Why use XRDP instead of WSLg for a full Linux desktop?

WSLg remotes individual windows, not entire desktops. For a complete desktop experience with panels, system settings, and proper window management, XRDP creates a virtual display that streams the entire desktop over RDP.

What is the best desktop environment for WSL2 with XRDP?

XFCE offers the best balance of features and performance for WSL2. It uses ~300MB RAM idle, is responsive over RDP, and works reliably. MATE is a good alternative if you prefer GNOME 2 style. Avoid full GNOME Shell as it requires 3D acceleration.

How do you change the XRDP port to avoid conflicts with Windows?

Edit /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini and change port=3389 to port=3390 (or another unused port). Windows uses 3389 for its own Remote Desktop, so WSL2 XRDP needs a different port. Connect using localhost:3390.

Ubuntu Desktop on WSL2: Complete XRDP Setup Guide

Want to run a full Linux desktop on Windows? Not just individual apps, but the complete experience—panels, file manager, system settings, and proper window management. This guide shows you how to set up Ubuntu with XRDP on WSL2.

Why This Guide Exists

I wrote this series while my RTX 5090 was off being RMA'd (charred power cable—don't ask). Without GPU acceleration, I needed a reliable way to run Linux desktops over RDP. After testing every major distro, Ubuntu with XFCE emerged as the most straightforward setup. GNOME is harder without GPU acceleration, but XFCE and MATE work brilliantly.

If you're after a polished, feature-rich experience, check out Kali Linux with Win-KeX—it surprised me with how complete it feels. For raw speed on minimal hardware, Alpine Linux is remarkably snappy.

Why XRDP Instead of WSLg?

WSLg is brilliant for running individual Linux apps on Windows. But full desktop environments don't work well with it:

WSLg remotes individual windows, not entire desktops
Desktop environments expect to own the display
Every window update goes through separate RDP channels
Session management breaks in confusing ways

XRDP works differently. It creates a virtual display that the desktop environment fully controls, then streams the entire desktop as a single RDP session. You connect using Windows' built-in Remote Desktop client—no extra software needed.

Prerequisites

Windows 10 (version 2004+) or Windows 11
WSL2 installed and working
Ubuntu installed from Microsoft Store or WSL UI

Installing Ubuntu

The easiest way to install Ubuntu is through WSL UI—our open-source WSL management tool. It handles the Microsoft Store integration and lets you manage multiple distros visually.

Or install via command line:

powershell

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Choosing a Desktop Environment

Desktop environments vary significantly in resource usage. For WSL2, lighter is generally better—you're sharing resources with Windows.

Desktop	Install Size	RAM (Idle)	Best For	Jump To
XFCE	~500 MB	~300 MB	Best balance for WSL2	Recommended
MATE	~700 MB	~450 MB	Traditional GNOME 2 feel
LXQt	~400 MB	~200 MB	Minimal resources
KDE Plasma	~1.5 GB	~500 MB	Customisation enthusiasts
GNOME	~2.5 GB	~800 MB	Modern, polished	Needs workaround

My recommendation: Start with XFCE. It's responsive over RDP, lightweight, and just works.

Step 1: Install Your Desktop

XFCE

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y

For the lightest possible install:

bash

sudo apt install --no-install-recommends xfce4 -y

MATE

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment -y

Note: On first login you may see a panel error about "IndicatorAppletComplete". This is harmless—click "Delete" to dismiss. The indicator applet expects system tray services that aren't available in XRDP sessions.

LXQt

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install lxqt -y

Warning: LXQt installs ConnMan (Connection Manager), which conflicts with WSL's mirrored networking mode. If you use networkingMode=mirrored in your .wslconfig, ConnMan will break networking across all your WSL distros. After installing LXQt, disable it immediately:

bash
sudo systemctl disable --now connman && sudo systemctl mask connman

See Network Managers Breaking WSL Mirrored Networking for details.

KDE Plasma

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop -y

Note on KDE's future: KDE announced in late 2025 that Plasma 6.8 will be Wayland-only. XRDP requires X11, so for long-term setups, XFCE or MATE are safer choices. The X11 session still works today with startplasma-x11.

