Ubuntu is growing faster on Windows than on Linux, and it could soon become its biggest user base

By Simon Batt Published Aug 17, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart , Listverse , and MakeTechEasier . However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Add Us Add on Google Preferred Source Google News Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread 2 Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Summary Ubuntu installs on Windows (WSL) are growing faster than native Ubuntu installs. Many devs stuck on Windows use WSL to run Ubuntu for ML/AI work. The year of Linux may arrive, but it could be inside Windows via WSL. So, good news for Linux fans: it seems the 'year of Linux' may finally be upon us. The bad news is, the year of Linux may not happen on Linux . A past interview with a member of Canonical reveals that the number of people installing Ubuntu on Windows in a Linux environment is rapidly outpacing native Ubuntu installs, and it may one day become the largest market share.