Back in 2017, Windows released Windows Subsystem for Linux that lets developers run a GNU/Linux environment, including most command-line tools, utilities, and applications directly in Windows without setting up a virtual machine or dual-boot. WSL2 has since been released, and it’s an improvement over version 1. The new and improved version comes with a performance boost, and full system call compatibility, and is built with a new architecture that delivers features that make WSL an amazing way to run a Linux environment in Windows. When you’re ready to enable WSL on Windows 11, follow the steps below:
Install Windows Subsystem for Linux
To enable WSL in Windows, you will want to open the Command Prompt terminal as administrator. Click on Start then begin typing Command Prompt. Next, right-click Command Prompt app and choose to Run as administrator. When the console opens, run the commands below: Wait for WSL 2 to be installed. After installing, you should get a success message similar to the lines below: Restart your computer. WSL should be installed and ready to use. When you want to update, simply run the commands below:
Install Specific Linux distro
Now that WSL is installed, you can now install the Linux distro of your choice. To list the available distributions to install, simply run the commands below: You should then see all available distributions that can be installed on WSL. To install a Linux distribution from the list above, simply run the commands below using the distribution name. For example, to install Ubuntu 20.04, run the commands below: You should then get a message that the distribution is installed. After installing, you should get a Ubuntu command console with setup details. Some troubleshooting commands to run when you run into issues. Conclusion: This post showed you how to install WSL 2 on Windows 11 and install Ubuntu 20.04. If you find any error above please use the comment form below to report.
