Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) Quick Reference

This page provides quick-access cheat sheets for WSL installation and setup.

Note: This is not an exhaustive guide—just a concise reference for commonly used commands.

1. What is WSL

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) allows us to run a Linux environment directly on Windows without needing a virtual machine or dual boot.
It lets you install and use Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu) alongside Windows tools, making it easy to run Linux commands, develop software, and manage files.
This document is a quick reference of commands for installing and setting up WSL using Windows PowerShell.

WSL is lightweight and starts quickly, unlike traditional virtual machines (e.g., VMware or VirtualBox), which are more resource-heavy.
Communication between Linux and Windows is much simpler in WSL (e.g., easy file access and command execution), compared to typical VM setups where integration can be more complex.
WSL integrates well with Windows, allowing seamless switching between environments.
We can install multiple WSL distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, custom ones, etc.); They run independently (each has its own filesystem, packages, users, etc.); They are lightweight compared to full VMs, so running many is usually feasible.

When doing kernel-level development or modifications, since WSL does not provide full control over the Linux kernel.
When you need full system virtualization (e.g., testing different OS kernels, custom drivers, or low-level system behavior).
When running GUI-heavy Linux desktop environments or applications that require full GPU/driver control (a full VM may be more suitable depending on the use case).
When strict isolation is required (e.g., security testing or sandboxing), where a full virtual machine is safer.

Set WSL 2 as default (recommended):

wsl --set-default-version 2

Description	Command / Method
Install WSL with default distro	`wsl --install`
Install a specific distro (PowerShell)	`wsl --install -d Ubuntu-20.04`
Install another distro (PowerShell)	`wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04`
Install another distro (PowerShell)	`wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04`
Install distro with custom name	`wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04 --name u24-mdc`
Start (launch) a distribution	wsl -d
Install distro via Microsoft Store	Open Store → search distro → Click Get / Install

Description	Command
List all installed distros (detailed: state + version)	`wsl -l -v`
List all installed distros (simple)	`wsl -l`
Launch a specific distro	`wsl -d Ubuntu-22.04`
Run a command in a specific distro	`wsl -d Ubuntu-22.04 ls -la`
Shut down all running distros	`wsl --shutdown`
Terminate a specific distro	`wsl --terminate Ubuntu-20.04`
Set default distro	`wsl --set-default Ubuntu-24.04`
Set default distro (custom name)	`wsl --set-default u24-mdc`
Set WSL version for a distro (1 or 2)	`wsl --set-version Ubuntu-22.04 2`
Set default WSL version for new installs	`wsl --set-default-version 2`
Show WSL status	`wsl --status`
Export a distro to a backup file	`wsl --export Ubuntu-22.04 backup.tar`
Import a distro from a backup	`wsl --import NewDistro C:\WSL\NewDistro backup.tar`
Unregister (delete) a distro ⚠️	`wsl --unregister Ubuntu-20.04`