- Windows Subsystem for Linux gets new container functionality after being introduced last month
- CLI and API form the basis of the latest update, Intune management also added
- Other changes made available for alternative container CLI tools
Microsoft has released Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) containers in public preview following its previous announcement at Build 2026, to create, run, and manage Linux containers directly on Windows.
When the feature update was first revealed, Microsoft described it as “an integrated way to build, run, and interact with Linux containers using a familiar CLI and API.”
The new container feature is now available in the latest preview build, which can be downloaded from GitHub, and includes two major new features.
WSL containers are now available in public preview
As part of the update, Microsoft added a built-in container CLI and API to allow Windows applications to run Linux containers.
The company noted that the API is particularly useful for reusing existing Linux-specific code, such as running cloud applications locally, while the CLI tool uses a familiar format so users can “use [their] existing muscle memory when running Linux containers.
Microsoft also added new management settings to allow administrators to control whether users can use WSL distributions and containers through Intune.
In addition to the core container update, Senior Product Manager Craig Loewen also highlighted a series of other changes the company is making to WSL, including a new “virtiofs” file system that makes accessing Windows files 2x faster and a new “consumed” default network mode to improve compatibility.
Loewen noted that lower-level platform changes are also available on “other fantastic Linux container CLI tools” like Docker Desktop, Podman Desktop, and Rancher Desktop.
Microsoft has also published a support page explaining how to install the API, which includes support for C, C++, and C#.
The company has not yet provided a general availability timeline.
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