Microsoft has turned the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) into a Windows 11 app that you can easily download and install from the Microsoft Store. A preview version of the app is currently available, allowing Windows 11 users to install Windows Subsystem for Linux without having to navigate to add / delete applications and choose WSL as an optional mailbox component for Windows.
This standalone app will now be supported by the store, allowing Microsoft to update WSL independently of Windows, allowing WSL customers to “receive the newest WSL upgrades and features faster, and without needing to modify your Windows version.” While there are no significant modifications in this Store app version as of yet, it does hint that future upgrades will be available without the need to wait for a larger Windows release or update.
Last year, Microsoft launched Linux GUI apps on Windows 10 for developers, and in the future, features like this will be accessible instantly in the Microsoft Store. However, it looks that this WSL Microsoft Store app will only operate on Windows 11. Microsoft did not mention Windows 10 in its blog post, implying that you must update to use the Microsoft Store app. It’s especially exciting for Windows 11 users, primarily those in enterprise environments, where getting the latest Windows versions can take a little longer.
