Windows Subsystem for Linux Goes Out of Preview On the Microsoft Store

The Windows Subsystem for Linux has just dropped its “preview” label on the Microsoft Store. The release of the version 1.0 of the Windows Subsystem for Linux on the Microsoft Store this week means that it’s now generally available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users.

As explained by Microsoft yesterday, the Microsoft Store version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux is now considered the default experience. Previously, the Windows Subsystem for Linux could be installed as an optional Windows component, but the new Store version will receive new updates much faster.

With the Store version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux, WSL 2 is now the default distro type. Compared to WSL 1 distros, WSL 2 distros have faster file system performance and use a real Linux kernel, though they do require virtualization. As Microsoft explained, it’s not dropping support for WSL 1 distros, but you’ll need to install the “Windows Subsystem for Linux” optional Windows component to run them on your PC.

For Windows 10 users, the Store version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux brings support for Linux GUI apps, a feature that was previously only available for Windows 11 users. You will need to be running Windows 10 version 21H1, 21H2, or 22H2 with all updates applied to use the new Store version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

“With this update our goal is to simplify our versioning story. Since WSL 2 is the default distro type, and the Store version of WSL is the default install location, you can just say: WSL is an app in the Microsoft Store that lets you run actual Linux that integrates directly into Windows,” explained Craig Loewen Program Manager II, Windows Developer Platform. You can learn more details about what’s new in the Store version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux on the release notes pages on GitHub.