How to Install WSL 2 and Run Linux on Windows

WSL 2 runs a genuine Linux kernel inside Windows — not a compatibility layer, not a VM you manage manually. It starts in seconds, integrates with the Windows filesystem, and works with VS Code, Docker, and most Linux tools.

Install WSL 2

Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

This single command:

Enables required Windows features
Downloads and installs WSL 2
Installs Ubuntu by default

Restart when prompted. On first launch, Ubuntu asks you to create a Linux username and password.

Install a Different Distribution

# List available distributions
wsl --list --online

# Install specific distros
wsl --install -d Debian
wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04
wsl --install -d kali-linux
wsl --install -d openSUSE-Leap-15.5

Basic WSL Commands

# List installed distributions
wsl --list --verbose

# Launch default distro
wsl

# Launch specific distro
wsl -d Ubuntu

# Set default distro
wsl --set-default Ubuntu-22.04

# Shut down all running distros
wsl --shutdown

# Update WSL kernel
wsl --update

# Check WSL version
wsl --version

Access Files Between Windows and Linux

From Linux, access Windows files:

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents
ls /mnt/d/Projects

From Windows, access Linux files: Open File Explorer → type in address bar: \\wsl$\Ubuntu

Or from terminal:

explorer.exe .  # Opens current Linux directory in File Explorer

Copy files:

# Linux to Windows
cp ~/script.sh /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Desktop/

# Windows to Linux
cp /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Downloads/file.zip ~/

Performance: Keep Files in Linux Filesystem

File operations on /mnt/c/ (Windows filesystem) are significantly slower than native Linux filesystem (~/). For development:

Store project files in ~/projects/ not /mnt/c/Users/...
Build, compile, run in Linux filesystem
Open with VS Code via code . from Linux terminal

Set Up WSL for Development

# Update packages (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install common tools
sudo apt install -y git curl wget build-essential

# Install Node.js via nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install --lts

# Install Python tools
sudo apt install -y python3-pip python3-venv

# Install Docker (works with Docker Desktop on Windows)
sudo apt install -y docker.io

VS Code + WSL Integration

Install the WSL extension in VS Code. Then from any Linux terminal:

code .  # Opens current directory in VS Code with WSL backend

VS Code runs in Windows but executes everything (terminal, extensions, debugger) inside WSL. No configuration needed.

WSL Config File

Create ~/.wslconfig on Windows (not inside WSL) at C:\Users\YourName\.wslconfig:

[wsl2]
memory=4GB          # Limit RAM usage
processors=2        # Limit CPU cores
swap=2GB            # Swap file size
localhostForwarding=true  # Forward ports to Windows localhost

Apply: wsl --shutdown then restart.

Export and Import Distributions

# Backup a distro
wsl --export Ubuntu "D:\Backup\ubuntu-backup.tar"

# Restore on another PC
wsl --import Ubuntu "C:\WSL\Ubuntu" "D:\Backup\ubuntu-backup.tar"

# Unregister (delete) a distro
wsl --unregister Ubuntu

Troubleshooting

"WSL 2 requires an update to its kernel component":

wsl --update

Distro won't start:

wsl --shutdown
wsl

Slow network in WSL: Add to /etc/wsl.conf inside WSL:

[network]
generateResolvConf = false

Then set DNS manually: echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf

Summary

wsl --install → restart → done. Store project files in the Linux filesystem (~/) for best performance. Use VS Code with the WSL extension for a seamless development experience. Configure memory and CPU limits in .wslconfig if WSL uses too many resources.