Basic WSL Commands: A Practical Cheat Sheet for Windows Developers

Using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is great, until you forget the exact wsl command you need. Then you end up searching docs, clicking around, and losing focus.
This guide collects the most useful basic WSL commands in one place so you can install, manage, and debug your Linux distributions on Windows without drama.
If you work in software development, DevOps, or any backend-heavy industry, these WSL commands will help you get a more stable, faster, and easier-to-control workflow on your Windows machine.

Getting Started: Installing WSL

When you’re on a fresh Windows machine and just want “Linux, now”, start here:

bash
wsl --install

What it does:

• Installs WSL

• Installs a default Linux distribution (usually Ubuntu)

• Sets up the basics so you can run Linux commands from Windows

If you want a specific distribution from the start:

bash
wsl --install

For example:

bash
wsl --install Debian

Useful options when running wsl --install:

• --distribution <Name> – install a specific Linux distribution.

• --no-launch – install, but don’t open the distro right away.

• --web-download – install from an online source instead of the Microsoft Store.

When WSL is not installed yet, you also have some extra switches:

• --inbox – install WSL via Windows components instead of the Store.

• --enable-wsl1 – enable WSL 1 support during install.

• --no-distribution – install the WSL platform, but no Linux distro yet.

On some older Windows 10 builds, you may need:

bash
wsl --install -d

Same thing, just more explicit.

Seeing What’s Installed

Once you’ve installed WSL, you’ll usually want to know:

• What can I install?

• What did I already install?

• What’s running right now?

List Available Linux Distributions

bash
wsl --list --online

Short form:

bash
wsl -l -o

This shows all Linux distributions available online for WSL.

List Installed Linux Distributions

bash
wsl --list --verbose

Short form:

bash
wsl -l -v

You’ll see:

• Name of each installed distro

• Whether it’s Running or Stopped

• Which version it uses: WSL 1 or WSL 2

Extra filters:

• --all – show all distros

• --running – show only running ones

• --quiet – show only names (no extra info)

Choosing Between WSL 1 and WSL 2

WSL has two main versions:

• WSL 1 – simpler architecture, closer to the old days, sometimes better for Windows file performance

• WSL 2 – real Linux kernel in a lightweight VM, usually better compatibility and performance for Linux tools

Set WSL Version for a Specific Distro

bash
wsl --set-version

Example:

bash
wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2

That will convert Ubuntu to WSL 2.

Note: Switching between WSL 1 and WSL 2 can be slow, especially for big projects. Always back up important files before converting.

Set the Default WSL Version for New Installs

bash
wsl --set-default-version

Example:

bash
wsl --set-default-version 2

From now on, any newly installed distro will use that version by default.

Setting Default Distro and User

Set the Default Linux Distribution

If you type just wsl with no arguments, Windows will use your default distro. To set it:

bash
wsl --set-default

Example:

bash
wsl --set-default Ubuntu

Now wsl will drop you into Ubuntu.

Start WSL in Your Home Directory

From PowerShell or CMD:

bash
wsl ~

That ~ means “user home”.
Inside a WSL shell, you can always jump back home with:

bash
cd ~

Run a Specific Distro as a Specific User

bash
wsl --distribution --user

Example:

bash
wsl --distribution Debian --user root

If the user doesn’t exist inside that distro, WSL will complain. You can check the current user with:

bash
whoami

Run WSL as a Specific User (Default Distro)

bash
wsl --user

This uses your default distro, but switches to the user you specify.

Changing the Default User Inside a Distro

This part is easy to forget and then you end up logging in as root forever.

Run from Windows (PowerShell or CMD):

bash
config --default-user

Example:

bash
ubuntu config --default-user johndoe

Next time Ubuntu launches, it logs in as johndoe by default.

If you forgot the distro name, you can always check:

bash
wsl -l

Note: This config --default-user method doesn’t work for imported distributions (those created from .tar or .vhdx). For those, you need to edit /etc/wsl.conf inside the distro.

Updating and Checking WSL Itself

You don’t want to debug bugs that were already fixed months ago, so keep WSL itself updated.

Update WSL

bash
wsl --update

This pulls the latest WSL version available for your system.

Option:

• --web-download – download the latest update directly from the web instead of using the Store.

