Linux kernel, sets WSL 2 as the default, and installs Ubuntu by default. Windows may ask you to restart.
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- Open PowerShell or Command Prompt. If Windows needs to enable optional features, use an elevated shell and approve the prompt.
- Run
wsl --install. To see available distributions, runwsl --list --online. - To install a distribution other than the default, run
wsl --install -d <DistributionName>, replacing the placeholder with a name from the online list. - Restart Windows if requested, then launch the distribution from the Start menu or by entering its name in a terminal. Complete its first-run setup, including creating a Linux username and password.
- Install Linux applications and development tools from inside that distribution, using its package manager and the distribution’s instructions.
For command options such as --web-download, --location, --no-launch, and --no-distribution, consult Microsoft’s WSL installation guide and basic WSL commands. A Linux tool’s compatibility can depend on the distribution, its packages, and its interaction with Windows; installing WSL does not guarantee that every Linux program behaves identically to one running on a full Linux machine.
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Choose the right installation route
| Route | When it fits | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
wsl --install |
Windows 11, or Windows 10 version 2004 (Build 19041) or later, when the standard setup is available. | Enables required Windows components, installs the kernel, sets WSL 2 as default, and installs Ubuntu unless you choose another distribution. A restart may be required. |
| Manual installation | The simple command is unsupported or unsuitable, or a managed environment does not allow Microsoft Store access. | Follow Microsoft’s manual installation steps to enable WSL and Virtual Machine Platform, meet WSL 2 requirements, install or update the kernel if needed, set the default WSL version, and install a distribution. Microsoft also documents manual distribution installation for systems without Store access. |
On a work-managed PC, follow your organization’s policy before changing Windows features or virtualization settings. Store availability and administrative permissions can affect which route is practical.
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Fix the error that matches what you see
“WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x8007019e”
This error indicates that the Windows Subsystem for Linux optional component is not enabled. Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux in the Windows Features dialog, or use Microsoft’s documented administrative command in the WSL troubleshooting guide. Restart if Windows requests it, then try launching the distribution again.
“Installation failed with error 0x80070003”
Check where Windows saves new apps. Open Settings → System → Storage → Advanced storage settings → Where new content is saved and check the setting for new apps. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance says WSL runs on the system drive, usually C:. If new apps are directed elsewhere, change the setting as appropriate and retry; do not assume that moving an existing distribution or choosing any alternate drive is supported in every setup.
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“Starting WSL or installing a distribution returns an error code” such as 0x80370102
For 0x80370102 and other WSL 2 virtualization or startup failures, check the machine’s WSL 2 requirements and confirm that Virtual Machine Platform is enabled. Also verify that hardware virtualization is enabled in firmware and that Windows or organizational policy does not block it. This error can have more than one cause, so check the conditions rather than applying a single fix blindly. Microsoft’s manual setup instructions describe the WSL 2 requirements.
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“The term ‘wsl’ is not recognized”
First check whether the WSL optional component is installed. Also consider which shell you opened and its architecture: Microsoft’s troubleshooting page documents a specific issue involving ARM64 shells. In PowerShell Core or Command Prompt, try wsl.exe. If that works while wsl does not in another shell, the problem may be how that shell resolves the command rather than a missing WSL installation.
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“Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions”
After installing a distribution, launch it at least once so its first-run setup can complete. Also check which Windows account is running the command. Distributions belong to the Windows account that installed them; a separate built-in Administrator account does not automatically see another account’s distributions.
A kernel update message or error 0x1bc appears
The WSL kernel component may be missing or need an update. Enable WSL first, restart if required, and then use wsl --update. Microsoft notes that 0x1bc can appear when the system locale or display language is not English even when the underlying issue concerns the WSL 2 kernel component. See the troubleshooting guidance before interpreting the code as a different failure.
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WSL hangs or returns an unexpected startup error
Check that the command and distribution name are correct, then try updating WSL and restarting its running instances:
wsl --updateupdates WSL itself.wsl --shutdownstops all running distributions. Start the distribution again afterward.wsl --terminate <Distro>stops one named distribution without stopping the others.
These are update and restart actions, not universal repairs. If Windows itself may have damaged system files, Microsoft’s guidance for some startup errors such as 0x8000FFFF suggests considering SFC /SCANNOW or DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth from an elevated command prompt. Use these as conditional Windows repair checks, not guaranteed WSL fixes.
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Keep WSL and Linux packages updated separately
WSL’s host components and the software installed inside a Linux distribution have separate update paths. Use wsl --update for WSL. To update Linux packages, open the affected distribution and use its package manager’s instructions; the command depends on the distribution. Updating WSL does not, by itself, update every application installed inside Ubuntu or another distribution.
Work out which layer is failing
A message from a Linux application is not necessarily a WSL installation problem. Narrow the failure to the layer that produced it before changing Windows settings or reporting a bug.
- Windows or WSL host: Errors enabling WSL features, registering or starting distributions, or launching WSL itself point toward Windows configuration or the WSL stack.
- Distribution or package manager: If the distribution starts but a package cannot be installed or updated, follow that distribution’s package-manager guidance.
- Linux application: If only one Linux binary fails, the problem may be in the program or its assumptions. Microsoft’s WSL troubleshooting guide recommends reproducing Linux-binary problems on real Linux where practical; tools such as
stracecan help inspect system calls. Report a confirmed application or distribution defect to its maintainer rather than treating it as a WSL host issue.
Gather useful details if the problem persists
Record the exact command and full error text, and note whether the failure occurs during installation, first launch, or when starting a particular Linux program. Then collect the system and WSL details Microsoft identifies as useful:
- Windows version and build: run
cmd.exe /c ver. - WSL version: run
wsl --version. On older inbox WSL builds that do not support it, trywsl.exe --status. - Installed distributions and whether each uses WSL 1 or WSL 2: run
wsl.exe -l -v. - The distribution name and version, kernel version, exact error, and any relevant third-party software or security tools.
- Reproducible WSL logs, following Microsoft’s logging and reporting guidance.
Use those details to report a WSL-specific, reproducible failure to the WSL project. For a Linux program or distribution defect, contact that project’s maintainers instead.
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