How to Mount Network Drives in Windows Subsystem for Linux

If you use wsl-in-windows-11/" class="sal-link" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-sal-id="19890">Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), you might want to open files stored on your network directly from your Linux terminal. This guide shows you how to connect these network folders to your Linux workspace.

Why mount network drives in WSL?

Mounting a network drive lets you use Linux tools to work on shared files. It connects your Windows network folders to your Linux environment, making it much easier to manage projects or data stored on a server.

What happens when you are done?

Once finished, your network folder will look and act like a normal folder inside your Linux system. You can read, edit, and move files just like any other file on your computer.

DrvFs vs. Native Linux Mounting

WSL uses DrvFs to bridge Windows files to Linux. This is the standard way to access Windows network shares. While you could use cifs-utils to mount shares natively, DrvFs is better for WSL because it handles Windows permissions automatically. Use DrvFs for most tasks to avoid complex configuration.

Mounting a drive letter

If you have already mapped a network location to a drive letter in Windows (like F:), you can easily bring it into WSL.

Note: The following commands require admin privileges.

1. Create a folder in Linux to act as the bridge:
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   sudo mkdir /mnt/f

2. Mount the Windows drive letter to that folder:
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   sudo mount -t drvfs F: /mnt/f

Mounting a network folder path (UNC)

You can access network shares without mapping a drive letter by using the UNC path directly. This is useful for temporary access.

1. Create a mount point:
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   sudo mkdir /mnt/documents

2. Mount the network share:
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   sudo mount -t '\\server\documents' /mnt/documents

Persistent mounting via /etc/fstab

To keep your mount after a reboot, add it to the /etc/fstab file. Open the file with sudo nano /etc/fstab and add this line:

\\server\share /mnt/network drvfs defaults 0 0

Run sudo mount -a to apply changes immediately.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

If you see a Permission Denied error, ensure your Windows user has access to the share. If you see Mount point busy, the folder is already in use. Use mount to check active connections.

Summary

Mounting network drives in WSL allows you to bridge your Windows network resources into your Linux workflow. By using DrvFs, you can map drive letters or direct UNC paths to Linux folders. For permanent access, configure your /etc/fstab file. Always verify your connection with the mount command if you run into errors.

Learn more about DrvFs file permissions in the official Microsoft documentation.