If you have installed WSL and one or more linux distributions, it is possible to work with the contents of their file systems from within Windows Explorer.

screenshot of Windows Explorer, highlighting the address bar, pin to quick access button and the list of quick access short cuts

  1. start WSL
  2. start Explorer (for example, Windows + E)
  3. in the address bar, type \\wsl$\ + Enter
  4. the folder content pane shows each WSL distro installed
  5. double-click on a distro to access it’s file system

Tip: When you enter \\wsl$\ in the address bar, right-click on a specific distro then in the context-menu select “Pin to Quick access”. You’ll be able to navigate to it quickly and without having to start WSL first.