How the New Windows Update Lets You Seamlessly Access Linux Files

Windows 10’s April 2019 update (19H1) brings significant improvements to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), most notably the ability to access Linux files directly from Windows.

Previously, Microsoft warned against using Windows tools to manipulate files inside a Linux distribution because it could corrupt the file system. The new update resolves this by running a 9P protocol file server inside the Linux instance, exposing the Linux file system to Windows with proper metadata and permissions. Windows file programs act as clients, communicating via AF_Unix sockets.

To use the feature, start a Linux distribution, ensure the current folder is the Linux home directory, and run Explorer. The File Explorer will open, and you can navigate to \\wsl$\{distro name}\ to browse the Linux files. This works only while the Linux instance is running.

Some limitations remain: CMD does not support UNC paths as the current directory, and accessing AppData or other sensitive locations can still risk file corruption. Standard network‑resource rules apply when accessing files via the 9P protocol.

Beyond file access, the update adds several command‑line enhancements: running commands as different users, terminating running distributions, and importing or exporting distributions. Exporting creates a tar archive of the current distribution, which can be shared and later imported to recreate the same environment on another machine.

Overall, the new WSL features make Windows‑Linux interoperability more convenient and powerful, though users should follow best practices to avoid damaging their Linux instances.