Move Ubuntu WSL to Another Drive in Windows 11

Transfer WSL distros to another drive

Let’s now look at how to transfer WSL distros to another drive. As mentioned, WSL lets you move or transfer a Linux distro to a drive other than the one it was initially installed on.

Here’s how to do it.

First, shut down WSL using the command below. You’ll need to run the Windows Terminal app as an administrator.

wsl --shutdown

Once WSL is shut down, open the Settings app and navigate to Apps › Installed apps

In the Apps window, select the "Install apps" tile to expand it.

Scroll down the installed apps list and select Ubuntu, or whichever Linux distro you want to move.

Next, click the three-dot menu option and choose 'Move' from the drop-down.

Finally, select your desired new drive and click 'Move.'

After a brief moment, the distro will be relocated to the new drive you selected.

Change the WSL drive using the Move command

Another method to move a distro to another drive involves using the 'Move' command within Windows Terminal, run as an administrator.

First, launch the Windows Terminal app as an administrator.

Then, use the command below to list all the distros currently on your machine.

wsl --list --all

Next, shut down WSL by running the command below.

wsl --shutdown

Then, move the distro to a new drive by running the command below.

wsl --manage Ubuntu --move D:WSLUbuntu

After a brief moment, the distro will be relocated to the new drive specified in the command.

Use the Import command to change the WSL distro drive

An alternative approach to change the WSL distro's drive involves exporting and then importing the distro to a new location.

This guide explains how to export and import WSL distros.

After following the guide above, you can use the command below to import the distro to a new drive.

wsl --import Ubuntu D:WSLUbuntu C:Ubuntu-export.tar

The D: drive serves as the destination, and the C: drive indicates the location of the exported tar file.

After a brief moment, the distro will be imported to the location specified.

That should complete the process!

Conclusion:

Moving Ubuntu WSL to another drive on Windows 11 is a manageable process that can boost performance or free up space on your main drive. Here are the key takeaways:

• Multiple Methods: You can move your WSL distribution using the graphical interface in Settings or via the command line with the --move command.
• Shut Down WSL: Always shut down your WSL instance before making any moves to avoid data corruption.
• Use Windows Terminal: For advanced users, executing commands in the Windows Terminal is efficient and provides more control over the process.
• Export and Import: For a more manual approach, utilize the export and import commands to relocate your distribution as needed.
• Efficiency: Moving your WSL installation can optimize performance, especially if transitioning to faster storage solutions.

Following these steps helps you manage your WSL installations and organize your development environment effectively.