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Windows drives normally appear in WSL under /mnt, so C:UsersnameDocuments is usually /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents. In the other direction, open a Linux distribution in File Explorer with a UNC path such as \wsl$Ubuntuhomenameproject or \wsl.localhostUbuntuhomenameproject. From a WSL prompt, explorer.exe . opens the current Linux directory in Explorer.
The exact result depends on your distribution name, whether WSL is running, automount settings, and which side owns the file permissions. The sections below show both directions, path conversion, project-location choices, permissions, and fixes for paths that do not resolve.
Access Windows files from a WSL shell
With the default WSL automount configuration, fixed Windows drives are mounted below /mnt. The drive letter becomes a lowercase directory name. This is a path translation, not a copy: the files remain on the Windows volume and WSL accesses them through the mounted filesystem.
| Windows location | Typical WSL path | Example command |
|---|---|---|
C:UsersnameDocuments |
/mnt/c/Users/name/Documents |
cd /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents |
D:projects |
/mnt/d/projects |
ls /mnt/d/projects |
E:mediaphotos |
/mnt/e/media/photos |
find /mnt/e/media/photos -maxdepth 1 |
Navigate to a Windows folder
- Start your WSL distribution.
- Change to the mounted drive, for example
cd /mnt/c. - Continue through the Windows directory tree, such as
cd /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents. - Use normal Linux commands such as
ls,cp,mv,grep, or your build tool against those files.
Linux paths use forward slashes even though the original Windows path uses backslashes. Directory names retain their Windows spelling, including spaces and capitalization. Quote a path containing spaces, for example cd "/mnt/c/Program Files". Quoting is also a good habit when a directory name contains shell metacharacters.
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To check each level as you go, run ls /mnt, then ls /mnt/c, and continue with the next directory. This makes it easier to distinguish a mistyped folder from a drive that was never mounted. A path beginning with /mnt/c is valid only if the C: volume is actually available and mounted in that distribution.
Open a Windows file in its Windows application
Once you are in a mounted directory, you can invoke a Windows executable by adding .exe to its command name when that executable is available in your Windows path. For simply browsing the location, run explorer.exe .; the dot means “the directory I am currently in.” This opens that same folder in Windows File Explorer.
The command works from either a Linux directory such as /home/name/project or a mounted Windows directory such as /mnt/c/Users/name/project. Explorer displays the corresponding Windows view, while the shell remains in the original WSL working directory. If you want a different location, pass that directory explicitly, for example explorer.exe /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents.
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/mnt/c, /mnt/d, and similar directories are the defaults, not an unchangeable rule. Microsoft documents [automount] with enabled=true and root=/mnt/ as the normal settings in /etc/wsl.conf. An administrator may disable automount, change the root, or use manual mounts. Check the distribution’s /etc/wsl.conf when the expected drive is absent, then look for the drive under the configured mount root or at the manually selected mount point.
Automount settings belong to the individual distribution. A change made in one distribution does not necessarily change another one. After editing the configuration, restart the distribution before testing; the existing session may still use the old mount state. If Windows itself cannot see the volume, WSL cannot expose it through the normal drive mount either.
Access Linux files from Windows and File Explorer
WSL exposes each registered distribution through a Windows network-style path. In File Explorer’s address bar, enter \wsl$ to see available distributions, or enter a complete path such as \wsl$Ubuntuhomenameproject. The alternate form \wsl.localhostUbuntuhomenameproject addresses the same Linux files.
These are UNC paths, so they do not begin with a drive letter such as C:. Type the path in Explorer’s address bar, the Run dialog, or an application’s Open dialog. Keep the backslashes and the distribution component exactly as shown; replacing them with Linux forward slashes will not produce the same UNC location.
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Replace Ubuntu with the name registered on your computer. Installations can use names other than Ubuntu, and a distribution’s display name may include a version or custom suffix. Select the exact name shown by WSL’s distribution list; do not infer it from the Linux username or from the folder you expect to exist.
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The distribution name is the first directory after \wsl$ or \wsl.localhost. The Linux username is a later directory, normally below home. Confusing those two names creates a path that looks plausible but cannot be found.
