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How to enable Ubuntu Bash in Windows 10

As you may already know, the recently released Windows 10 build 14316 comes with the Ubuntu Bash console kit and utils. However, it is disabled by default. If you would like to play with the Bash console in Windows 10, here is how you can enable it.

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To enable Ubuntu Bash in Windows 10, you need to turn on some options in Windows Features and Settings. This is very easy to do and does not involve anything complex.

How to enable Ubuntu Bash in Windows 10

First, you need to enable Windows Subsystem for Linux. Do it as follows.

  1. Open the Settings app.Windows 10 settings app
  2. Go to System -> Apps & Features.Windows 10 apps and featires
  3. Scroll down to the Programs and Features link:Windows 10 programs and features link
  4. Click the link. The Programs and Features dialog will be opened.
  5. On the left, click the link Turn Windows features on or off.Programs and features window
  6. The dialog Windows Features will appear on the screen. Scroll down to the option named Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta) and enable it as shown below:Windows 10 enable ubuntu bash
  7. Click OK to apply the changes you made. Windows will install Ubuntu Bash:
    Windows 10 installing bash
  8. Reboot the operating system when prompted.Windows 10 reboot prompt

Congrats, you just installed Ubuntu Bash in Windows 10. However, in build 14316, it requires Developer mode to be enabled in order to use the Bash console. Here it how to enable it.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Update and Security -> For developers.Windows 10 settings update and security
  3. Enable the option called "Developer mode".Windows 10 enable developer modeClick Yes in the confirmation dialog:
    Windows 10 developer mode confirmation

Finally, to try Ubuntu Bash in action, do the following:

  1. Open the command prompt.
  2. Type the following command:
    bash

    Windows 10 bash first run

  3. When prompted, press Y to continue. Windows 10 will download the required components from the Windows Store and extract the Linux file system.
    Windows 10 bash first run 2

The result:Windows 10 Ubuntu bash in action

You can use a number of regular Linux console apps and commands, or install more apps in the traditional Ubuntu Linux way. For example, I installed one of my favorite file managers, Midnight Commander using the command

apt-get install mc

Windows 10 install mc
The app works, but its hotkeys do not work properly:
Windows 10 bash running mc

That's it. You have a working Bash console in Windows 10.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

4 thoughts on “How to enable Ubuntu Bash in Windows 10”

  1. Have some issues with this. Here is what i get:

    C:\Users\pwned>bash
    — Beta feature —
    This will install Ubuntu on Windows, distributed by Canonical
    and licensed under its terms available here:
    https://aka.ms/uowterms

    Type “?” to continue: ?
    ????? ??????????, ????????? ????????. ??????????? ?????…
    How i can fix it? Thank you

    1. Set the operating system language to English. Reboot. Retry – it will work as expected.
      I was going to write an article about this issue right now :)

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