How do I back up a WSL distribution?

Use "wsl --export DistroName backup.tar" to create a tar archive of the entire filesystem. For faster backups, use VHD format: "wsl --export DistroName backup.vhdx --format vhd". For smaller files, use compressed format: "wsl --export DistroName backup.tar.gz --format tar.gz".

How do I restore a WSL distribution from a backup?

Use "wsl --import Name InstallLocation backup.tar" for tar backups, or "wsl --import Name InstallLocation backup.vhdx --vhd" for VHD backups. TAR imports default to root, so you'll need to set the default user in /etc/wsl.conf afterward. VHD restores preserve the user setting.

What is the best format for WSL backups?

VHD format is usually best for local backups — it's the fastest to create and restore, and preserves default user settings. Use tar.gz for smaller file sizes when storing on external drives or transferring over the network. Use tar.xz for maximum compression when archiving.

What is included in a WSL backup?

Everything inside the distribution filesystem: installed packages, user accounts, home directories, system configuration, SSH keys, and application data. NOT included: the Windows-side .wslconfig file, Windows Terminal profile customizations, or Windows Registry settings.

Can I automate WSL backups?

Yes. Create a PowerShell script that runs "wsl --export" for each distribution and save it as a scheduled task in Windows Task Scheduler. Use "wsl --list --quiet" to get distribution names and include the date in backup filenames for rotation.

Backing Up and Restoring WSL Distributions

Your WSL distribution is more than just an operating system. It's your development environment — your shell configuration, installed tools, SSH keys, project dependencies, database setups. Rebuilding all of that from scratch takes hours, sometimes days.

And yet most people don't back up their WSL distributions. The VHDX file sitting in %LOCALAPPDATA% is silently holding everything, and one bad Windows update, a disk failure, or an accidental wsl --unregister could wipe it out.

The fix is straightforward: WSL has built-in export and import commands that create portable backup archives.

Exporting a Distribution

The wsl --export command creates a complete snapshot of your distribution's filesystem:

powershell

wsl --export Ubuntu D:\Backups\ubuntu-2026-02-21.tar

This produces an uncompressed tar archive containing every file in the distribution — installed packages, user accounts, configuration, home directories, everything.

Export Formats

WSL supports several export formats:

Uncompressed TAR (default):

powershell

wsl --export Ubuntu D:\Backups\ubuntu.tar

Fastest to create and restore, but largest file size.

Compressed TAR (gzip):

powershell

wsl --export Ubuntu D:\Backups\ubuntu.tar.gz --format tar.gz

Significantly smaller file, takes longer to create and restore.

Compressed TAR (xz):

powershell

wsl --export Ubuntu D:\Backups\ubuntu.tar.xz --format tar.xz

Smallest file size, but slowest compression. Good for archival or transferring over the network.

VHD format:

powershell

wsl --export Ubuntu D:\Backups\ubuntu.vhdx --format vhd

Copies the virtual disk directly. Fastest export, preserves everything including disk structure and default user settings. Restore is also fast since it skips tar extraction.

Which Format Should I Use?

Format	Speed	Size	Preserves User	Best For
TAR	Fast	Large	No	Quick local backups
TAR.GZ	Medium	Medium	No	External drives, sharing
TAR.XZ	Slow	Small	No	Archival, network transfer
VHD	Fastest	Exact copy	Yes	Fast backup/restore

For regular backups to a local or external drive, VHD format is usually the best choice. It's fast in both directions and preserves your default user setting. Use compressed TAR when file size matters more than speed.

Restoring from a Backup

From a TAR Archive

powershell

wsl --import Ubuntu "C:\WSL\Ubuntu" D:\Backups\ubuntu-2026-02-21.tar

The arguments are: name, install location, and backup file path.

