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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallTo run Linux containers from Windows, install and update WSL 2, install Docker Desktop for Windows, enable its WSL 2 engine, and turn on integration for your Linux distribution. Then run Docker commands in that distribution’s terminal. WSL provides the Linux kernel and distribution environment; Docker Desktop provides the integrated container backend and Windows-side connection.
What WSL 2 and Docker Desktop each do
WSL 2 runs a Linux environment on Windows using a Microsoft-provided Linux kernel. Docker Desktop connects that environment to the engine that runs Linux containers. Linux containers cannot run directly on the Windows kernel because containers share a kernel with their host; as Microsoft explains, virtualization is needed to run Linux containers on Windows.
For the Windows getting-started setup, use Docker Desktop’s WSL 2 backend rather than installing a separate Docker Engine inside the distribution. Docker warns that a separately installed engine or CLI can conflict with Docker Desktop’s integration.
Check prerequisites and install WSL
Docker’s current WSL guidance requires WSL 2.1.5 or later and recommends the latest WSL version. You also need to meet Docker Desktop for Windows’ system requirements. Microsoft’s wsl --install setup flow supports Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later, and Windows 11.
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Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as an administrator and run
wsl --install. Microsoft’s flow enables the WSL and Virtual Machine Platform components, installs the latest Linux kernel, sets WSL 2 as the default, and installs Ubuntu. Restart Windows if prompted. -
To install a different available distribution, use
wsl --list --onlineto see the choices, thenwsl --install -d <DistributionName>, replacing the example with the distribution’s listed name. -
Start the distribution from the Start menu or by running
wsl. Complete its first-run setup, including creating a Linux username and password.
Docker recommends removing any Docker Engine or Docker CLI installed directly inside a WSL distribution before using Docker Desktop integration. Keeping both setups in the same distribution can cause conflicts.
Install Docker Desktop and enable its WSL 2 engine
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Download and install Docker Desktop for Windows, then start Docker Desktop.
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Open Settings > General, select Use WSL 2 based engine, and choose Apply & Restart.
On systems that support WSL 2, Docker says this option is enabled by default and may not appear in Settings.
Enable your distribution’s Docker integration
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In Windows, check your installed distributions and their WSL versions with
wsl.exe -l -v.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
If your chosen distribution shows version 1, convert it by running
wsl.exe --set-version <distribution name> 2, using the name exactly as shown in the list. To make WSL 2 the default for future installations, runwsl.exe --set-default-version 2. -
In Docker Desktop, open Settings > Resources > WSL Integration and enable the switch for your distribution. Docker integrates Ubuntu by default unless you change the selected distribution.
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If WSL Integration is missing, Docker Desktop may be in Windows-container mode. Switch it to Linux containers; WSL integration is for the Linux-container workflow.
Run your first Linux container from WSL
Open a terminal for the distribution you enabled and run these standard Docker CLI commands:
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Check that the Docker client can reach the engine:
docker version. The output should include both client and server information. -
Download the small test image:
docker pull hello-world. -
Run it and remove the stopped container afterward:
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These commands are illustrative examples of normal Docker CLI usage; they are not a claim that a particular machine was tested.
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Choose where to keep project files
For projects that Docker bind-mounts into Linux containers, Docker recommends storing source code and related active development data in the Linux filesystem—for example, under your distribution’s home directory. This generally offers better bind-mount performance than working from Windows-mounted paths.
Windows files remain accessible through mounted paths in WSL when needed. The practical distinction is where the project lives: keep frequently mounted and watched files in the Linux filesystem when performance matters; use Windows-mounted files where that location is more useful, allowing for possible differences in bind-mount and file-watching performance.
Use VS Code with a WSL project
You can work from the WSL shell and keep VS Code as your editor interface. Docker’s suggested workflow is to enable the distribution’s integration, open a WSL shell, move to the project directory, and run code .. With Microsoft’s WSL extension, the VS Code client stays on Windows while its remote server runs inside the Linux distribution.
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The distribution is still WSL 1: Run
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dockercommands fail in the WSL terminal: Confirm Docker Desktop is running and that the distribution is enabled under Settings > Resources > WSL Integration. -
There is no WSL Integration setting: Check whether Docker Desktop is using Windows containers, then switch to Linux containers.
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Docker behaves inconsistently in the distribution: Remove a separately installed Docker Engine or CLI there; Docker Desktop’s integrated setup can conflict with those installations.
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Bind mounts or file watching are slow: Move the active project into the Linux filesystem rather than keeping it under a Windows-mounted path.
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How the setup choices compare
| Choice | What it means | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Docker Desktop with WSL 2 integration | Docker Desktop supplies the integrated backend and connects enabled WSL distributions to it. | Docker’s documented Windows getting-started path for Linux containers. |
| Separately managed Docker Engine inside WSL | The distribution has its own Docker installation instead of relying on Desktop’s integration. | A distinct setup to manage separately; Docker warns it can conflict with Docker Desktop integration in the same distribution. |
| Project in the Linux filesystem | Source files reside within the WSL distribution. | Docker recommends this for bind-mounted development data and performance. |
| Project in a Windows-mounted path | Source files reside on Windows and are accessed from WSL through a mounted path. | Useful when Windows-side access is needed, with potentially different bind-mount performance. |
| WSL terminal only | Run Docker commands and use shell tools directly in the distribution. | A command-line development workflow. |
| VS Code connected to WSL | Use the Windows VS Code client with its remote server in the Linux distribution. | Editor workflow that operates on files and tools inside WSL. |
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