Use WSL’s built-in wsl --export and wsl --import commands to back up and restore a Linux distribution. Export creates a tar archive by default; for a WSL 2 distribution, you can also export a VHDX. Keep the backup until you have restored the distribution and confirmed it works—wsl --unregister permanently deletes the original distribution’s data.
Before you begin
Run the commands below in PowerShell or Command Prompt. First, check the distribution’s registered name and WSL version:
wsl --list --verboseUse the name exactly as it appears in the list. Choose a backup destination with enough free space, and create its parent folder first. A removable drive can hold the export if you want to keep it separate from the Windows installation or carry it to another computer. Microsoft notes that a full export-and-import transfer can require substantial disk space; when space is limited, its WSL FAQ describes transferring selected files and reinstalling packages as an alternative, not a complete distribution backup.
Back up the distribution
Export a tar archive
The default export format is tar. Replace Ubuntu with your distribution’s exact name and adjust the destination path:
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wsl --export Ubuntu D:BackupsUbuntu.tarThis creates a snapshot archive at the specified path. The export command and its default format are documented in Microsoft’s WSL basic commands.
Export a VHDX (WSL 2 only)
If the distribution uses WSL 2, you can export its virtual disk instead:
wsl --export Ubuntu D:BackupsUbuntu.vhdx --vhdVHDX export is supported only for WSL 2. Microsoft’s FAQ also documents the --format vhd form; the command reference uses --vhd. Either way, ensure the destination has room for the export.
Check the backup before relying on it
Wait for the export command to finish, then confirm the file exists at the destination and has a plausible nonzero size. For a backup you cannot afford to lose, retain a separate copy until a restore has been tested. Do not unregister or remove the source distribution as part of making a backup.
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Restore a tar archive
Import the archive with a new registered name and a directory where WSL can store the distribution:
wsl --import Ubuntu-Restored D:WSLUbuntu-Restored D:BackupsUbuntu.tar --version 2The arguments are the registered distribution name, installation location, and archive path. The example explicitly selects WSL 2; use --version 1 if that is the intended version, or choose the appropriate version for your setup. The target directory must be suitable for WSL to use as the distribution’s installation location.
After import, check that it is registered and start it:
wsl --list --verbose
wsl -d Ubuntu-RestoredUse the registered name you chose if it differs from the example. Check that your expected files and applications are present before treating the restore as successful.
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Restore a VHDX backup
Import the VHDX into an installation location
To import a VHDX backup under a chosen name and location, use:
wsl --import Ubuntu-Restored D:WSLUbuntu-Restored D:BackupsUbuntu.vhdx --vhdThis is the VHD import form shown in Microsoft’s WSL FAQ. VHD export and import are WSL 2 options.
Register a VHDX at its existing location
If the VHDX is already in the directory where you intend to keep it, register it in place:
wsl --import-in-place Ubuntu-Restored D:BackupsUbuntu.vhdxThe in-place import requires an ext4 filesystem. Microsoft’s WSL disk-space guidance describes WSL 2 distributions as using ext4 virtual hard disks stored as VHDX files. Because the distribution is registered from the disk’s current path, leave the file there if you want WSL to continue using it.
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Move a distribution to another drive
For a move, first export a WSL 2 distribution as VHDX. Only remove the original after confirming the export completed and the backup file is present. Then unregister the original and import the VHDX in place from its permanent location on the destination drive:
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Export the distribution:
wsl --export Ubuntu D:BackupsUbuntu.vhdx --vhd. -
Verify that the export completed and the VHDX is present. Keep another copy if you need protection against a failed move.
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After verification, unregister the original:
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Move or copy the VHDX to the desired permanent location, then register it:
wsl --import-in-place Ubuntu D:WSLUbuntuUbuntu.vhdx. -
Check the registered distribution with
wsl --list --verbose, start it, and confirm its contents are usable.
Microsoft warns that unregistering permanently removes all data, settings, and software associated with that distribution. Do not run the unregister command before verifying the export; keep an independent copy until the moved distribution has been checked.
Quick Recap
Choose the right format
| Need | Documented option | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
| A conventional archive for backup or restore | Export to tar, then use wsl --import |
Import requires a registered name and installation location; specify the intended WSL version. |
| A WSL 2 virtual-disk backup or transfer | Export to VHDX, then import with --vhd |
VHD export and import require WSL 2. |
| Register a VHDX directly from its final location | wsl --import-in-place |
The disk must use ext4; keep it at the path from which it is registered. |
| Transfer only selected files when storage is limited | Transfer files in Linux and reinstall packages, as described in Microsoft’s WSL FAQ | This is not a complete export of the distribution. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the wrong distribution name: Check
wsl --list --verbosebefore exporting or unregistering. - Importing to a folder that does not exist: Create the intended parent directory before running the import command.
- Assuming VHDX works with WSL 1: VHDX export and import are for WSL 2; use tar if you need the archive route.
- Unregistering before verifying the export: Unregistering is destructive, not a way to safely test a backup.
- Moving an in-place VHDX after registration: Keep it at the registered path or register it again from its new location.
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