How to Install Kali Linux on Windows 11: WSL 2 or VirtualBox

To install Kali Linux on Windows 11, open PowerShell as an administrator and run wsl --install -d kali-linux. Restart if Windows asks, open Kali Linux from Start, and create a Linux user name and password. Check the result with wsl --list --verbose.

This covers Windows 11 Home and Pro, including version 26H2 (released September 29, 2026) and earlier versions such as 24H2 and 25H2, with Kali’s rolling release (2026.2 is the current point release). The main method installs Kali alongside Windows through WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). It doesn’t replace Windows or partition your drive. A VirtualBox method follows for people who want a full virtual machine.

Which Method Should You Choose?

	WSL 2	VirtualBox
Best for	Terminal tools, quick setup	A full Kali desktop in a window
Download size	Small; tools added as needed	Several GB prebuilt image
Desktop	Optional, through Win-KeX	Included
Works on Windows 11 Home	Yes	Yes

Kali is a security-testing distribution. Use its tools only on computers and networks you own or have written permission to test. Testing someone else’s systems without permission can be illegal.

Before You Start

• Use an updated Windows 11 PC, an internet connection and an account with administrator rights.
• Save open work before a restart and keep backups of important files.
• WSL 2 and VirtualBox both need hardware virtualization turned on in your PC’s firmware. Microsoft’s Enable Virtualization on Windows page links to each major PC maker’s instructions and warns you to change only that one firmware setting.
• Leave free disk space. Kali’s own docs suggest at least 20 GB of disk and 2 GB of RAM for a standard desktop install. A minimal WSL install needs much less.
• On a managed work or school PC, ask its administrator if WSL or distribution downloads are restricted.

Windows 11 Home supports WSL 2, so you don’t need Pro for this method, as Microsoft’s WSL FAQ confirms.

Not sure virtualization is on? The steps for turning on hardware virtualization in Windows 11 show how to check in Task Manager and enable it in UEFI.

1. Check for an Existing Kali Installation

Open PowerShell and run:

wsl --list --verbose

The list shows each installed distribution’s name, state and WSL version. If kali-linux is already listed, use it rather than installing over it. If WSL or distributions aren’t installed yet, continue below.

Don’t unregister or delete an existing distribution to fix an install problem. Microsoft warns that unregistering permanently removes its data, settings and software.

2. Install Kali From Administrator PowerShell

1. Search Start for PowerShell, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt. An Administrator: Windows PowerShell window opens.
2. Type wsl --install -d kali-linux and press Enter. The command downloads Kali and turns on the WSL components it needs. Wait for it to finish; the time depends on your connection.

3. If Windows asks for a restart, save your work and restart.
4. After you sign back in, open Kali Linux from Start if its setup window doesn’t open on its own. A console window opens and starts first-time setup.

Kali’s WSL documentation lists kali-linux as the distribution name and documents this same command.

Microsoft’s WSL installation guide explains the -d option and says new installations use WSL 2 by default. Plain wsl --install installs Ubuntu instead, so always include -d kali-linux.

Microsoft Store alternative

You can also install the Kali Linux app from the Microsoft Store. Kali’s setup page links to the official Store listing. Open the app after it installs to finish the user setup below. Use only one method; don’t install over an existing Kali distribution.

3. Create Your Linux User and Update Kali

1. Wait for first-launch setup to finish unpacking its files.
2. Enter a Linux user name when prompted. It can be different from your Windows user name.
3. Create and confirm a Linux password. Nothing appears as you type it; that’s expected.

4. When the Kali prompt appears, setup is complete. Use that password whenever a command asks for sudo authorization.

Next, update Kali from inside the Kali shell, not at a PowerShell prompt. Review the package changes before you accept an upgrade: a full upgrade can remove packages to resolve dependencies. Stop and ask for help if the proposed removals look unexpected.

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Run the second command after the first succeeds. The first refreshes the package lists; the second brings installed packages up to date. Kali’s APT guidance recommends full-upgrade for its rolling distribution.

4. Verify and Reopen Kali

In a Windows PowerShell window, run:

wsl --list --verbose

Find kali-linux and check for 2 in the VERSION column. To open that distribution specifically, use:

wsl -d kali-linux

Using its name avoids opening Ubuntu or another distribution that may be your default. Type exit at the Linux prompt to return to PowerShell. To stop every running distribution, run wsl --shutdown.

