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How to Export, Import and Unregister Linux on Windows 10

Windows 10 version 1903 (May 2019 Update) added new Windows wsl command-line options to import, export and unregister Linux environment with TAR format file on the root file system.

How to Export, Import and Unregister Linux on Windows 10

Content Summary

How to Export/Backup Linux System
How to Import/Restore Linux System
How to Unregister/Delete Linux System

How to Export/Backup Linux System

Step 1: PowerShell or Command Prompt environment in order to execute wsl command (wsl.exe). Right click Start button or press Windows + x and then click Windows PowerShell.

Step 2: To list the distros installed, run the following command: wsl --list

Step 3: Use the following command to export distro’s file system to TAR file: wsl --export distro_name file_name.tar

For example, to export Ubuntu 18.04 system to ubuntu.tar, Execute: wsl --export Ubuntu-18.04 ubuntu.tar

Step 4: A TAR file containing Linux distribution’s file system created.

How to Import/Restore Linux System

Use wsl command with –import option to import a TAR file created: wsl --import distro_name install_location file_name.tar

For example, in order to import distro from TAR file located at C:\Users\Chris\ubuntu.tar, call it “Ubuntu-18.04,” and store it at C:\Users\Chris\ubuntu. execute: wsl --import Ubuntu-18.04 C:\Users\Chris\ubuntu C:\Users\Chris\ubuntu.tar

If you want to match where Windows normally installs them to by default, they’re generally in their own folder in C:\Users\NAME\AppData\Local\Packages.

For example, you might want to put Ubuntu in C:\Users\NAME\AppData\Local\Packages\Ubuntu.

How to Unregister/Delete Linux System

Uninstall distro with –unregister option along with its name. This will result in all the Linux distribution’s files being deleted.

Step 1: Use the following command to see all installed distributions: wsl --list

Step 2: Specify the distribution you want to delete: wsl --unregister distro_name

For example, if it’s called Ubuntu-18.04, you’d run: wsl --unregister Ubuntu-18.04

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