Windows Subsystem for Linux and Microsoft Store Availability

• The Windows Subsystem for Linux version 2 (WSL2) is generally available from the Microsoft Store.
• Availability from the Store could ease updating and improve install performance.
• The WSL is a rare example of a Windows feature being improved for Windows 10.

The Windows Subsystem for Linux version 2 (WSL2) reached general availability in Nov. 2022. It is now available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 from the Microsoft Store.

The newer WSL2 architecture is now the default and preferred version of the subsystem for Linux. This version, also known as the Store Version, is preferred because it uses a Linux distribution’s kernel, rather than an emulation by Windows, and offers faster performance. Microsoft indicates that updating the WSL from the Microsoft Store should mean faster installs. Additionally, making WSL2 available from the Microsoft Store decouples the service from the Windows client OS and its annual servicing via the General Availability Channel.

The availability of WSL2 for Windows 10 gives the users of that OS access to the latest Subsystem for Linux and Linux graphical user interface (GUI) app support. As illustrated with Windows 10 22H2, Microsoft is not making many new or updated Windows features available for Windows 10. However, the Subsystem for Linux is key to Microsoft’s cloud strategy because it attracts Linux developers to the Azure platform where many VMs run Linux rather than Windows; thus bringing WSL2 to Windows 10 is strategically important for Microsoft.