If an older Kali installation shows version 1, back up its files first. Microsoft’s WSL command reference documents wsl --set-version kali-linux 2, and the conversion can take a while.

Optional: Add a Desktop or More Tools

A new Kali WSL installation opens to a terminal and doesn’t include every tool. That doesn’t mean installation failed. Kali’s minimum-install guide explains the optional tool groups.

For a graphical desktop, follow Kali’s Win-KeX instructions. They require Kali in WSL 2 and Windows Terminal. Inside Kali, run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install kali-win-kex

Type Y and press Enter when apt asks to continue. The download is large. Then start Win-KeX in window mode:

kex --win -s

The -s option turns on sound. Win-KeX asks you to set a password the first time. Kali documents two other modes: kex --sl -s for seamless mode, which puts Kali apps on your Windows desktop, and kex --esm --ip -s for Enhanced Session Mode, which also serves as the workaround on Arm PCs.

For more tools, see Kali’s metapackage guide. A metapackage installs a group of packages; kali-linux-default matches the standard Kali tool set. Check its disk-space needs before installing.

Run Kali in VirtualBox Instead of WSL

For a separate graphical virtual machine on an Intel or AMD Windows 11 PC, use Kali’s prebuilt VirtualBox image from the official Get Kali page. It skips the installer entirely.

1. Install the Windows version of VirtualBox from its official site.
2. Download the Kali VirtualBox image. Check its SHA256 checksum against the one shown on kali.org.
3. Extract the archive with the official 7-Zip app. Keep the extracted files together in a folder with enough free space.
4. Open VirtualBox, select Add, browse to the extracted folder, and select the .vbox file. The Kali VM appears in the list.

5. Review the VM’s memory, processors and network settings. Leave enough RAM for Windows; giving the VM no more than about half your PC’s memory is a safe starting point.
6. Select Start. Sign in with the default user name kali and password kali.
7. Change the default password right away with the passwd command in a Kali terminal.

Kali’s official import guide documents this workflow. The amd64 image is for Intel and AMD PCs; an Arm Windows computer needs compatible virtualization software and an Arm image. Prefer installing from Kali’s installer ISO instead? Create a new VM, attach the ISO, and choose the guided option that uses the entire virtual disk. Only use that option inside a VM, never on your PC’s real drive.

Download Kali images only from kali.org. Don’t turn off Microsoft Defender or add exclusions to make a download or tool work.

If Installation Fails

• Help text instead of installation: run wsl --list --online, confirm the offered name, then retry wsl --install -d kali-linux.
• Download stuck at 0.0%: run wsl --install --web-download -d kali-linux instead, which downloads the distribution before installing it.
• Virtualization error, such as 0x80370102: check hardware virtualization and the Virtual Machine Platform feature, then see Microsoft’s WSL troubleshooting. Installing inside another VM also requires nested virtualization.
• Outdated WSL: run wsl --update in PowerShell, then follow any restart instructions.
• Package or signing-key error: look up the message in Kali’s APT guidance. Don’t bypass repository verification to make an error go away.
• VirtualBox VM won’t start: confirm virtualization is on in UEFI, and make sure no other virtualization app is holding the VM.

Common Questions

Is Kali the same thing as WSL?

No. WSL provides the Windows integration; Kali is one Linux distribution that runs inside it. For WSL itself, follow the Windows 11 WSL setup steps.

Can I remove Kali later?

Yes, but back up its files first. Run wsl --export kali-linux kali-backup.tar to save a copy, then wsl --unregister kali-linux to remove it. Unregistering permanently deletes the distribution’s contents. For VirtualBox, right-click the VM and select Remove.

Does Kali in WSL have the full set of tools?

No. It starts minimal so you only install what you need. Add tools individually with sudo apt install or as a metapackage.

Can I run Kali in Hyper-V or VMware?

Yes. The Get Kali page also offers prebuilt images for VMware and Hyper-V. For Hyper-V on Pro editions, read about running a virtual machine on Windows 11.

Once Kali appears in the WSL list (or boots in VirtualBox) and opens to your user prompt, the installation worked. Add the tools or desktop mode you need next.