Setting up a wsl.conf file is preferable, though, as it ensures you're always entering as user. This will have the same effect once closed down and restarted.

Close down your Linux Mint instance, wait a few seconds (eight is the official line from Microsoft), and then when you relaunch you should be ready to go, already logged in as user.Īlternatively, if you're using Windows Terminal, open the Settings, find your Linux Mint install in the sidebar, and then in the command line box ensure this command is stored: wsl.exe -d -u Hit Ctrl + X followed by Y and then Enter to save and exit. Enter this block into the file: # Set the user when launching a distribution with WSL.default=YourUserName The Nano text editor will now open with a new blank file. In the terminal as root enter: nano /etc/wsl.conf As we're going to be inside the /etc/ directory it's easiest to be root for this one. You won't have a wsl.conf file when you first set up Linux Mint, so we'll need to create that and enter the right settings. There are two ways to do this, the first is with the wsl.conf file and the second is by configuring Windows Terminal if you use that. The next thing to do is to ensure that when you launch Mint if you want to be user and not root (which is advisable), you configure it so you don't have to manually do it every time. You can then switch to your user with: su We can do this by entering: usermod -aG sudo The next step is to add the right permissions to your user to be able to use the sudo command, otherwise you'll be met with an error.

These commands have added a root password, a user, and a user password. Next, we'll add a user with: useradd -m Īnd then we'll follow that up with a password for the user with: passwd Īgain, follow the prompts to add your password. You don't have a password, either, so you'll need to add one of those before beginning.įollow the prompts to set a root password. You'll be presented with a basic prompt that begins with As with any other Linux distro on WSL, you'll want to add a user to Mint with the right permissions before doing anything. Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)Įnter Mint in your terminal using one of the methods described above.

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