One of the significant breakthroughs in the world of operating systems is the ability to run Linux on Windows. With Windows 11, this has been made even easier. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to install Linux on Windows 11 using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
Step 1: Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux
The first step is to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature. This can be done using the Windows PowerShell. To access it, you can simply go to the Start menu, type ‘PowerShell’ in the search bar, then run it as an administrator.
Once you have the PowerShell window open, you can enable the WSL feature by typing the following command:
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<p>wsl --install</p>
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Windows will then search for and install the necessary updates. This process may require a restart, so ensure that you save any ongoing work.
Step 2: Install a Linux Distribution
Once you have WSL enabled, you can proceed to install a Linux distribution. The Microsoft Store offers several distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. Select the one you prefer and click on the ‘Get’ or ‘Install’ button. The Linux distribution will be downloaded and installed automatically.
Step 3: Set Up Your Linux Distribution
After installing your preferred Linux distribution, you need to set it up for first-time use. Launch the Linux distribution and follow the prompt to set up a new user account (username and password) and other settings.
Step 4: Launch and Use Linux
With everything set up, you can start using Linux on your Windows 11 system. You can access your Linux distribution from the Start menu just like any other app. The Linux terminal will open, and you can start running Linux commands.
For example, to check the version of the installed Linux, you can use the following command:
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<p>lsb_release -a</p>
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And there you go! You now have Linux installed on your Windows 11 computer.
Please remember that while WSL allows you to run Linux applications on Windows, it’s not perfect. Some applications may not work correctly or suffer from reduced performance. However, for most developers and power users, WSL is a powerful tool that blends the capabilities of Windows and Linux seamlessly.
