Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Table of Contents

  1. Initial setup
  2. Reinstalling Ubuntu

Initial setup

Click Start, search for features and select "Turn Windows features on or off". Tick "Windows Subsystem for Linux" and click OK. Reboot.

Install the Fira Code font - download and copy the ttf/*.ttf files to C:\Windows\Fonts.

Install Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store.

Install Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store. Run it, wait while it completes setup, set a username and password when prompted, then quit.

Disable WSLg by putting this in c:\Users\<Username>\.wslconfig (source):

[wsl2]
guiApplications=false

Install VcXsrv, then run XLaunch from the Start Menu. Accept the default settings except untick "Primary Selection". Save the configuration into the shell:startup folder so it's started automatically.

Launch Windows Terminal from the start menu, click the tab dropdown menu, then Ubuntu.

Reinstalling Ubuntu

Close WSL. Open a Command Prompt tab (or PowerShell) and run wsl --unregister Ubuntu, then re-launch Ubuntu from the Start Menu. It will take a few minutes to reinstall.