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Will Windows Use Linux Kernel?

Alexander Ross • Oct 9, 2026 • 3 min read

Will Windows Use Linux Kernel?

Thanks to a feature called Windows Subsystem for Linux, you can already run Linux applications in Windows. ... But now Microsoft will build the Linux kernel into WSL, starting with a new version of the software set for a preview release in June. To be clear, Microsoft isn't replacing the Windows kernel.

Will Windows adopt Linux kernel?

This year, Windows released WSL2, a complete overhaul of WSL1. Unlike WSL1 that 'faked' a linux environment, WSL2 uses a full Linux Kernel that is developed and maintained by Microsoft. This kernel uses the base kernel found at kernel.org. It is also completely open source like its predecessor.

Is Microsoft switching to a Linux kernel?

Microsoft is submitting patches to the Linux kernel "to create a complete virtualisation stack with Linux and Microsoft hypervisor".

Author

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.