# WSL — Manage Linux Distributions on Windows > Practical guide to WSL: install, start, back up and configure Linux distributions on Windows – including WSL 2, networking and filesystem access. Source: https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/shell-system/wsl/ The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run full Linux distributions directly on Windows – no dual boot and no traditional virtual machine. WSL 2 powers this with a real Linux kernel running in a lightweight, tightly integrated VM, so the filesystem, networking and your Windows programs all work together seamlessly. The `wsl` command is your control center: it installs distributions, starts and stops them, backs them up via export and tunes their resources. This guide walks you through the commands you actually reach for daily. ## Install & Setup `wsl --install` — Install WSL with the default Linux distribution (Ubuntu). ```bash wsl --install ``` `wsl --install -d ` — Install a specific Linux distribution. ```bash wsl --install -d Debian ``` `wsl --list --online` — List available distributions for installation. ```bash wsl --list --online ``` `wsl --update` — Update the WSL kernel to the latest version. ```bash wsl --update ``` `wsl --version` — Show WSL version, kernel version, and WSLg version. ```bash wsl --version ``` `wsl --set-default-version 2` — Set WSL 2 as default for new distributions. ```bash wsl --set-default-version 2 ``` ## List & Status `wsl --list` — List installed distributions. ```bash wsl --list ``` `wsl --list --verbose` — List distributions with state, WSL version, and default. ```bash wsl --list --verbose ``` `wsl --list --running` — List only currently running distributions. ```bash wsl --list --running ``` `wsl --status` — Show WSL configuration and default distribution. ```bash wsl --status ``` ## Start, Stop & Run `wsl` — Start the default distribution. ```bash wsl ``` `wsl -d ` — Start a specific distribution. ```bash wsl -d Debian ``` `wsl -u ` — Start as a specific user. ```bash wsl -u root ``` `wsl -e ` — Execute a command in the default distribution. ```bash wsl -e ls -la /home ``` `wsl -d -e ` — Execute a command in a specific distribution. ```bash wsl -d Ubuntu -e cat /etc/os-release ``` `wsl --shutdown` — Shut down all running distributions and the WSL VM. ```bash wsl --shutdown ``` `wsl --terminate ` — Terminate a specific distribution. ```bash wsl --terminate Ubuntu ``` ## Distribution Management `wsl --set-default ` — Set the default distribution. ```bash wsl --set-default Debian ``` `wsl --set-version 2` — Convert a distribution to WSL 2 (or 1). ```bash wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2 ``` `wsl --unregister ` — **Destructive:** Unregister a distribution and delete it along with all its data, irreversibly. ```bash wsl --unregister Ubuntu ``` ## Import & Export `wsl --export ` — Export a distribution as a .tar archive. ```bash wsl --export Ubuntu ubuntu-backup.tar ``` `wsl --export --vhd` — Export as a .vhdx virtual disk. ```bash wsl --export Ubuntu ubuntu-backup.vhdx --vhd ``` `wsl --import ` — Import a distribution from a .tar archive. ```bash wsl --import MyUbuntu C:\WSL\MyUbuntu ubuntu-backup.tar ``` `wsl --import --vhd` — Import from a .vhdx virtual disk. ```bash wsl --import MyUbuntu C:\WSL\MyUbuntu ubuntu-backup.vhdx --vhd ``` `wsl --import-in-place ` — Register an existing .vhdx as a distribution. ```bash wsl --import-in-place MyDistro C:\WSL\ext4.vhdx ``` ## Configuration Files `/etc/wsl.conf` — Per-distribution settings (automount, network, user, boot). ```bash [user] default=myuser [boot] systemd=true ``` `%USERPROFILE%\.wslconfig` — Global WSL 2 settings (memory, CPU, swap, networking). ```bash [wsl2] memory=8GB processors=4 swap=4GB ``` `[boot] systemd=true` — Enable systemd in wsl.conf (WSL 2, Windows 11). ```bash echo -e '[boot]\nsystemd=true' | sudo tee /etc/wsl.conf ``` `[automount] options = "metadata"` — Enable Linux file permissions on Windows drives. ```bash [automount] options = "metadata,uid=1000,gid=1000,umask=022" ``` `[network] generateResolvConf = false` — Use custom DNS instead of auto-generated resolv.conf. ```bash [network] generateResolvConf = false ``` ## Filesystem & Interop `/mnt/c/` — Access the Windows C: drive from WSL. ```bash ls /mnt/c/Users/ ``` `\\wsl$\\` — Access the WSL filesystem from Windows Explorer. ```bash explorer.exe \\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\user ``` `wslpath ''` — Convert a Windows path to a WSL path. ```bash wslpath 'C:\Users\me\Documents' ``` `wslpath -w ''` — Convert a WSL path to a Windows path. ```bash wslpath -w /home/user/project ``` `explorer.exe .` — Open the current WSL directory in Windows Explorer. ```bash explorer.exe . ``` `cmd.exe /c ` — Run a Windows command from within WSL. ```bash cmd.exe /c 'echo %COMPUTERNAME%' ``` `powershell.exe -c ''` — Run a PowerShell command from within WSL. ```bash powershell.exe -c 'Get-Process | Select -First 5' ``` ## Networking & Disk `wsl hostname -I` — Show the WSL IP address. ```bash wsl hostname -I ``` `wsl --mount --bare` — Attach a physical disk to WSL 2. ```bash wsl --mount \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1 --bare ``` `wsl --mount --partition --type ext4` — Mount a specific partition with a filesystem type. ```bash wsl --mount \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1 --partition 1 --type ext4 ``` `wsl --unmount ` — Detach a mounted disk from WSL. ```bash wsl --unmount \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1 ``` ## Conclusion WSL makes Linux on Windows genuinely practical: a handful of `wsl` commands install, start and back up distributions, while WSL 2 delivers near-native performance thanks to its real kernel and lightweight VM. For everyday work you rarely need more than `wsl --install`, `wsl -l -v`, `wsl -d ` and `wsl --shutdown`. Treat `wsl --unregister ` with care, though: it deletes the distribution and all its data **irreversibly** – back it up first with `wsl --export`, and move it to another machine via `wsl --import` when needed. Finer details like memory limits, systemd or DNS are controlled centrally through `.wslconfig` and `wsl.conf`. ## Further Reading - [WSL documentation (Microsoft Learn)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/) – official guide to installation, WSL 2 and configuration - [Basic WSL commands](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/basic-commands) – complete reference of all `wsl` commands and options ## Related Commands - [wslg](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/shell-system/wslg/) – run Linux GUI apps under WSL 2 via WSLg - [powershell](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/shell-system/powershell/) – the Windows shell that drives and interacts with WSL - [bash](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/shell-system/bash/) – the default shell in most WSL distributions