Microsoft makes built-in Linux containers generally available on Windows 11

Microsoft has made WSL Containers generally available, bringing built-in Linux container support to Windows 11 through the Windows Subsystem for Linux, Windows Central reported.

Until now, developers typically relied on third-party tools such as Docker Desktop to run Linux containers on Windows. Microsoft announced WSL Containers at Build 2026 and has tested the feature since.

Since testing began, Microsoft has added container health checks, real-time event streaming, expanded networking controls, configurable storage locations and new management commands, along with enterprise controls including Intune policies and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint support. A new wslc command-line tool uses commands familiar to container users.

Tools such as Docker Desktop remain an option, but the built-in support means one less app for developers to install and manage, according to the report.

For small development teams in B.C. building on Windows machines, the change simplifies local testing setups.