Fedora 42 Is Now Officially Available on WSL – Here’s What You Need to Know

fedora 42

It’s official — Fedora Linux 42 is now available as an installable distribution through Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). After a period of community testing and anticipation, Fedora users can finally enjoy the power and flexibility of Fedora right inside Windows.

As a long-time Fedora fan, this release feels like a major win.

Quick and Simple Installation

Getting started with Fedora 42 on WSL couldn’t be easier. Just open a terminal and run:

 
wsl --install FedoraLinux-42

 

Once the installation is complete, launch it with:

 
wsl -d FedoraLinux-42

 

You’ll be prompted to create a username, but no password is required by default. Better yet, you’re automatically added to the wheel group, so sudo privileges are available out of the box — no extra configuration needed.

Minimal, Clean, and Developer-Friendly

Unlike some other WSL distributions, Fedora 42 keeps it lean. There’s no unnecessary bloat. You get the essentials, including the powerful DNF package manager, and you’re free to build your environment however you like.

Notably, Flatpak is not installed by default. If you’re planning to run graphical apps, just install it with:

 

sudo dnf install flatpak

 

Then, follow the Flathub setup instructions to complete the process. It’s an extra step, but a straightforward one.

What’s Next for Fedora on WSL?

The Fedora team isn’t stopping here. Future improvements are already in the pipeline, including:

  • Better Flatpak integration

  • Hardware-accelerated graphics support for GUI apps in WSL

These features will help bring Fedora’s polished Linux experience even closer to a full desktop environment — all from inside Windows.

A New Player in the WSL Arena

Ubuntu has long dominated the WSL space, but Fedora’s arrival as an official option adds welcome diversity. It’s a great choice for users who want a cutting-edge Linux experience in a Windows-friendly package.

Whether you’re a developer, sysadmin, or just curious about Fedora, this is a great time to try it on WS

 

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