In a fresh Windows 11, WSL2 can be installed via command running with privilege mode:

c:\> wsl --install
Installing: Virtual Machine Platform
Virtual Machine Platform has been installed.
Installing: Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows Subsystem for Linux has been installed.
Downloading: WSL Kernel
Installing: WSL Kernel
WSL Kernel has been installed.
Downloading: GUI App Support
[======================== 41.8% ]

The command will install a default distro (e.g.: ubuntu) too.

Is there a way to install a WSL2 runtime and environment without any distro?

1

1 Answer

Of course there's not much you can do with WSL without an actual distribution installed, but sure, you can install the actual WSL2 "runtime and environment" without a distribution.

Just follow the first five steps of Manual installation steps for older versions of WSL. Those steps still work just fine on the current version. A summary of those steps:

1. Enable WSL: After this step, you will have WSL1 installed. You could, at this point, wsl --import a rootfs tarball and have a working WSL1 environment.

2. Check requirements for running WSL 2

3. Enable the Virtual Machine feature. Reboot.

4. Install the WSL2 Linux kernel package

5. (Optional) Set WSL 2 as your default version using wsl --set-default-version 2.

At that point, you have full access to many of the wsl options, but you will be unable to actually start a distribution until you either:

• wsl --import a rootfs tarball/distribution
• Install a distribution from the Store
• wsl install -d <distro>

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