How to Install the Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 11

in this article we will demonstrate how to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 11. WSL gives you the ability to run Linux applications on your Windows computer. Windows will install a custom-built Linux kernel when you turn on WSL. If you have installed Ubuntu or another Linux distribution of your choosing, you can go to the next step.

To set up and use WSL on Windows 11, follow these steps:

On all editions of Windows 11, you can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). In addition to that, you can also install WSL on Windows 10.

Windows 11 uses WSL 2, a Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. This is a newer version that utilizes Hyper-V to run a Linux kernel in a virtual machine. To gain access to Windows 11, you must enable the functionality first, at which point the operating system will download and start running a pre-built Linux kernel in the background. Updating the kernel ensures a consistent, up-to-date Windows experience. If you would like to use your own modified Linux kernel, feel free to do so.

You'll need to install a Linux distribution (distribution) to use WSL. WSL installs Ubuntu by default. This will allow you to use the Bash shell or any other command-line shell of your choice.

Also in Windows 11, you can have access to your Linux terminal environments through the built-in Windows Terminal app.

With most distributions, you can run graphical Linux applications out of the box (Just install them in the Linux command-line environment and run the command.). In addition to improved operating system features, Windows 11 supports running Linux applications with GPU acceleration, improving GPU-accelerated Linux computing workloads on Windows.

The fastest way to get WSL installed is by using a PowerShell command.

Because Windows 11 is so simple to use, Microsoft has made the whole procedure straightforward to follow. If you want to install Ubuntu using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), all you have to do is type one command.

You'll need to start the computer in an Administrator-only command window. Windows Terminal is all you'll need to open Command Prompt, but you may also just open Command Prompt in the usual way.

Right-click the Start button in the taskbar, and then pick “Windows Terminal (Admin).” Another option is to access the Windows terminal through the Start menu's right-click menu, where you'll find a "Run as Administrator" option. Let yourself be prompted by the User Account Control window, accept it, and move on.
Use the following command to set up the Windows Subsystem for Linux, instal Ubuntu, and make it the default:

wsl --install

Windows will then ask you to restart your PC once the process is finished. Relaunch your PC. Once you've finished, you will be able to utilise your Linux system. There are a few ways to reboot quickly: You can press the Start button and pick the Shutdown/Sign Out option, or you can right-click the Start menu and select Restart.

Instead, run the following command to list Linux distributions: This presents listings of online distributes (-o).

wsl -l -o

Use the following command to install a Linux distribution of your choice: Change “Name” to the name of the Linux distro shown in the “Name” column, and replace “Name” with the name of the Linux distro.

wsl --install -d Name

To do this, use the following command: To install Debian instead of Ubuntu, use the following command:

wsl --install -d Debian

If you would like to install different Linux distributions on your PC, you can run the following command many times.

You will be able to launch the Linux distribution you installed from your Start menu after your computer has rebooted.

Also available in the Windows Terminal software, you'll find it as an option. To learn more about the distribution you installed, right-click the new “+” icon on the tab bar and select the Linux distribution.

Now, you can work with the Linux shell just as if you were sitting in front of a PC. To operate effectively, you'll merely need to know Linux commands.

WSL Enablement and Distro Installation: The Slow Way

Alternatively, you can activate the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) using an earlier method. To accomplish this, you have to click many times. We thus recommend performing the command shown above.

In order to achieve this,

• Search for “Windows features” in the Start menu. To access the Start menu, press the Windows key on your keyboard.
• Launch “Turn Windows Features On or Off”.
• To install Windows Subsystem for Linux, tick the “Install Windows Subsystem for Linux” box and click “OK.”
• Restart your computer, you will be prompted to do so.
• Next, look for the Linux distribution that you want on the Microsoft Store. For example, you might enter "Ubuntu" into the search bar.
• Install Linux as you would any other application. If you go to the "Store" page on the page, you'll find the "Install" button there.
• In the same way you would install it from the command line, you can now launch it from your Start menu.

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