Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) using Command Prompt & PowerShell

It brings Linux compatibility to Windows offering a powerful development environment

Enable WSL 2 using CMD & PowerShell: If you running Windows 11, to run a different environment like a Linux Distro, usually one will have to depend on third-party applications like VirtualBox, etc. However, Windows offers Native applications like Hypervisor Platform which supports Virtual Environment. Additionally, Windows provides Windows Subsystem for Linux, a feature that allows user to download and install Linux Distributions like Ubuntu hassle-free on the Windows OS itself. This latest article will guide you through the steps on How to Enable WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) on Windows 11 using the Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell (CLI Method). We also have covered an article that explains How to enable WSL 2 using Windows Features (GUI Method). Let’s get started.

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) availability on various Windows Editions

Windows EditionsAvailability
Windows ServersYes
Windows 11 HomeYes
Windows 11 ProfessionalYes
Windows 11 EducationYes
Windows 11 EnterpriseYes
Windows 11 Pro EducationYes
Windows 11 SENo
Windows 11 IoT EnterpriseNo

Easy way to Enable WSL 2 via the Command Prompt (CMD)

This section will provide the step by step explanation on How to Enable this feature using the CMD.

Run Command Prompt as Administrator
Run Command Prompt as Administrator
WSL 2 Enable Command via CMD
WSL 2 Enable Command via CMD
The System is enabling WSL 2
The System is enabling WSL 2
Operation Completed Successfully
Operation Completed Successfully
Command to Enable Virtual Machine Platform using Command Prompt
Command to Enable Virtual Machine Platform using Command Prompt
Virtual Machine Platform Enabled Successfully
Virtual Machine Platform Enabled Successfully
Install your desired Linux Distribution as a WSL App
Install your desired Linux Distribution as a WSL App

Decoding WSL 2 CMD Command

Decoding WSL 2 Enable CMD Command
Decoding WSL 2 Enable CMD Command

Quick Way to Enable WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux 2) using Windows PowerShell

In this section, we will check out How to Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 via the Windows PowerShell.

Run PowerShell as Administrator
Run PowerShell as Administrator
Command to enable WSL 2 using Windows PowerShell
Command to enable WSL 2 using Windows PowerShell
WSL 2 Enabled via PowerShell
WSL 2 Enabled via PowerShell
PowerShell command to enable Windows Virtual Machine Platform
PowerShell command to enable Windows Virtual Machine Platform
Virtual Machine Platform Enabled via Windows PowerShell
Virtual Machine Platform Enabled via Windows PowerShell

Information on the Go!

If you want to use WSL 2 which offers a full Linux kernel and better performance, you can use the following command in the PowerShell. wsl --set-default-version 2

Let’s Decode WSL2 Enable PowerShell Command

Decoding WSL 2 Enable Windows PowerShell Command
Decoding WSL 2 Enable Windows PowerShell Command

Video Walkthrough to Enable WSL 2 on Windows 11 using Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell

🚀 How to Enable WSL 2 on Windows 11 using Command Prompt & PowerShell | Windows Subsystem for Linux

Take away

With WSL 2 enabled on Windows 11, you can execute Linux commands, use the package managers like APT, and YUM and even run Linux applications directly in Windows without the need for virtualization software like VirtualBox or VMware. Additionally, setting WSL 2 as the default version ensures that you get the most optimized performance from your Linux distributions on Windows environment. If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comment section. For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!

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