This tutorial is about how to install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on Windows 11 PC. We will do our best for you to understand this guide. I hope you will like this blog How to Install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on a Windows 11 PC. If your answer is yes, please share after reading this.
Check how to install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on Windows 11 PC
Additionally, the command also installs the latest Ubuntu distribution by default. If you prefer a different Linux distribution, you can add the command to choose a different distribution installation. In addition to the new quick and easy way, you can also find another way to update the kernel more easily with a single command. In this guide, you will learn the simple steps to install the WSL platform on your device. We will also describe the steps for updating the Linux kernel in Windows 11. (Also see the video tutorial on how to use this feature.) Like newer versions of Windows 10, Windows 11 uses WSL 2. This second version has been redesigned and runs a full Linux kernel in a Hyper-V hypervisor for better compatibility.
When you enable the feature, Windows 11 downloads a Microsoft-created Linux kernel that runs in the background. Windows Update keeps the kernel up to date. (You can also use your own custom Linux kernel if you prefer.) To use WSL, you must install a Linux distribution. By default, WSL installs Ubuntu. This will give you access to a full Ubuntu command line environment using the bash shell or any other command line shell of your choice.
How to Install Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 11
The fastest way to install WSL on Windows 11 is using the Command Prompt or PowerShell. You can use any tool to do this – choose the environment in which you feel most comfortable. To do this, open the start menu (or press the windows key) and type cmd to find the command prompt or powershell to open a new powershell window. Hover over the best match result, then select Run as administrator on the right.
- If the UAC prompt appears, make sure to allow the chosen application to run.
- In your admin-level PowerShell or Command Prompt window, you can install and activate WSL with a single command. To do this, type the following command and press Enter:
- You’ll have to wait for Windows 11 to enable WSL, enable support for GUI apps, and install the default Linux distribution (Ubuntu) on your PC. You can monitor the installation progress in the window.
- Once complete, you will see a message asking you to restart your Windows 11 PC to complete the installation.
- After your PC restarts, log in to Windows and you will see that you can use your Linux system.
- To start WSL, open the Start menu; you should find Ubuntu in the “Recently Installed” section. You can also find it manually under its first letter in the list of applications.
How to Install Alternative WSL Linux Distributions
- It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to use Ubuntu with WSL; you can install other versions of Linux. To find the Linux distributions available on your PC, type the following in the Windows Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Terminal window:
- Then type the following, replacing distro with the name of the Linux distribution you want to install:
- For example, if you want to install openSUSE, you would type the following:
- wsl –install -d openSUSE
How to install Linux distros from the Microsoft Store
If you’re not comfortable with a command-line tool, you can install Linux through the Microsoft Store. Installing Linux from the Store is like installing any other app from the Store. First, you will need to verify that WSL is enabled.
- To do this, press Start (or press the Windows key) and type Optionalfeatures.exe. Select the best match result at the top.
- In the “Windows Features” box, check the Windows Subsystem for Linux box and click OK.
- Wait a bit for the changes to complete, then restart your PC.
- Once your PC has restarted, open the Microsoft Store app from the taskbar or start menu and search for “Linux”.
- You should see several distros available including Kali Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, etc. Choose the Linux distribution you want to use, then click Get to begin installing it.
- The Microsoft Store will download and install your Linux distribution at this point; Please allow some time for this to complete. As with the Command Prompt method above, you’ll find it in the Start menu after installation is complete.
How to Access the Linux Shell in Windows 11
Windows 11 includes a new terminal app (called Windows Terminal) that lets you switch between PowerShell, Command Prompt, and other types of administrative windows. If you install and activate Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 11, you can use the new Windows Terminal to control your Linux shell.
- To do this, right-click on the Start menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin). Next, select the + (plus) icon in the tab bar at the top, then choose your Linux distro (e.g. Ubuntu) from the list.
- If you don’t see it, first start Ubuntu from the start menu, then open the terminal. then it will appear in the drop-down menu.
- You now have access to the Linux shell, as if you were using a Linux PC. You can start learning and practicing Linux commands to use it here, or you can use it to change Ubuntu settings.
How to Test Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 11
If you don’t know how to test if WSL works, you can use windows terminal to do it.
- First, open a new terminal by right-clicking on the start menu and selecting Windows Terminal (Admin). In the terminal window, press + (plus), then select Ubuntu. You can also start Ubuntu from the Start menu.
- Once you are ready to use WSL, you can use a Linux game called Tux Racer to see if WSL is working properly. These steps will only work if you are using WSL with Ubuntu, Debian, or related distributions.
- To do this, type the following commands in your Linux WSL terminal, one after the other:
- sudo apt update
- sudo apt update
- You can also run them together (sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade). Once these commands have finished checking for updates, type the following command to install the game:
- sudo apt install extremetuxracer
- When the message asks if you want to continue, type Y and press Enter.
- Tux Racer takes seconds to install. Once you’ve done that, you’ll find the Linux application in the Start menu; tap it to run it as you would any other Windows application.
Final Words: How to Install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on a Windows 11 PC
Hope you understand this article How to Install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 on a Windows 11 PC, if your answer is no, you can ask anything via the contact forum section linked to this article. And if your answer is yes, share this article with your family and friends.