After importing from TAR, you'll need to fix the default user since TAR imports default to root:

powershell

wsl -d Ubuntu -u root

bash

# Add your default user to wsl.conf if not already there
grep -q "^\[user\]" /etc/wsl.conf 2>/dev/null || cat >> /etc/wsl.conf << 'EOF'
[user]
default=yourusername
EOF
exit

powershell

wsl --terminate Ubuntu
wsl -d Ubuntu
whoami

From a VHD Backup

powershell

wsl --import Ubuntu "C:\WSL\Ubuntu" D:\Backups\ubuntu.vhdx --vhd

VHD restores are faster and your default user setting is already correct — no manual fix needed.

Restoring Over an Existing Distribution

If you're restoring to replace a damaged distribution, unregister the old one first:

powershell

wsl --unregister Ubuntu
wsl --import Ubuntu "C:\WSL\Ubuntu" D:\Backups\ubuntu.vhdx --vhd

Warning: --unregister permanently deletes the distribution's virtual disk. Make sure your backup is valid before doing this.

A Simple Backup Script

Here's a PowerShell script that backs up all your distributions:

powershell

$backupDir = "D:\Backups\WSL"
$date = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd"

# Create backup directory
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "$backupDir\$date" -Force | Out-Null

# Get all distributions
$distros = wsl --list --quiet | Where-Object { $_ -and $_.Trim() }

foreach ($distro in $distros) {
    $distro = $distro.Trim()
    $backupFile = "$backupDir\$date\$distro.vhdx"
    Write-Host "Backing up $distro..."
    wsl --export $distro $backupFile --format vhd
    Write-Host "  Done: $backupFile"
}

Write-Host "`nAll distributions backed up to $backupDir\$date"

Save this as backup-wsl.ps1 and run it periodically. You could schedule it with Task Scheduler for automated weekly backups.

What's Included (and What's Not)

Included in the backup:

All installed packages and their configuration
All user accounts and home directories
System configuration (/etc/, services, cron jobs)
Custom scripts and tools you've installed
Database data files (if running databases inside WSL)
SSH keys, GPG keys, shell configuration

NOT included:

WSL configuration from .wslconfig (this is a Windows-side file at %USERPROFILE%\.wslconfig)
Distribution-specific settings in the Windows Registry (default user, WSL version)
Windows Terminal profile customizations
Mounted Windows drives content (they're just mount points)

If you have customized .wslconfig, back that up separately:

powershell

Copy-Item "$env:USERPROFILE\.wslconfig" "D:\Backups\WSL\wslconfig-backup"

The Easy Way: WSL UI

WSL UI provides one-click export and import through the quick actions menu. Click Export on any distribution to get a save dialog with your distribution name and today's date as the default filename. Import opens a dialog where you select the tar file, enter a name, and choose an install location.

The app also tracks import/export metadata — recording when and from where each distribution was imported, so you can trace the history of your environments.

Tips

Include the date in filenames: Ubuntu-2026-02-21.tar makes it clear when the backup was taken
Store backups on a different drive: If your C: drive fails, backups on D: or an external drive survive
Test your backups periodically: Import a backup under a temporary name to verify it works, then wsl --unregister the test import
Back up before risky operations: Before major upgrades, kernel changes, or experimental tooling
Keep at least two generations: Don't overwrite your only backup — rotate between two or three copies

Summary

Task	Command
Export (TAR)	`wsl --export <distro> backup.tar`
Export (compressed)	`wsl --export <distro> backup.tar.gz --format tar.gz`
Export (VHD, fastest)	`wsl --export <distro> backup.vhdx --format vhd`
Import (TAR)	`wsl --import <name> "<location>" backup.tar`
Import (VHD)	`wsl --import <name> "<location>" backup.vhdx --vhd`
Fix default user	Edit `/etc/wsl.conf` → `[user]` → `default=username`
Unregister old	`wsl --unregister <distro>`
Back up .wslconfig	`Copy-Item $env:USERPROFILE\.wslconfig <backup-path>`

Your WSL environment is worth protecting. A few minutes of backup now can save hours of rebuilding later.