From there, you can use commands to install and run Linux apps alongside Windows software. Once you have WSL running, you’ll have access to the Linux shell from the new Windows terminal. Windows 11 uses WSL 2.0, an upgraded version of WSL designed to run a full Linux kernel in a Hyper-V environment. Microsoft allows you to enable WSL on all major versions of Windows 11, meaning you don’t need to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro to use it.