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Farhad Rahimi Klie
Farhad Rahimi Klie

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How to Install a Linux Distro Using WSL on Windows

#linux #cli #wsl #farhadrahimiklie

If you use Windows but want a Linux development environment, you don't necessarily need dual boot, a virtual machine, or a second computer.

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run a Linux distribution directly inside Windows.

In this guide, we'll install WSL, choose a Linux distribution, create a Linux user, and verify that everything is working.

What Is WSL?

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is a Windows feature that allows you to run Linux distributions alongside Windows.

You can use a Linux terminal and tools such as:

  • Bash
  • Git
  • GCC
  • Python
  • Rust
  • Node.js
  • Vim
  • SSH
  • Linux package managers

without installing Linux as a separate operating system.

For developers, WSL is especially useful because you can keep Windows for your normal desktop applications while using Linux tools for development.

Requirements

Before starting, make sure you're running a supported version of Windows.

Open PowerShell and run:

winver
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You can also check your Windows version with:

systeminfo
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For the easiest installation method, use a modern Windows 10 or Windows 11 system with WSL support.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator

Press:

Windows + X
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Then select:

Windows PowerShell (Admin)
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or:

Terminal (Admin)
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You should see a terminal window with administrator privileges.

2. Install WSL

The easiest method is:

wsl --install
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This command enables the required Windows components, installs the WSL components, and normally installs Ubuntu as the default Linux distribution.

After installation, Windows may ask you to restart your computer.

Restart:

shutdown /r /t 0
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After Windows starts again, the Linux distribution setup should continue.

3. Check Available Linux Distributions

You don't have to use Ubuntu.

To see the distributions available through WSL, run:

wsl --list --online
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You may see distributions such as:

NAME
Ubuntu
Debian
kali-linux
openSUSE-Tumbleweed
Ubuntu-24.04
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The exact list can change over time.

4. Install a Specific Linux Distribution

For example, to install Ubuntu:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu
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Or, if you want Debian:

wsl --install -d Debian
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You can replace the distribution name with one from:

wsl --list --online
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For example:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04
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5. Create Your Linux User

After the distribution starts for the first time, Linux will ask you to create a username.

For example:

Enter new UNIX username:
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You might enter:

farhad
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Then create a password.

When typing the password, nothing will appear on the screen.

That's normal behavior in Linux terminals.

Type the password and press Enter.

6. Verify the Installation

Inside your Linux terminal, run:

uname -a
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Then:

cat /etc/os-release
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You should see information about your Linux distribution.

You can also check the current user:

whoami
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And check your home directory:

pwd
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You should get something similar to:

/home/farhad
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Your Linux environment is now running.

7. Check WSL From Windows

Close the Linux terminal and open PowerShell.

Run:

wsl --list --verbose
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You should see something similar to:

  NAME      STATE           VERSION
* Ubuntu    Running         2
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The important part is:

VERSION
2
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That means you're using WSL 2.

WSL 2 uses a lightweight virtualized Linux environment and provides much better Linux compatibility than the original WSL 1 architecture.

8. Start Your Linux Distribution

You can start your default distribution by simply running:

wsl
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Or you can specify a distribution:

wsl -d Ubuntu
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For Debian:

wsl -d Debian
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You can also see installed distributions with:

wsl -l
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9. Update Linux

After installing Linux, update its package information.

For Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo apt update
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Then upgrade installed packages:

sudo apt upgrade
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You can combine them:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
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It's a good idea to do this before installing development tools.

10. Access Windows Files From Linux

One of the useful features of WSL is that you can access your Windows drives.

Your Windows C: drive is normally available at:

/mnt/c
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For example:

cd /mnt/c
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You can see your Windows files:

ls
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Your Windows user directory might be accessible through:

cd /mnt/c/Users
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This makes it possible to work between Windows and Linux.

11. Access Linux Files From Windows

WSL also provides a way to access your Linux filesystem from Windows.

From Windows File Explorer, you can enter:

\\wsl$
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in the address bar.

You should see your installed WSL distributions.

For example:

\\wsl$\Ubuntu
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This allows Windows applications to interact with files inside your Linux environment.

For development projects, however, it's generally best to keep Linux-oriented projects inside the Linux filesystem rather than constantly working across /mnt/c.

12. Install Development Tools

Now you can use Linux normally.

For example, install Git:

sudo apt install git
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Install GCC:

sudo apt install build-essential
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Check GCC:

gcc --version
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Install Vim:

sudo apt install vim
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Now you have a basic Linux development environment running inside Windows.

Installing Another Distribution Later

You can install multiple Linux distributions on the same Windows installation.

For example:

wsl --install -d Debian
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Then check them:

wsl --list --verbose
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You might have:

  NAME      STATE           VERSION
* Ubuntu    Stopped         2
  Debian    Stopped         2
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You can start Debian with:

wsl -d Debian
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Making a Distribution Your Default

If you have multiple distributions installed, you can choose which one starts when you run:

wsl
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For example:

wsl --set-default Debian
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Now:

wsl
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will start Debian by default.

Useful WSL Commands

Here are some commands you'll use frequently.

List installed distributions 

wsl --list --verbose
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List available distributions 

wsl --list --online
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Start WSL 

wsl
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Start a specific distribution 

wsl -d Ubuntu
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Shut down WSL 

wsl --shutdown
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Stop a specific distribution 

wsl --terminate Ubuntu
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Check WSL version 

wsl --version
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Update WSL 

wsl --update
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Set the default distribution 

wsl --set-default Ubuntu
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Common Problems

wsl --install Doesn't Work

First check whether WSL is available:

wsl --status
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Then try:

wsl --update
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You may also need to enable Windows virtualization features or restart Windows after enabling WSL.

The Distribution Download Fails

If you receive a network-related error while installing a distribution, check your internet connection first.

You can also check the available distributions:

wsl --list --online
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Then retry the installation:

wsl --install -d Debian
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Check Whether Virtualization Is Enabled

Open Task Manager:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc
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Go to:

Performance → CPU
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Look for:

Virtualization: Enabled
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If virtualization is disabled, you may need to enable the appropriate virtualization setting in your computer's UEFI/BIOS.

WSL vs Dual Boot

WSL and dual boot solve different problems.

With dual boot, you install Windows and Linux as separate operating systems and choose one when the computer starts.

With WSL, Linux runs alongside Windows.

For development, WSL can be much more convenient because you don't need to reboot your computer every time you want to use Linux.

A simple setup might look like:

Windows
   │
   └── WSL 2
        │
        ├── Ubuntu
        ├── Debian
        └── Other Linux distributions
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Conclusion

Installing Linux with WSL is one of the easiest ways to get a Linux development environment on Windows.

The basic workflow is:

wsl --install
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Then:

wsl --list --online
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Choose a distribution:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu
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Start it:

wsl
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And verify it:

uname -a
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Once it's installed, you can use Linux tools, package managers, compilers, Git, editors, programming languages, and other development tools directly from Windows.

Windows doesn't have to mean giving up the Linux development environment. With WSL, you can have both.

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