Check WSL Status

bash
wsl --status

This shows:

• Default WSL version (1 or 2)

• Default distribution

• Kernel version and other basics

Check WSL Version Info

bash
wsl --version

This prints version information about WSL and its components, useful when you’re debugging or working with support.

Help: See All Available Commands

bash
wsl --help

This shows the full list of commands and options supported by your installed WSL version.

Controlling WSL: Shutdown and Terminate

Sometimes WSL gets stuck, or you tweak settings and need a clean restart.

Shut Down All WSL Distros and the VM

bash
wsl --shutdown

This stops:

• All running WSL distributions

• The lightweight WSL 2 utility VM

Use this after changing memory or CPU limits in .wslconfig, or when something feels “off” and you want a clean reset.

Terminate a Specific Distribution

bash
wsl --terminate

Example:

bash
wsl --terminate Ubuntu

This stops only that distro, without touching others.

IP Addresses and Networking

If you run services inside WSL and want to reach them from Windows or from outside, IP details matter.

Useful commands:

• Inside WSL, to get the WSL 2 VM IP:
  
  bash
  wsl hostname -I
  
  

• Inside WSL, to get the Windows host IP (from WSL’s point of view):
  
  bash
  ip route show | grep -i default | awk '{ print $3 }'
  
  

Use these when you’re exposing web apps, APIs, or databases to and from the WSL environment.

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Exporting and Importing Distributions (Backups & Migration)

If you have a “golden” WSL environment or a project setup you never want to lose, you can export it.

Export a Distribution

bash
wsl --export

This saves a snapshot of the distro into a file (tar by default).

Example:

bash
wsl --export Ubuntu ubuntu-backup.tar

Options:

• --vhd – export as a .vhdx virtual disk instead of a .tar (WSL 2 only).

Import a Distribution

You can take an exported distro and import it as a new one.

bash
wsl --import

Example:

bash
wsl --import Ubuntu-Dev D:\WSL\Ubuntu-Dev ubuntu-backup.tar

Options:

• --vhd – import from a .vhdx file instead of a tar.

• --version 1 or --version 2 – control whether the new distro uses WSL 1 or WSL 2.

Import a Distribution In Place (From VHDX)

If you have a .vhdx file formatted as ext4 and want to use it directly:

bash
wsl --import-in-place

The .vhdx becomes a new WSL distribution.

Unregistering / Uninstalling a Distribution

If a Linux distro becomes a mess or you simply don’t need it anymore, you can reset or remove it.

To unregister (and effectively uninstall) a distro:

bash
wsl --unregister

Example:

bash
wsl --unregister Ubuntu

Important:

• This deletes everything inside that distro:

  • Files

  • Settings

  • Installed packages

After this, it’s gone. Installing Ubuntu again will give you a clean, fresh environment.

You can also remove the distribution app from Windows like any other installed app and then reinstall it later from the Store if you want.

Mounting and Unmounting Disks

Sometimes you need WSL to see a physical disk, a USB drive, or a virtual disk directly.

Mount a Disk or Device

bash
wsl --mount

This attaches and mounts a physical disk in all WSL 2 distributions. Replace <DiskPath> with the actual device path.

Common options:

• --vhd – treat <DiskPath> as a virtual hard disk.

• --name <Name> – use a custom name for the mount point.

• --bare – attach the disk but don’t mount it yet.

• --type <Filesystem> – specify filesystem type (defaults to ext4).

• --partition <Number> – mount a specific partition; otherwise, it uses the whole disk.

• --options <MountOptions> – pass filesystem-specific options (like certain ext4 options).

Example of detecting filesystem type inside WSL:

bash
blkid /dev/sdb1

Unmount Disks

bash
wsl --unmount

If you don’t specify a disk path, WSL will unmount and detach all mounted disks.

Deprecated WSL Commands (Just So You Recognize Them)

You might still see these in old blog posts or Stack Overflow answers:

bash
wslconfig.exe [Argument] [Options]
bash [Options]
lxrun /[Argument]

They belong to the early days of WSL. Now, you should use the wsl (or wsl.exe) command instead. If you’re writing scripts today, stick to wsl commands so your setup stays current.

Conclusion

You don’t need to memorize every switch and flag to get real work done with the Windows Subsystem for Linux. With these core WSL commands, you can install, inspect, tweak, back up, and reset your Linux environments on Windows in a way that’s faster, more stable, and much easier to control.

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