Finding and working with your Linux files on your Windows computer is easier than you might think. You have the tools you need to access this environment and perform any action you need.Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have proven to be very Linux-friendly versions, where Microsoft has made a considerable effort to integrate the Windows Subsystem for WSL so that you can access and work with your files directly from this system.
Methods to find your Linux files in Windows
The first method is pretty straightforward. From the Windows Subsystem for Linux environment you are using, you can run the explorer.exe command . This will open File Explorer directly in the current directory of your Linux environment.
From here, you can navigate your distribution’s file system as you would any other folder on your Windows system .
This method is extremely useful when you are working in the terminal and need to quickly access your files from a graphical interface. You can open documents and perform any operation you need without any problem.
The second method involves browsing directly to the location of your Linux files using Windows File Explorer. Open it, and in the search bar type \\wsl$ . This will show you all the folders for all the distributions you have installed.
Once you have access to your Linux files , you can handle them like any other folder in Windows. You can open, edit, copy, move, and delete. It is important not to modify files directly in their original location, to avoid permissions issues.
With the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can work and access both work environments efficiently and securely.