Install Desktop GUI for WSL | WSL Enable Desktop Guide

Want a simple desktop environment for Ubuntu WSL or any other Debian distro? Well, it's simple enough to set up and jump right into. This guide shows you everything you need to know and more.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Explanation
0:44 - Install WSL
1:17 - Set WSL version 2
2:04 - Install
3:30 - Fix DNS
4:30 - Installing Desktop environment
5:20 - Set up RDP
5:56 - Connect using Windows Remote Desktop
6:28 - Using other desktop environments

#WSL #Ubuntu #Windows
-----------------------------
-----------------------------

Everything in this video is my personal opinion and experience and should not be considered professional advice. Always do your own research and ensure what you're doing is safe.

[TroubleChute]

** Install xrdp as well! Use the following command:
sudo apt install -y xrdp xfce4 xfce4-goodies

[jessederinger]

WARNING for anyone just watching this. ALOT of people are having trouble with this method. And although there are usually ways to resolve them, the questions aren’t being answered in the comments. Not to hate on this guy this is a great guide just doesn’t include any troubleshooting details..

! if your reading this please like it so it’s seen by more people!

I almost got it but I’m the remote when the gui login comes up, soon as I log in everything crashes. And I have yet to find a solution.

[surrebral]

You are able to convey in 7.5 minutes what hundreds of others stretch out to a half hour! Great vid!

[nukestrom]

Wonderful. After wasting so much time with other videos, this is the only solution I found that actually worked. Thanks a lot

[wuffletuff]

If you have trouble connecting via remote desktop, the article in the comments has a typo which does not update the port correctly:

Try the command:
sudo sed -i 's/3398/3390/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

At 5:04, the video has an error trying to replace 3389 (not 3398) with 3390.
Try the provided command in this comment and rerun the start command:

[LastCrossroads]

I wish I had read the article first before deciding on trying to installing gnome. Thanks for the great work!

[responseu]

This guy just saved my life! I was about to take a painkiller for the terrible headache I got following others' instructions!

[geertvancompernolle]

Great video, both content wise as well as presentation wise! You got a new subscriber... 😏

[mowgligurroby]

excellent video, however when i got stuck, i went to your website where instructions there were easy to follow which made it easier to follow the steps. thanks for the upload.

[BobSmith-ghwj]

Great video - worked on my pc like a charm following your steps - Cheers!!

[shyayetgani-ikilama]

Very much appreciate this. Kept hyaving all sorts of issues and the articles weren't helping. Finally decided to just check youtube

[alvaroe]

You got some voice, mate. Greetings from Spain. I was about to go crazy with Gnome

[itstoufik]

I've been struggling with the DNS problem for a day. And then I found this. Thank you so much man

[danielberger]

Thanks a lot! I worked just as described!

[sumit]

May the YT algo bless you keep making such content

[joaquinnicolas]

Great tutorial.. thx u subscribed and thumb up

[shrinivasiyengar]

It seems a lot of people have the same problem: every step seems to work fine, but finally logging into the WSL through the RDP seems to fail.

[xandermidov]

After a couple of time, while i am connect, using rdp, ubuntu goes to blackscreen. Can you help with that problem?

[aussiebattler]

So i tried to do this in windows 11. Didn't get a GUI for one when initally setting up ubuntu from the microsoft store at all however i followed all of your steps. BUT i can sudo snap install anything at all as it can't comunicate with anything? Would i have done anything wrong?

[philwebb]

This works for Windows 10, but will you release an update for Windows 11? There seems to be a conflict between xrdp and the window manager built into wslg.