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Windows 10 Enterprise 10.0.19044 Build 19044.2728

I'm trying to find the "version number" that corresponds with those listed here:

https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/releases

I am running WSL 2, Kernel version: 5.4.72. But, on the releases page, the latest "release version number" is 1.1.3. How can I find this version number in my version of WSL?

I'm asking because in this github issue, the dev mentions updating to a pre-release version 1.1.0, and before I do that, I want to know where my WSL is with respect to this version number.

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    You were looknig at the WSL releases. You need to look at the WSL Kernel releases. 5.4.72 is from 2/22/21 which was included with a version of WSL earlier than 0.47.1 since that included the 5.10.60 kernel. The current stable version is 1.1.3 and your kernel version should be reported as 5.15.90.1. Where you are is that your WSL and WSLKernel is extremely out of date. If I were to guess your WSL2 isn't from the Windows Store, if it was, your kernel wouldn't be 2 and half years old.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 10, 2023 at 19:06
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    Edit your question to indicate what version of Windows 10 you have installed?
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 10, 2023 at 19:10
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    How can I find this version number in my version of WSL? run wsl --version
    – Jaromanda X
    Commented Apr 10, 2023 at 23:35
  • @JaromandaX tx. Unfortunately my version of wsl doesn't have the --version switch. Yes, I'm way out of date and obviously need to update.
    – Hawkeye Parker
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 16:54

2 Answers 2

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Ironically, the way that you determine your WSL version number (which really is synonymous with "release" in this case) depends on the version.

The newer WSL releases, which are typically installed from the Microsoft Store as an application package, have a wsl -version command as mentioned in the comments.

From PowerShell, CMD, or from inside WSL, wsl.exe --version:

WSL version: 1.2.0.0
Kernel version: 5.15.90.1
WSLg version: 1.0.51
MSRDC version: 1.2.3770
Direct3D version: 1.608.2-61064218
DXCore version: 10.0.25131.1002-220531-1700.rs-onecore-base2-hyp
Windows version: 10.0.22621.1413

The 1.2.0.0 for me corresponds to the release on the WSL releases page you linked above. I'm currently running a pre-release version.

If wsl.exe --version simply returns help text (very likely given the older kernel that you are showing), then you are running an older release of WSL. Prior to being available as an application package, WSL was bundled in each Windows release (and still is). If you installed before 1.0.0 was available last November, then you probably have the older, legacy, in-box version. There's really no "release number" for WSL itself, since it always simply corresponded to the Windows build that it was included in. See the older WSL release notes page for examples.

If you are running an older in-box release, you can simply install WSL from the Microsoft Store to update to the latest released version (currently 1.1.3).

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  • many thanks for the comprehensive answer. I installed manually about 2 years ago. Things have been so stable, I just never thought to update. This nasty bug is affecting a coworker, and we were wondering why he has it and I don't. I'm glad I don't :) And, I'll update once it's resolved.
    – Hawkeye Parker
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 17:01
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    @HawkeyeParker Most certainly. The good news is that it's easy to rollback if needed - Just uninstall the WSL app, and the in-box version will take back over.
    – NotTheDr01ds
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 17:52
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    Oh, and yes: wsl.exe --version just returns help text on my old version.
    – Hawkeye Parker
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 18:19
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    Thanks for this helpful answer. To anyone else reading, I discovered that you can update to pre-releases using "wsl --update --pre-release" (immediately after running wsl --install)
    – TrojanName
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 11:47
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For "system" supplied WSL only build number make sense. Run in pwsh:

(get-item C:\windows\system32\wsl.exe).VersionInfo.FileVersion

You get something like:

10.0.19041.2311 (WinBuild.160101.0800)

The 19041 above is a build, you could check feature list by this build number on the changelog page: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/release-notes

See How to find out WSL2 version?

If you install WSL from a marketplace or from GitHub installer or with wsl --update --pre-release the version will be build into wsl.exe:

# strings '/cygdrive/c/Program Files/WindowsApps/MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForLinux_2.0.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe/wsl.exe'
...
10.0.25880.1000-230602-1350.main
1.608.2-61064218
1.2.4485
1.0.58
5.15.123.1-1
2.0.4.0
...

# wsl.exe --version
WSL version: 2.0.4.0
Kernel version: 5.15.123.1-1
WSLg version: 1.0.58
MSRDC version: 1.2.4485
Direct3D version: 1.608.2-61064218
DXCore version: 10.0.25880.1000-230602-1350.main
Windows version: 10.0.19045.3448

Original wsl.exe doesn't have above numbers inside neither supports --version:

bash# wsl --version
Invalid command line option: --version
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