How to Mount Network Drives in Windows Subsystem for Linux
Mounting network drives in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) links your Windows network folders directly to your Linux tools, so you can open and edit shared files from the command line. WSL runs a Linux environment inside Windows 10 and Windows 11. This guide works on both, and on WSL 1 and WSL 2.
Connecting a network drive uses the same SMB file-sharing system that Windows relies on, so shared folders show up like regular folders inside your Linux setup. This saves you from copying files back and forth when you work across your home network. Below you will find the three ways to do it: a mapped drive letter, a direct UNC path, and a permanent mount that comes back every time you start Linux. The troubleshooting section covers the two errors you are most likely to hit.
To mount a network drive in WSL, map it to a drive letter in Windows first, then run sudo mkdir /mnt/f followed by sudo mount -t drvfs F: /mnt/f in your Linux terminal. The share’s files appear in /mnt/f. The mount lasts only until WSL shuts down or your PC restarts.
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, which makes it much easier to manage projects or data stored on a server or NAS.
For example, you can run scripts, search with grep, or edit code on files that live on another machine, without keeping a second copy on your PC. The files stay on the share, so everyone else who uses it sees your changes.
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.
What you can actually do still depends on the permissions set on the share. If the server only gives your Windows account read access, you can read files from Linux but not change them.
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.
In practice, this means WSL asks Windows to do the network connection. Whatever your Windows account can reach, DrvFs can usually reach too. You don't have to install anything extra or store a password in a Linux file.
Mounting a drive letter
To mount network drives in WSL using an existing Windows drive letter, open your Linux terminal and create a folder for the mount point. Then run the manual mount command using DrvFs (the built-in file system plugin that lets WSL read Windows drives) to link your assigned drive letter directly into your Linux file structure.
A mount point is just an empty folder in Linux. Once the drive is mounted, the share's contents appear inside it. Any empty folder will do.
If you have already mapped a network location to a drive letter in Windows (like F:), you can easily bring it into WSL. Before you start, open File Explorer and confirm the drive letter shows up under This PC and opens without an error. If Windows can't open it, WSL can't either.
One thing catches many people out. Windows keeps drive mappings separate for normal and elevated (Run as administrator) sessions. Map the drive from a normal, non-elevated session, and open WSL the normal way as well, so both see the same drive letter.
They are run with sudo, so Linux asks for your Linux account password. Nothing appears on screen while you type it. That is normal. Press Enter when you finish.
- Create a folder in Linux to act as the bridge:Bash / Shell
sudo mkdir /mnt/f - Mount the Windows drive letter to that folder:Bash / Shell
sudo mount -t drvfs F: /mnt/f - List the contents of the folder with your usual directory listing command. You should now see the same files and folders you see in File Explorer for that drive. If the folder is empty, check that the drive letter in the mount command matches the one in Windows.
A mount made this way lasts only for the current session. It goes away when WSL shuts down or your PC restarts. To make it permanent, see the /etc/fstab section further down.
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, or when you don't want to use up a drive letter in Windows. A UNC path points at the server name and the share name, for example a server called fileserver and a share called projects.
- Create a mount point:Bash / Shell
sudo mkdir /mnt/documents - Mount the network share:Bash / Shell
sudo mount -t drvfs '\\server\documents' /mnt/documents - List the contents of the mount point to check that the share's files appear.
As with the drive letter method, these commands need sudo. The connection uses the credentials Windows already has for that server. If the share asks for a username and password, connect to it once in File Explorer first and choose to remember the credentials. Then try the mount again. Use the exact server and share names, because a typo gives a "no such file" or connection error.
Persistent mounting via /etc/fstab
To keep your mount after a reboot, add it to the /etc/fstab file. WSL reads this file when your Linux distribution starts. Editing it needs root rights, so use sudo with your editor. Open the file with sudo nano /etc/fstab and add this line:
\\server\share /mnt/network drvfs defaults 0 0
Then run sudo mount -a to apply changes immediately. This mounts everything listed in the file now, so you can test your new line without restarting WSL. If it prints an error, fix the line before you close the terminal. A mistyped entry can stop the mount at startup.
The share has to be reachable when WSL starts. If you are away from the network or the server is off, the mount fails and the folder stays empty. To undo the change, delete the line from /etc/fstab and save the file.
Troubleshooting Common Errors
When you try to mount network drives in WSL and run into problems, check your error messages first. A Permission Denied error means your Windows user account lacks access to the shared folder, while a Mount point busy error means the destination folder is already in use by another process.
If you see a Permission Denied error, ensure your Windows user has access to the share. Open the same share in File Explorer with the same account. If Windows asks for a password or refuses access, fix that first. Also check that you ran the mount command with sudo.
If you see Mount point busy, the folder is already in use. Close any terminal or program that has the folder open, including a terminal window that is sitting inside it. Use mount to check active connections and see whether something is already mounted there.
mount in your terminal. This lists all active connections and their paths.
Summary
To successfully mount network drives in WSL, you use DrvFs to bridge your Windows shares and drive letters directly into your Linux directory. You can create temporary mounts for quick access, or edit the /etc/fstab file (a system configuration file that controls how drives load) to make those network connections permanent every time you start Linux.
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.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
Hi!
You’re missing one thing from this otherwise extraordinarily useful post:
sudo mount -t ‘\\server\documents’ /mnt/documents
should be
sudo mount -t drvfs ‘\\server\documents’ /mnt/documents
(I got the bit about “-t drvfs” from another post that involved doing
“Map network drive” first to assign a drive letter to the network drive.)