The WSL kernel in Windows 11 lets you install and run Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Kali Linux without dual-booting. To make sure the installed Linux distributions run smoothly, you need to keep the WSL kernel up to date. Generally, Windows 11 automatically updates the WSL kernel via Windows Updates. However, there might be situations where the WSL kernel is out of date. In those cases, you can check for any available updates and manually update the WSL kernel if needed. All it takes is executing a single command.
In this quick and easy guide, I will show you the steps to check the current version of WSL and how to update WSL to the latest version. Let’s get started.
Before You Start
- Administrator rights are required to update WSL.
Steps to Manually Update WSL Kernel in Windows 11
- Right-click the “Windows” icon on the taskbar.
- Select the “Terminal (Admin)” option.
- Run the
wls --updatecommand. - This command checks for newer versions and updates WSL.
- Close the terminal window.
- With that, you’ve updated the WSL kernel in Windows 11.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, we must open the Terminal with admin rights. To do that, right-click on the “Windows” icon on the taskbar or press the “Windows key + X” keyboard shortcut to open the power user menu. Select the “Terminal (Admin)” option.
Once the terminal window opens, optionally, check the installed WSL kernel version. To do that, run the following command. It displays the WSL version and Kernel version next to their respective headings.
wsl --version
Next, run the following command. Windows will check for available WSL kernel update and install it automatically.
wsl --update
Once the WSL update is complete, you can run the wsl --version command again to verify the current version.
Close the Terminal window by clicking the “X” icon on the title bar, and you are done.
That is all. It is that simple to update the WSL kernel in Windows 11. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
