As you know, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a great solution for Microsoft’s users and developers to natively work within Linux right on their Windows desktops. It is a compatibility layer for running Linux binaries in Windows environment.
Related: Windows Subsystem for Linux Explained, WSL & WSL2
Now Microsoft has released a preview version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 devices. So far, WSL has been an optional feature for Windows 10 and 11, which you can install through the Settings app.
Announced via a Microsoft blog post, WSL is now available as a preview in the new Microsoft Store on Windows 11.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) preview is now available in the Microsoft Store as a store application for Windows 11 machines! Installing WSL through the store will allow you to get the latest WSL updates and features faster, and without needing to modify your Windows version.
What does this actually mean? Above all, this means you won’t need to install major, potentially disruptive Windows updates just to take advantage of new WSL additions. In addition, now you can directly download and install WSL from the Microsoft Store, without going to Control Panel and setting up WSL as optional component via Turn Windows Features area.
This new WSL release already includes a few new features such as an updated Linux kernel to version 5.10.60.1, and WSLg being bundled in. For your information, with WSLg (Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI) you can launch Linux GUI apps by utilizing the Wayland server to display the apps.
To install and use WSL from the Microsoft Store, users need to be running Windows 11 build 22000 or higher. In addition, there is still one pre-requisite to installing WSL this way, and that’s ensuring you have virtual machines enabled on your PC.
