Share your love
Install AlmaLinux on Windows with WSL CLI | Easy Guide
With the recent updates, you can now install AlmaLinux on Windows with WSL CLI. As you must know, AlmaLinux is a free, open-source, community-driven Linux distribution that is binary-compatible with RHEL. It is a great choice for a stable and secure Linux distribution.
Now you can run AlmaLinux on your Windows system by using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) without dual-booting or using a virtual machine. To see how you can do it, follow the guide steps below on the Orcacore website.
Table of Contents
How to Install AlmaLinux on Windows Using WSL CLI: A Step-by-Step Guide
Previously, if you wanted to install AlmaLinux with WSL, you had to navigate through the Microsoft Store. But now you can install AlmaLinux directly from the command line and don’t need to search the store. Let’s see how you can easily do it. In this guide, we will use Windows 11 to show you the steps.
Step 1. Open PowerShell Admin on Windows
First, you must run PowerShell as an administrator. To do this, right-click on the Start menu and select “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or search for PowerShell, right-click, and choose “Run as administrator.”
Step 2. Install WSL on Windows
If you don’t install WSL on your system, you can run the following command from your PowerShell to get WSL:
wsl --install --no-distributionOnce it is completed, you will get the following output:
Step 3. List Available Distributions on WSL
At this point, you can run the following command to list available Linux distros on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL):
wsl --list --onlineIn your output, you should see:
As you can see from the output, AlmaLinux 8 and AlmaLinux 9 are available to install with WSL.
Step 4. Install AlmaLinux on Windows with WSL CLI
Now you can easily run the following command to install AlmaLinux using WSL:
wsl --install AlmaLinux-9Here we install AlmaLinux 9, you can replace it with your desired distro. Once your installation is completed, you will get the following output:
Step 5. Launch AlmaLinux through WSL CLI
After installation, you can start AlmaLinux by running the following command:
wsl -d AlmaLinux-9You will be asked to create a UNIX user account. Enter a name and password, and you will get into your AlmaLinux CLI on WSL:
From there, you can perform your tasks on the AlmaLinux distro. For example, run the system update with the following command:
sudo dnf update -y
To log out of AlmaLinux, you can press CTRL+D. And that’s it! You’ve successfully installed AlmaLinux on your Windows machine using the WSL CLI.
Note: If you have issues with WSL, be sure you have the latest version. You can easily update WSL by using the command below:
wsl --updateConclusion
Bringing AlmaLinux to your Windows setup is now much easier with the WSL CLI. Whether you’re a developer or a sysadmin, this new method makes everything easier to manage. Hope you enjoy it. Please subscribe to us on Facebook, X, and YouTube.
You may also like to read the following articles:
Install Tor Browser on Windows
Almalinux 10 Release Date and Download
Install Python 3.13 on AlmaLinux
FAQs
Do I need admin rights to install AlmaLinux with WSL?
Yes. Installing WSL and adding distributions typically requires administrator privileges.
Can I use AlmaLinux in WSL on Windows Server?
Absolutely. The CLI method is ideal for Windows Server environments, especially since they often don’t have access to the Microsoft Store.
Is there a GUI with AlmaLinux on WSL?
By default, WSL provides a terminal-only environment. However, with WSLg on Windows 11, you can run Linux GUI apps as well.
Where are AlmaLinux files stored on my Windows machine?
WSL stores your Linux file system under:C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Packages\But it’s better to access Linux files directly inside WSL via /home.
How do I uninstall AlmaLinux from WSL?
You can simply run the command below: This will completely remove the distribution from your system.wsl --unregister AlmaLinux-9
