How to remove Windows paths from WSL path

How to remove Windows paths from WSL path.md

after Build 17093

• can override settings by edit "/etc/wsl.conf"
• normally this file is not exists at first

$ sudo vi /etc/wsl.conf

[interop]
appendWindowsPath = false

$ exit
c:\Users\user> wsl

$ echo $PATH

to take effect you should exit and relaunch shell

see also

• https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/02/07/automatically-configuring-wsl/

default wsl.conf settings

[automount]
enabled = true
mountFsTab = true
root = "/mnt/"
options =

[network]
generateHosts = true
generateResolvConf = true

[interop]
enabled = true
appendWindowsPath = true

Exiting and relaunching doesn't update changes in wsl.conf. Terminating WSL from PowerShell using wslconfig /t Ubuntu command works. I am on WSL2 currently.

Exiting and relaunching doesn't update changes in wsl.conf. Terminating WSL from PowerShell using wslconfig /t Ubuntu command works. I am on WSL2 currently.

Alternatively can use wsl --shutdown in cmd

Thanks @takizo. That worked for me,

I need to WSL2 interop to run code . but the excess of /mnt/c directories from windows in Ubuntu WSL2 PATH leads to slow python runs.
So how could I manually edit appendWindowsPath so I can run code . and just that?

This doesn't work at all for me... can you guys provide specific beginner instructions?

This doesn't work at all for me... can you guys provide specific beginner instructions?

ELI5 instructions: open /etc/wsl.conf in text editor which is present in wsl distro. If the file is not present in etc directory, create it. And only put this there.

[interop]
appendWindowsPath = false

Else modify the above line if it exists. Then do wslconfig /t Ubuntu or wsl --shutdown or simply reboot the pc.

that also did not work for me...

What I had to do as edit my .bashrc file and add export PS1="\u@\h: "

How did modifying PS1 worked for you? It does entirely different thing.

@moracabanas One way would be to run which code to find where it is, then to add an alias to it.

@moracabanas You can also just append your VSCode install bin to the PATH in your .zshrc file. That's what I did, and that's working perfectly fine. So first configure the wsl.conf and add the appendWindowsPath = false and then adjust your .zshrc and add the following line;

export PATH="$PATH:/mnt/c/Users/rober/AppData/Local/Programs/Microsoft VS Code/bin"

I confirm work for wsl2

I kept the wsl.conf like 1st advised.

[interop]
appendWindowsPath = false

THEN my blond moment elapsed

Powershell 7.2 :

.\wslconfig.exe /l
Windows Subsystem for Linux Distributions:
Ubuntu-20.04 (Default)
'''
./wslconfig /t Ubuntu-20.04

But missed below. After I termiated the service, the wsl.conf file was active. Many Thanks!

The OpenWrt Buildroot Environment works like a charm.

!

Thanks. Still a hero in 2022. @takizo

Another way you can configure it globally, for all WSL2 distros, from the Windows $USER/.wslconfig config:

[interop]
appendWindowsPath = false

[boot]
command = export PATH="$PATH:/mnt/c/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/AppData/Local/Programs/Microsoft VS Code/bin"

@GavinRay97
Aren't these settings (interop etc) only /etc/wsl.conf settings and not .wslconfig settings? 🤔
See wsl.conf and .wslconfig

@GavinRay97
Aren't these settings (interop etc) only /etc/wsl.conf settings and not .wslconfig settings? 🤔
See wsl.conf and .wslconfig

Yup, I know docker has a wslcomfig, but it’s not related to this thread regarding the correction of the $PATH

It would have been nice to set this up for all distros at once, though.
For now, I'll keep doing it by distro using the /etc/wsl.conf file.

This is a good resource:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#global-configuration-options-with-wslconfig