Browse from the Explorer interface
- Open File Explorer with
Win+E. - Click the address bar and type
\wsl$, then press Enter. - Open the directory for the required distribution.
- Open
home, then the Linux user directory, and continue to the project or document.
You can also paste a direct UNC path. For example, \wsl$Ubuntuhomenameproject opens the project without browsing from the root. The \wsl.localhost spelling is useful when an application or Windows version handles the longer UNC name differently.
Use the share to browse, copy, or open files with ordinary Windows applications. The files still belong to the Linux distribution; Explorer is providing a Windows view of them rather than moving them into a Windows drive.
Open the current WSL folder in Explorer
From any WSL shell, run:
explorer.exe .The command launches Explorer at the working directory, whether that directory is in the Linux filesystem or under /mnt/c. The period is required; it supplies the current directory as the location to open. Without a location argument, you may not open the folder you intended.
When \wsl$ is unavailable
Microsoft states that the share is available when its WSL instance is running. WSL must also be installed and at least one distribution must be registered. If those conditions are not met, Explorer cannot enumerate the share. On Windows 11, \wsl.localhost can auto-start the addressed distribution; behavior can differ on other Windows releases, so start the distribution first when in doubt.
Test the shortest path first. Enter \wsl$, then the distribution name, then home, and only afterward add the username and project directory. If the root works but the full path fails, the share is available and the error is probably a spelling, capitalization, or directory-name problem.
Convert paths between Windows and Linux syntax
The wslpath utility prevents errors when a command expects the other environment’s path format. It translates an existing path; it does not create a missing directory or mount an unavailable drive.
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| Purpose | Command | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Windows path to a WSL path | wslpath "C:Usersnamefile.txt" |
/mnt/c/Users/name/file.txt under default automount settings |
| Linux path to a Windows-facing path | wslpath -w /home/name/file.txt |
A Windows backslash path such as \wsl.localhostUbuntuhomenamefile.txt, depending on the distribution and environment |
| Linux path to a drive-letter path with forward slashes | wslpath -m /mnt/c/Users/name/file.txt |
C:/Users/name/file.txt |
Quote a Windows input path when it contains spaces. Use -w when a Windows program requires Windows separators and -m when a tool accepts a drive letter but prefers forward slashes. The output reflects your actual mount configuration; if automount has been customized, do not assume every Windows drive begins with /mnt.
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For a script that receives a path from Windows, convert it before handing it to Linux tools instead of manually replacing backslashes. Conversely, convert a Linux path before passing it to a Windows command that does not understand /home or /mnt. Always inspect the converted result when debugging a command, especially if a path contains spaces or a custom mount root.
Where should a shared project live?
Both locations are accessible, but they are not equivalent for performance or permissions. Put active files on the filesystem used most heavily by the tools that read and write them.
| Primary workload | Recommended location | Reason | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux compilers, package managers, build systems, language servers, or test runners | Linux filesystem, for example /home/name/project |
Linux tools avoid crossing into the mounted Windows filesystem on every file operation. | Windows applications should reach the files through \wsl$ or \wsl.localhost. |
| Windows editors, desktop applications, or Windows-native build tools | Windows filesystem, for example /mnt/c/Users/name/project |
Windows tools work on their native filesystem and permissions. | Linux tools accessing the project cross the WSL boundary and can be slower. |
| Balanced use by both environments | Choose the side that performs the most file operations | There is no universal best directory; workload matters more than the operating system used to launch the editor. | Keep a deliberate workflow and avoid moving the same active tree repeatedly. |
Microsoft describes cross-filesystem access as slower, particularly when Linux tools operate on files under /mnt/c or Windows applications work across to Linux files. Its guidance is: “For the fastest performance speed, store your files in the WSL file system if you are working in a Linux command line (Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, etc).” This is guidance rather than a published benchmark; no fixed percentage or universal timing applies to every project.
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Store the repository at /home/name/project, run the package manager, compiler, and tests in WSL, and open it in Explorer with explorer.exe . when you need to copy an asset or use a Windows application. Windows can edit the files through the UNC path, but Linux remains the side doing most operations.
