Access Windows files in WSL at /mnt/c (C: drive) or /mnt/d (D: drive), e.g., cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Desktop to navigate to the Windows desktop using Linux commands. 2. Access WSL files from Windows by entering \\wsl$\\Ubuntu\\home\\yourname in File Explorer, allowing use of Windows apps like Notepad or VS Code, but avoid editing system files in /etc or /bin to prevent permission issues. 3. Work efficiently by editing Windows files with Linux tools (e.g., code /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project/app.py), creating shortcuts via aliases in .bashrc or .zshrc (e.g., alias doc='cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents'), and managing line endings with dos2unix or editor settings to handle CRLF (Windows) vs LF (Linux) differences. 4. Be mindful of permissions, as /mnt/c files follow Windows security and may trigger "Permission denied" errors in restricted areas like Program Files, and note that file operations in /mnt/c are slower than in native Linux directories; thus, best practice is to store active projects in the WSL file system (e.g., ~/myapp) and access them from Windows via \\\\wsl$ for optimal performance and compatibility.
You can easily access Windows files from within WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) thanks to the built-in integration between the two systems. Here’s how it works and how to use it effectively.

1. Access Windows Files via the /mnt/
Directory
WSL automatically mounts your Windows drives under the /mnt/
directory. For example:
- Your C: drive is available at
/mnt/c
- Your D: drive (if present) is at
/mnt/d
So, if you want to navigate to your Windows desktop, you can run:

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Desktop
From there, you can use standard Linux commands like ls
, cat
, cp
, or vim
to interact with your files.
? Tip: File paths are case-sensitive in Linux, but Windows drives are mounted in lowercase (e.g.,
c
, notC
).
2. Use the Windows Path from WSL
You can also access WSL files from Windows. For example:
- Open File Explorer and type:
\\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\yourname
(Replace "Ubuntu" with your actual Linux distribution name if different.)
This lets you browse and edit Linux files using Windows apps like Notepad or VS Code.
?? Warning: Avoid editing Linux system files (e.g., in
/etc
,/bin
) using Windows tools. This can cause permission or formatting issues.
3. Work Efficiently Between Systems
Here are a few practical tips:
Edit Windows files using Linux tools:
You can usenano
,vim
, orcode
(if VS Code is installed) to edit files in/mnt/c/...
.Example with VS Code:
code /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project/app.py
Create shortcuts for convenience:
Add an alias in your.bashrc
or.zshrc
:alias doc='cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents'
Then just type
doc
to jump there.Handle line endings (CRLF vs LF):
Windows uses CRLF (\r\n
), Linux uses LF (\n
). If you're working on scripts or code, use tools likedos2unix
or configure your editor to avoid issues.-
File permissions: Files on
/mnt/c
are subject to Windows security, so WSL applies default permissions. You may see warnings like “Permission denied” if accessing restricted folders (e.g.,Program Files
). -
Performance: Reading/writing files in
/mnt/c
is slower than native Linux files. For development, keep project files in the Linux filesystem (~/project
) and only mount when needed.
4. Permissions and Performance Notes
? Best practice: Store active development projects inside the WSL file system (e.g.,
~/myapp
) and access them from Windows via\\wsl$
for better performance and compatibility.
Basically, WSL makes cross-platform file access seamless — just use /mnt/c
for Windows files, and remember where you’re editing to avoid permission or formatting issues.
The above is the detailed content of How to access Windows files from within WSL. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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