How to install WSL on Windows 11

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Although on Windows 11, the installation of the Windows Subsystem for Linux is not a difficult process, it takes a lot of steps, even more, if you also want to set WSL (WSL2) as the default. However, on Windows 11, Microsoft simplifying the installation process to reduce the steps to only one command that enables the WSL components, virtual machine platform, and prompt you to restart.

In addition, the command will also install the latest Ubuntu distro by default. If you prefer another distribution of Linux, there is an option to add in the command to select another distro install. Alongside the new quick and easy process, there’s a new command to make it easier to update the kernel with only one command.

In this guide, you will learn the easy steps to install the WSL platform on your device. In addition, we will outline the steps to update the Linux kernel on Windows 11.

Install WSL on Windows 11

To quickly install WSL using Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to install the WSL on Windows 11 and press Enter:

   wsl --install

   

   Windows 11 install WSL

4. Restart your computer.

5. Continue with the Linux distro setup as necessary.

Once you complete the steps, the required Linux components will install automatically on Windows 11 as well as the latest version of the Ubuntu Linux distribution.

Install WSL with specific distro on Windows 11

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If you prefer another flavor of Linux, the WSL2 command includes an option to view and select a different distro.

To install WSL with a specific distro on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to view a list of available distros and press Enter:

   wsl --list --online

   Quick note: At the time of this writing, you can install Ubuntu, Debian, Kali Linux, openSUSE, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

4. Type the following command to install the WSL with a specific distro on Windows 11 and press Enter:

   wsl --install -d DISTRO-NAME

   

   Windows 11 install WSL specific distro

   In the command remember to replace “DISTRO-NAME” for the name of the distro you want to install, such as Debian.

5. Restart your computer.

6. Continue with the Linux distro setup as necessary.

After you complete the steps, the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 components will install along with the distro of Linux you specified. 

Update WSL kernel on Windows 11

To update the WSL kernel to the latest version using Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to update the WSL kernel on Windows 11 and press Enter:

   wsl --update

   

   Windows 11 WSL update command

Once you complete the steps, if an update is available, then it will download and install on your computer.

Watch also the setup process in this video tutorial.