This arrangement also keeps frequent dependency extraction, file watching, and test discovery on the Linux filesystem. If a Windows editor is used only for occasional changes, the UNC access is usually the simpler compromise than moving the whole repository to a Windows drive.
Example: a Windows-first document or desktop project
Keep the files in a Windows directory such as C:UsersnameDocumentsproject, access them from WSL at /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents/project, and let Windows applications remain the primary readers and writers. This avoids making Windows tools work through the Linux share for every save.
A balanced workflow can use a Windows location for documents that must be managed by Windows applications and a Linux location for source trees built primarily in WSL. The important decision is where the repeated reads, writes, scans, and builds occur, not which environment happens to launch the editor.
Understand permissions on each side
Windows files mounted in WSL
Files under /mnt/c and other Windows-drive mounts are provided through DrvFS. By default, access reflects Windows permissions. Microsoft notes that WSL can either calculate permissions from Windows permissions or read Linux permission metadata added to the file; metadata is not enabled by default on Windows files.
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Consequently, chmod alone is not a reliable way to override a Windows ACL. A Windows account that lacks access to a file can still be denied from WSL, and a restrictive Linux mode shown by a customized mount does not replace the underlying Windows security decision. Check the Windows account and inherited ACLs when a mounted file cannot be read or changed.
Linux files opened through \wsl$
When a Windows application accesses a Linux file through the WSL share, WSL uses the distribution’s default Linux user permissions. The Linux ownership and mode bits therefore matter. A Windows program does not gain unrestricted administrator access simply because it is using Explorer, and changing Windows Explorer’s sharing settings does not replace Linux ownership rules.
If a file opens read-only or a save fails through the share, check its Linux owner, group, and mode from WSL. The relevant identity is the distribution’s configured default user, not automatically the Windows account that launched Explorer.
Permission-related mount options
The [automount] section in /etc/wsl.conf can include options such as umask, dmask, and fmask. Optional metadata support changes how Linux permission bits are represented on Windows files. These settings are distribution-specific configuration choices; inspect the existing file before changing them, and account for the effect on every user and tool that accesses the mounted drive.
State the default first when documenting a setup: automount is normally enabled, the root is normally /mnt/, and Windows-drive access normally follows Windows permissions. Only then describe local changes, because a custom wsl.conf can make an otherwise correct example appear to be wrong.
Troubleshoot paths that do not work
The Windows drive does not appear under /mnt
- Confirm you are looking under the configured automount root, not assuming it is
/mnt. - Inspect
/etc/wsl.confforenabled=false, a differentroot, or custom mount behavior. - Check whether the drive is fixed, available to Windows, and mounted manually elsewhere.
- Restart the distribution after an automount configuration change.
- Test a simple directory such as
/mnt/cbefore troubleshooting a long project path.
Explorer says the WSL path cannot be found
- Verify WSL is installed and that a distribution is registered.
- Start the distribution, then retry
\wsl$. - Use the exact registered distribution name in the UNC path; do not substitute a nickname.
- Try the alternate form
\wsl.localhostDistroNamehomeuser, especially on Windows 11. - Test the root share first, then add directories one at a time. A typo in
home, the Linux username, or the project directory produces the same “not found” symptom as a bad share name. - Use
explorer.exe .from inside the distribution as a cross-check. If that opens the folder, the Linux path exists and the remaining issue is the UNC spelling or Windows-side availability.
The path opens but a file is denied
- For a Windows-drive path, check the Windows account’s ACL and inherited permissions. Linux mode changes do not bypass that ACL.
- For a
\wsl$path, check Linux ownership, group membership, and mode bits for the distribution’s default user. - Check whether a file is being held by an application or whether the directory is read-only for the account doing the operation.
- Do not change mount masks or metadata settings as a first response to a single-file denial; establish which side’s permissions govern that path.
A command rejects the path format
Determine which environment owns the command. Use wslpath "C:pathfile" before passing a Windows path to a Linux command, wslpath -w /linux/path for a Windows-facing path, or wslpath -m /linux/path for a drive-letter path with forward slashes. Keep the result quoted when it contains spaces.
