To install WSL on a supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, open PowerShell as an administrator, run wsl --install, restart if prompted, then launch Ubuntu and create a Linux username and password. The command installs WSL 2 and Ubuntu by default. For another distribution, install it by its listed name with wsl --install -d <DistroName>.
Check whether your Windows version supports the one-command install
Microsoft’s documented wsl --install route requires Windows 10 version 2004 (Build 19041) or later, or Windows 11. To check your Windows version and build, press Win + R, enter winver, and select OK. If your PC does not meet that requirement, use Microsoft’s manual installation guide for older versions and follow the instructions for your Windows build and processor architecture.
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Install WSL and Ubuntu
- Open an elevated PowerShell window. Open Start, search for PowerShell, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator. Approve the Windows prompt if it appears.
- Run the installer. Enter
wsl --installand press Enter. On this route, the command enables the required Windows components, installs the Linux kernel, sets WSL 2 as the default for new installations, and installs Ubuntu. - Restart if Windows prompts you to. The installation may need a restart to finish enabling system features.
- Launch Ubuntu. Find Ubuntu in the Start menu and open it. On first launch, it unpacks its files; Microsoft says this can take a minute or two.
- Create your Linux account. Enter a Linux username and password when prompted. This account belongs to the Linux distribution and is separate from your Windows account. The password does not appear as you type, which is normal in a Linux terminal.
Choose a Linux distribution other than Ubuntu
Ubuntu is the default, but WSL supports other distributions. Check the current choices and their exact install names from PowerShell:
- Run
wsl --list --onlineto see the distributions currently available. - Install the option you want using its exact listed name:
wsl --install -d <DistroName>. For example, replace<DistroName>with the name shown in the list. - Launch the new distribution from the Start menu and complete its first-run account setup.
Available options can change, so use the live list rather than relying on an old list of distribution names. Microsoft’s WSL installation guide also explains the installation route and distribution selection.
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Verify the installation and check the WSL version
In PowerShell, run:
wsl --list --verbose
The output shows installed distributions, whether they are running or stopped, and whether each uses WSL 1 or WSL 2. The shorthand command wsl -l -v gives the same list. To start a distribution, open it from the Start menu or run wsl in a terminal.
WSL 2 is the default for distributions installed through the current one-command route. To set the default version for future installs, run wsl --set-default-version 2. This setting does not convert distributions that are already installed. To convert one, use wsl --set-version <DistroName> <Version>, replacing the placeholders with the exact distribution name and either 1 or 2. For example, wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2 converts a distribution named Ubuntu to WSL 2.
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Conversion can take time and may fail because WSL 1 and WSL 2 use different architectures. Back up important files before converting a distribution that contains a large project. Microsoft lists these commands and additional options in its basic WSL commands guide.
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The command displays help instead
If WSL is already installed, wsl --install may display command help rather than install a distribution. Run wsl --list --online, then install a distribution using wsl --install -d <DistroName> with a name from that list.
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Your Windows build does not meet the one-command requirement
Check the version and build with winver. Microsoft’s manual procedure covers older Windows builds and requires you to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux and Virtual Machine Platform features, install the kernel update, set the WSL 2 default if appropriate, and install a distribution. Requirements differ by Windows release and processor architecture; use the matching steps in the manual installation guide.
You cannot use Microsoft Store
If Store access is unavailable or system restrictions prevent the standard route, Microsoft’s manual guide explains how to download distribution packages directly. Follow its instructions for your Windows version rather than mixing older manual steps with the current wsl --install process.
What to do after setup
Once the Linux prompt opens, you can use Linux commands and tools alongside Windows. WSL supports interoperability, including running Linux commands from PowerShell and launching Windows .exe programs from a WSL shell. For optional development setup such as VS Code, Git, databases, GUI apps, or GPU acceleration, see Microsoft’s WSL development environment guide. These are optional workflow choices, not prerequisites for installing WSL.
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