GNOME

bash

sudo apt update
# Minimal GNOME
sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop-minimal -y

# Full Ubuntu Desktop
sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop -y

Warning: GNOME Shell requires 3D acceleration which XRDP can't provide. You'll need to use GNOME Flashback instead—see GNOME Desktop Not Working for configuration steps. For a smoother experience, XFCE or MATE are recommended.

Step 2: Install XRDP

bash

sudo apt install xrdp -y

Step 3: Change the Port

XRDP defaults to port 3389, which conflicts with Windows Remote Desktop. Change it:

bash

sudo sed -i 's/^port=3389/port=3390/' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

Step 4: Configure Your Session

Tell XRDP which desktop to start by creating ~/.xsession:

bash

# For XFCE
echo "startxfce4" > ~/.xsession

# For MATE
echo "mate-session" > ~/.xsession

# For LXQt
echo "startlxqt" > ~/.xsession

# For GNOME / Ubuntu Desktop (use gnome-session --session=gnome-flashback-metacity)
echo "gnome-session" > ~/.xsession

# For KDE Plasma (X11)
echo "startplasma-x11" > ~/.xsession

Step 5: Enable systemd (If Needed)

Ubuntu 24.04 and later have systemd enabled by default. Check yours:

bash

cat /proc/1/comm

If it shows init instead of systemd, enable it:

bash

sudo tee -a /etc/wsl.conf << 'EOF'
[boot]
systemd=true
EOF

Then restart WSL from PowerShell:

powershell

wsl --shutdown

Step 6: Start XRDP

bash

sudo systemctl enable xrdp
sudo systemctl start xrdp

Step 7: Connect

Open Remote Desktop Connection on Windows (Win+R, type mstsc)
Enter localhost:3390
Click Connect
Log in with your WSL username and password

You should see your full Linux desktop:

Display tab: Start at 1920x1080 or your monitor size
Experience tab: Set to LAN for best quality
Color depth: 32-bit for quality, 16-bit for performance

Inside Linux

Disable compositing and desktop effects:

XFCE: Settings → Window Manager Tweaks → Compositor → disable
KDE: System Settings → Display → Compositor → disable
GNOME: Install gnome-tweaks and disable animations

Memory Limits

Control WSL2 memory usage by creating C:\Users\YourName\.wslconfig:

ini

[wsl2]
memory=8GB
processors=4
swap=2GB

Restart WSL after changes: wsl --shutdown

Quick Reference

bash

# Complete Ubuntu XFCE setup
sudo apt update
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies xrdp -y
sudo sed -i 's/^port=3389/port=3390/' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
echo "startxfce4" > ~/.xsession
sudo systemctl enable xrdp --now

# Connect: mstsc → localhost:3390

Troubleshooting

If things go wrong—black screens, connection refused, authentication failures—see the comprehensive WSL2 Desktop Troubleshooting Guide.

This Series

Part 1: Running Linux GUI Apps with WSLg
Part 2: Ubuntu Desktop with XRDP — You are here
Part 3: Fedora Desktop with XRDP
Part 4: Kali Linux Desktop with Win-KeX
Part 5: Arch Linux Desktop with XRDP
Part 6: openSUSE Desktop with XRDP
Part 7: Alpine Linux Desktop with XRDP
Part 8: WSL2 Desktop Troubleshooting Guide

Ubuntu Desktop on WSL2: Complete XRDP Setup Guide

Why This Guide Exists

Why XRDP Instead of WSLg?

Prerequisites

Installing Ubuntu

Choosing a Desktop Environment

Step 1: Install Your Desktop

XFCE

MATE

LXQt

KDE Plasma

GNOME

Step 2: Install XRDP

Step 3: Change the Port

Step 4: Configure Your Session

Step 5: Enable systemd (If Needed)

Step 6: Start XRDP

Step 7: Connect

XFCE

MATE

LXQt

KDE Plasma

Ubuntu Desktop (GNOME Flashback)

Performance Tips

RDP Display Settings

Inside Linux

Memory Limits

Quick Reference

Troubleshooting

This Series