Microsoft finally moves the WSL2 kernel onto a more…
Microsoft is finally moving WSL2 away from its aging kernel with the first release of a new 6.6 LTS that can be built and installed right now ahead of it being rolled in by default.
www.inkl.comHere’s the latest I can share about WSL2 based on recent reporting up to 2024-2025:
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Kernel upgrade advance: Microsoft began moving WSL2 off its long-standing 5.15 kernel toward newer LTS kernels (notably 6.x series). The first 6.6-based WSL2 kernel releases appeared publicly in sources like GitHub before wider rolling out, signaling a shift to newer Linux kernel features while keeping a stable LTS strategy for WSL2. This suggests improvements in hardware support, drivers, and performance on newer Windows builds.[1][2]
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Rollout timeline: Early 2024–2025 coverage indicated that while the new kernel was available for build or testing, it hadn’t yet been rolled into the default WSL2 kernel for all users. The plan was to reduce out-of-tree patches and align more with upstream Linux releases, with the expectation that the default kernel update would come soon after public availability hit GitHub.[2][1]
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Related WSL updates: Beyond kernel upgrades, late-2024 updates highlighted improvements in memory, storage, networking, and enterprise security features for WSL, along with management improvements (e.g., WSL Settings GUI and Dev Home integration). Red Hat joining as an official WSL distro was also announced in late 2024, signaling broader distribution support on WSL.[5][6][7]
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Community and ecosystem: News outlets like Windows Central and Phoronix covered the kernel jump to 6.x and discussed the benefits of newer upstream features and fewer custom patches, which typically translates to easier maintenance and better compatibility with Linux userspace software over time.[1][2]
If you’d like, I can pull the very latest headlines from major outlets and summarize any new WSL2 kernel releases or enterprise features with links. I can also tailor the update to your environment (e.g., Windows version, WSL distribution, or whether you need the new kernel for performance, GPU workloads, or VPN compatibility) and provide upgrade steps.
Citations:
- Microsoft’s WSL2 kernel move to 6.6 and related details,.[2][1]
- Windows Central coverage on the same kernel upgrade.[2]
- May–Nov 2024 WSL updates and Red Hat as an official distro,,.[6][7][5]