---
title: "Install WSL on Windows 11 with wsl --install"
canonical: https://saasranked.com/guides/install-wsl/
applies_to: Windows 11, Windows 10, version 2004 (Build 19041) or later
checked: 2026-09-02 (against Microsoft's documentation)
updated: 2026-09-02
---

# Install WSL on Windows 11 with wsl --install

- wsl --install needs Windows 10 version 2004 and higher (Build 19041 and higher) or Windows 11 [1].
- The command enables the WSL and Virtual Machine Platform components, installs the latest Linux kernel, sets WSL 2 as the default and installs Ubuntu [2].
- New Linux installations made with wsl --install use WSL 2 by default [1].
- Your Linux user name and password are separate from your Windows account, and that user can run sudo commands [2].
- Windows does not update your Linux distribution for you. On Ubuntu or Debian, run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade [2].

To install the Windows Subsystem for Linux, open PowerShell as administrator, run wsl --install, then restart your PC [1]. The command turns on the features WSL needs and installs Ubuntu [1]. To pick another distribution, list them with wsl.exe --list --online and install one with wsl.exe --install -d [Distro] [1]. Check versions with wsl.exe --list --verbose [1].

## Before you start

You need Windows 10 version 2004 and higher (Build 19041 and higher) or Windows 11. On older versions, Microsoft points to its manual install steps [1].

The install needs PowerShell running as administrator, and you must restart the PC [1]. WSL 2 also needs virtualization turned on in your PC's BIOS and a CPU that supports Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) [3].

The `wsl --install` command only works if WSL is not installed at all [1].

## Steps

1. **Open PowerShell as administrator.** Right-click PowerShell and select **Run as administrator** [1].
2. **See the available distributions (optional).** Run this command to list the Linux distributions you can download [1]:

    ```powershell
    wsl.exe --list --online
    ```

3. **Install WSL.** Run the install command. It enables the features WSL needs and installs the Ubuntu distribution [1]:

    ```powershell
    wsl --install
    ```

    To install a different distribution, use the `-d` flag and replace `[Distro]` with its name [1]:

    ```powershell
    wsl.exe --install -d [Distro]
    ```

4. **Restart your PC.** Restart to finish the installation [1].
5. **Open your distribution.** Open it from the Start menu, for example "Ubuntu". The first launch asks you to wait while files decompress. Later launches take less than a second [1].
6. **Create your Linux user.** Enter a **User Name** and **Password**. Nothing appears on screen while you type the password, and this is normal [2].
7. **Update your packages.** Windows does not update your Linux distribution for you. On Ubuntu or Debian, run [2]:

    ```bash
    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
    ```

## Check it worked

List your installed distributions and the WSL version each one uses [1]:

```powershell
wsl.exe --list --verbose
```

New installations made with `wsl --install` use WSL 2 [1]. To move a distribution to the other version, replace `<Distro>` with its name and pick 1 or 2 [1]:

```powershell
wsl.exe --set-version <Distro> <1|2>
```

## Common problems

**`wsl --install` only shows the WSL help text.** WSL is already installed. Run `wsl --list --online` to see the distributions, then `wsl --install -d <DistroName>` to install one [1].

**The install hangs at 0.0%.** Download the distribution before installing it [1]:

```powershell
wsl --install --web-download -d <DistroName>
```

**"Error: 0x80370102 The virtual machine could not be started because a required feature is not installed."** Enable the **Virtual Machine Platform** Windows feature and make sure virtualization is enabled in the BIOS. Your PC maker's guidance explains the BIOS step. Restart the PC afterwards [3].

**"Installation failed with error 0x80070003".** WSL only runs on your system drive, usually `C:`. On Windows 11, open **Settings** > **System** > **Storage** > **Advanced storage settings** > **Where new content is saved** and choose the system drive [3]. This error can also mean virtualization is off in the BIOS [3].

**"The term 'wsl' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program."** Make sure the Windows Subsystem for Linux optional component is installed. On an ARM64 device, run `wsl.exe` from PowerShell Core or Command Prompt instead [3].

## Questions

**Which Linux distribution does wsl --install add?** Ubuntu, by default. Use the -d flag to install a different one, and run wsl.exe --list --online to see what is available [1].

**How do I check if I'm on WSL 1 or WSL 2?** Run wsl -l -v. To switch a distribution, run wsl.exe --set-version <Distro> <1|2>, for example wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2 [1].

**I forgot my Linux password. How do I reset it?** Open PowerShell and run wsl -u root. Then run passwd <username>, enter a new password and confirm it. Close WSL with exit [2].

**How do I update WSL itself?** Run wsl.exe --update in PowerShell [3].

## Sources

1. [Install WSL](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-02
2. [Set up a WSL development environment](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/setup/environment), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-02
3. [Troubleshooting Windows Subsystem for Linux](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/troubleshooting), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-02

Checked against Microsoft's documentation on 2 Sept 2026.