Do not mix a UNC path and a Linux path in the same command unless the program explicitly supports both. A Windows application generally needs the UNC form for Linux files, while a Linux command generally needs /home or the configured mount path.
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Performance is unexpectedly poor
Check where the active tree is stored and which side is doing the most filesystem work. Moving a Linux-heavy project from /mnt/c into /home/name, or moving a Windows-heavy project onto the Windows filesystem, can remove the cross-filesystem cost. This is a workload decision, not a claim that one filesystem is always faster for every application.
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Look at operations that touch many files, such as dependency installation, builds, tests, and language-server indexing. If those operations are primarily Linux commands, a Linux filesystem location is the first placement to try. If Windows applications perform those operations, keep the tree on a Windows drive and let WSL access it through the mount.
A practical two-way access checklist
- For a Windows file in WSL, translate
C:to/mnt/cand preserve the remaining directory names. - For a Linux file in Windows, open
\wsl$DistroName...or\wsl.localhostDistroName...using the actual distribution name. - To open wherever the WSL prompt currently is, run
explorer.exe .. - Use
wslpathwhenever a command crosses from one path syntax to the other. - Store active files with the environment whose tools perform most reads and writes.
- Check Windows ACLs for mounted Windows files and Linux permissions for files reached through the WSL share.
- If a path fails, verify WSL installation, distribution registration and running state before changing directory names or permissions.
- If automount has been customized, read
/etc/wsl.confbefore assuming/mntor default permission behavior.
What to remember
C:is normally/mnt/cin WSL, with other fixed drives following the same letter pattern.- Windows can browse Linux files through
\wsl$or\wsl.localhost. explorer.exe .opens the current WSL directory in File Explorer.- Project placement should follow the tools doing most of the file operations.
- Windows-drive access normally follows Windows permissions, while the WSL share follows the distribution’s Linux user permissions.
- Automount and permission behavior can be customized in
/etc/wsl.conf, so defaults should not be assumed after local configuration changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access Windows files from WSL?
Use the mounted-drive path under /mnt. For example, C:UsersnameDocuments is normally /mnt/c/Users/name/Documents, and D:projects is normally /mnt/d/projects. If the directory is absent, inspect /etc/wsl.conf for custom automount settings.
How do I access Linux files from Windows?
In File Explorer, enter \wsl$ to browse registered distributions, or use a direct path such as \wsl$Ubuntuhomenameproject. \wsl.localhost is an alternate form. Replace Ubuntu with the exact registered distribution name.
How do I open the current WSL folder in File Explorer?
Run explorer.exe . in the WSL shell. The period means the current working directory, so Explorer opens the folder where the prompt is currently located.
Why is \wsl$ not working?
WSL must be installed, a distribution must be registered, and the WSL instance must be available. Start the distribution, retry the root share, and verify the exact distribution name. On Windows 11, try \wsl.localhostDistroName, which can auto-start the addressed distribution.
Should a project be stored under /home or /mnt/c?
Store it with the environment whose tools perform most file operations. Linux-heavy builds, package managers, and tests generally belong in the Linux filesystem, such as /home/name/project. Windows-heavy editing and desktop workflows generally belong on a Windows drive.
Can chmod fix access to a file under /mnt/c?
Not necessarily. Windows-drive access normally follows Windows permissions, and Linux permission metadata is not enabled by default. A Windows ACL can deny access even after a Linux mode change. Files reached through \wsl$ instead follow the distribution’s Linux ownership and mode rules.
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Use wslpath "C:pathfile" for a Windows-to-WSL conversion, wslpath -w /linux/path for a Windows-facing path, or wslpath -m /linux/path for a drive-letter path with forward slashes. Quote results containing spaces.
The Bottom Line
Use /mnt/c, /mnt/d, and the corresponding drive-letter directories for Windows files inside WSL. Use \wsl$DistroName... or \wsl.localhostDistroName... for Linux files in Windows, and run explorer.exe . to open the current WSL folder. Keep active projects on the filesystem used most by their tools, and remember that Windows ACLs govern mounted Windows files while Linux ownership and modes govern files opened through the WSL share.
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