Windows 10 can now run Linux GUI apps using Windows Subsystem for Linux

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Linux GUI apps on Windows

Introducing Linux GUI apps running on Windows using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Microsoft today announced that Linux GUI apps can now run on Windows 10 using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Using this feature, you can run any GUI application that might only exist in Linux, or to run your own applications or testing in a Linux environment. This feature is mainly focused on developers who want to test their cross-platform app on Windows 10 machines.

Linux GUI applications on WSL include out of the box audio and microphone support. Microsoft has also enabled support for GPU accelerated 3D graphics.

Hereโ€™s how you can use this feature:

  • To get started using Linux GUI app support, youโ€™ll need to make sure youโ€™re on Windows 10 Insiders preview build 21364 or higher.
  • If you already have WSL installed, all you need to do is run wsl --update and youโ€™ll be set to use GUI apps.
  • If you donโ€™t have WSL enabled, running wsl --install will install WSLg automatically as part of the initial WSL setup.

Source: Microsoft

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