Microsoft Previews Linux Containers That Run in Windows
The Register, Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
Microsoft's WSL containers public preview lets developers run Linux containers natively on Windows without extra tools.
Microsoft released a public preview of WSL containers, adding a built-in Linux container CLI and an API for Windows applications to run Linux containers as part of their app logic.
The tool uses the wslc.exe binary with Docker-familiar syntax, plus a container.exe alias option. The feature benefits Linux developers required to use Windows corporate devices, offering integrated security via Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Intune management.
Performance improvements include a new default file system claiming twice the speed for Windows file access and better networking compatibility, though these optimizations remain disabled by default during the preview.