How to Log In as Root on Ubuntu WSL

This brief tutorial will show students and new users how to log in as root when using Ubuntu on a Windows WSL environment.

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a tool that lets developers run a GNU/Linux environment, including most command-line tools, utilities, and applications, directly in Windows without setting up a virtual machine or dual-boot.

You can run full Linux operating systems inside Windows efficiently. We have written many tutorials on installing different Linux distributions on Windows WSL.

Logging in as root on Ubuntu with Windows WSL should only be done in certain situations where you need to perform critical system tasks that require root privileges. It’s generally not recommended to use the root account for normal day-to-day use, as it can be risky and can potentially damage your system.

However, there might be instances where you need to install or configure software that requires root access. In those cases, logging in as root can be necessary. Just make sure to log back in as a regular user after completing the task to minimize the risk of accidentally causing any damage to the system.

I don’t think you should log in as root on a Linux machine. But there might be some cases where you’ll need to log in as root to perform critical tasks.

The tutorial should come in handy when you log on as root.

Log on as root

As you can see, launching the Ubuntu WSL app logs directly into the standard user account. See the below screenshot.

The first user, after installing, is the default account.

Use the steps below to start the Ubuntu WSL app and log in as root instead.

First, close the Ubuntu console prompt for the average user.

Then open the Windows command prompt by clicking the start button and find the Command Prompt or search for it, as shown in the image below.

When the command Prompt opens, type the commands below to configure the Ubuntu WSL app to log in as root instead of a regular user account.

Ubuntu:

ubuntu config --default-user root

Ubuntu 20.04:

ubuntu2004 config --default-user root

Ubuntu 18.04:

ubuntu1804 config --default-user root

After running the command above for the respective Ubuntu version, start up the Ubuntu WSL app, and this time the root account should be logged in.

You can see that the root account is logged in.

Now, do what you intend to do with the root account. When you’re done, exit.

You need to log back in with the standard account. Simply relaunch Windows Comment Prompt and run the commands below, replacing the root user with the standard account.

ubuntu2004 config --default-user richard

Replace richard with your account.

There you go.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Logging in as root in Ubuntu on Windows WSL should be done cautiously and only when necessary for specific tasks that require elevated privileges.
• Always revert to your standard user account after completing tasks to maintain system security and integrity.
• Familiarize yourself with the commands to switch users efficiently in the Ubuntu WSL environment.
• Regularly refer to this tutorial whenever you need guidance on logging in as root.
• Ensure you are aware of the responsibilities and risks associated with using the root account before proceeding with elevated permissions.