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Based on all my searching, this really seems like I'm following the right steps, but my distro is just not updating to WSL2. I'm running W10 build 19042.1526, which should be compatible with WSL2.

The best instructions I could find are from here, they appear to match all the other guides I could find, this site just seemed the most concise. Steps attempted described in code block below:

# using elevated powershell
# install WSL
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart

enable virtual machine platform


dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart


restart W10


Download latest Linux kernel updat package and install


set WSL 2 as my default version


wsl --set-default-version 2


inspect installed distros and versions


wsl -l -v


set existing wsl1 distro to wsl2


wsl --set-version Debian 2

All these commands seems to run Ok, I'm not getting any bad output when running the commands, yet I can see from wsl -l -v that my Debian distro still isn't updating to WSL2. Anyone have any idea why?

Also, say I wanted to try uninstalling WSL1 and clean installing WSL2, would I lose all my Debian distro files? What's the best way of ensuring I don't have to completely re-configure my Debian distro if I go the uninstall/re-install route?

Output of wsl --status:

Default Distribution: Debian
Default Version: 2

Windows Subsystem for Linux was last updated on 11/16/2021
WSL automatic updates are on.


Kernel version: 5.10.60.1
Daniel Crisp
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  • Answering the last paragraph, I'm not sure what effect uninstalling WSL has on the distro — however my guess is it clears all data. Anyway, If you need to backup your distro, you could use the --export flag. – Saaransh Garg Mar 10 '22 at 17:15
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    @SaaranshGarg Thank you for the comment. How does one import a distros files? – Daniel Crisp Mar 10 '22 at 21:03
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    @DanielCrisp Once you've created a backup with wsl --export Debian debian.tar from PowerShell (probably in something like your Windows $env:USERPROFILE/%userprofile% folder, then you can re-import it when and if needed with wsl --import <NewDistroName> <directory> debian.tar --version 2. You'll need to choose a new directory/location for the distribution when you --import. You'll also need to reset the default username per this answer. – NotTheDr01ds Mar 10 '22 at 22:07
  • However, just uninstalling the WSL feature itself should not remove your distribution. Still safer to have a backup, of course. And yes, you seem to be doing all the right steps -- I don't see any obvious problems at this point with your commands. – NotTheDr01ds Mar 10 '22 at 22:09
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    When you reinstall, capture the output of each command and paste it in as well, if you would. Might be able to spot something that way. Thanks! – NotTheDr01ds Mar 10 '22 at 22:09
  • @NotTheDr01ds Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it. I'm going to try this today. If you don't mind me asking just one more question, I wonder if I were to make a second Debian distro (let's call it DebianGood) if it would be WSL2. How would one go about making a second Debian distro alongside the existing one? – Daniel Crisp Mar 11 '22 at 15:58
  • @DanielCrisp Same type of thing: wsl --export the existing one and then wsl --import the new one. Full instructions in this Stack Overflow answer. You may have already seen it in the last few minutes since I just got an upvote on it, or perhaps that wasn't you :-). – NotTheDr01ds Mar 11 '22 at 16:36
  • While I'm thinking about it - What does wsl --status show? – NotTheDr01ds Mar 11 '22 at 16:39
  • @NotTheDr01ds I've just added an edit to my question with the output of wsl --status – Daniel Crisp Mar 11 '22 at 17:13
  • @DanielCrisp Okay, that's what I'd expect given everything else in your post. Just wanted to confirm. More and more confusing ... – NotTheDr01ds Mar 11 '22 at 18:11

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