Microsoft has added support for Linux containers in WSL, extending the Windows Subsystem for Linux beyond running full Linux distributions into the world of containerized workloads. According to the Windows Developer Blog, the feature is now generally available, and Microsoft says the move is aimed squarely at enterprise users who need to build and manage Linux-based applications on Windows.
WSL, which launched in 2016 and became open source in 2024, has long let you run Linux distributions side by side with Windows apps. The more advanced WSL 2 uses a lightweight virtual machine running a real Linux kernel. But containers—lightweight, isolated environments that package an application with everything it needs to run—have historically been handled by separate tools. With this update, those two worlds are merging.
What’s new in WSL: Linux containers
The headline change is that WSL now natively supports running Linux containers. Rather than spinning up a heavier setup for every workload, you can run lightweight containers directly through the WSL environment, which keeps a smaller footprint for development and testing.
Microsoft says the feature is likely to be especially useful for enterprise users. Containerized Linux apps are a common pattern in modern cloud and server development, so being able to build, run, and test them from within Windows removes a barrier that many developers previously had to work around with a separate Linux machine or hypervisor.
How to get WSL containers
Enabling the feature is straightforward. To use this feature, run the command wsl –update; once the installation is complete, you’ll have access to the new command-line tool wslc.exe and the shortcut container.exe.
That means container management now has its own dedicated tooling inside WSL, rather than relying solely on third-party container runtimes. The wslc.exe command-line interface and the container.exe shortcut give you a first-party way to work with Linux containers without leaving the Windows ecosystem.
Intune and Defender for Endpoint come along
Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integrations in WSL have also been extended to support container workflows, Microsoft said. This is where the enterprise angle really lands.
New controls in Intune allow admins to enable or disable WSL containers and restrict image pulls to approved registries. In practice, that means IT teams can govern how containers are sourced and used across a fleet, rather than leaving container usage entirely unmanaged. Restricting image pulls to approved registries is a common security control that helps prevent software from untrusted sources from landing on company machines.
Extending Defender for Endpoint to cover container workflows gives security monitoring visibility into container activity that previously fell outside its scope. For IT and security admins managing a WSL deployment, that added coverage is a meaningful part of the package.
Windows apps can talk to Linux containers
Using the WSL Containers API, Windows apps can also interact with Linux containers, reports Bleeping Computer. This is a developer-facing capability that lets native Windows software manage and communicate with the Linux containers running under WSL.
For developers building cross-platform applications, this opens up workflows where a Windows tool can orchestrate Linux container lifecycles—starting, stopping, and inspecting containers programmatically. It blurs the line between the two operating systems in a way that matters for real development pipelines.
What this means for you
For the average Windows user who just runs a Linux distro for a specific tool, this update may not change your daily experience much. But if you develop or deploy containerized Linux applications, or if you manage a fleet of developer machines, WSL now gives you a more complete, enterprise-grade path to Linux container workloads without a separate Linux server or heavy virtual machine.
The addition of first-party tooling, plus Intune and Defender support, signals that Microsoft is treating WSL as a serious platform for professional and enterprise work—not just a convenience for enthusiasts.
How to get it
To start using the feature, open a WSL terminal and run wsl –update to bring your installation up to date. Once that completes, the wslc.exe command-line tool and container.exe shortcut will be available for working with Linux containers. If you’re an admin, head into Microsoft Intune to configure the new container controls, including which registries are allowed for image pulls.
Source: Computerworld
Over to you: Will you be using WSL containers for your Linux development work, or do you stick with a full virtual machine?
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