Canonical has taken an important step to bring the Linux world even closer to the corporate Windows ecosystem. The company has announced the general availability of Ubuntu Pro for WSL, a subscription aimed at enterprises that delivers long-term security maintenance, professional support and centralized management for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS instances on WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).
What until now was primarily a developer tool is becoming a component that fits into the most demanding IT strategies, with strict security and compliance requirements.
From “developer toy” to enterprise tool
WSL has transformed the daily work of many developers and system administrators: it lets them run Linux command-line tools and graphical applications directly on Windows, without a full virtual machine or dual boot.
In its WSL 2 version, and in collaboration with NVIDIA, the subsystem offers near-native GPU acceleration, especially relevant for AI workloads, data science and backend development. However, in many organizations WSL was still seen as a “blind spot”: useful for developers, but hard to govern and protect from a corporate security perspective.
This is where Ubuntu Pro for WSL comes in. Canonical now offers:
- Up to 15 years of security maintenance (ESM) for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
- Vulnerability (CVE) patching also for key toolchains such as Python, Go, Rust and other widely used development components.
- A clear support model, with the option of phone and ticket support for developers who work on Windows but depend on Ubuntu under WSL.
For IT leaders, this means those “invisible” Linux instances on developers’ laptops can stop being an opaque risk and become part of the organization’s managed perimeter.
Security and compliance: the big blocker Canonical wants to unlock
In many companies, security and compliance policies clashed with informal WSL use: unsupported distributions, unmaintained packages and no centralized visibility.
With Ubuntu Pro for WSL:
- ESM (Expanded Security Maintenance) is enabled for the distribution, guaranteeing security updates for more than a decade.
- Vulnerabilities can be patched according to the organization’s policies instead of relying on each user to update “when they remember”.
- Support is aligned with the rest of the Ubuntu Pro ecosystem on servers, desktops or IoT, making audits and certifications easier.
In practice, this turns WSL into a viable and compliant option for sectors with strict requirements (finance, public sector, industry, etc.), where ad-hoc Linux environments on laptops used to raise serious concerns.
Landscape: centralized control over WSL instances
Another key part of the announcement is integration with Landscape, Canonical’s tool for managing Ubuntu systems at scale.
With Ubuntu Pro for WSL, administrators will be able to:
- Discover and monitor WSL instances deployed across the organization.
- See which Windows hosts comply or do not comply with internal WSL provisioning and configuration policies.
- Manage updates, policies and security from a single pane of glass.
The WSL-specific management in Landscape is currently in beta, both for self-hosted environments and Landscape SaaS. Canonical is inviting interested customers to test it and provide feedback, with the goal of adapting the tool to real-world enterprise usage.
Integration with Microsoft tools: frictionless deployment
Canonical has designed Ubuntu Pro for WSL around how IT departments actually work today with the Microsoft ecosystem.
Highlights include:
- The distribution is delivered as an MSIX package in the Microsoft Store, enabling a simple point-and-click installation for individual users.
- At corporate scale, it can be deployed and configured using Microsoft Intune or other cloud-based management tools.
- It can also be controlled via Group Policies (GPO) in Active Directory environments.
- Canonical provides images for download and internal distribution behind the firewall, so enterprises can decide exactly which WSL images are approved for internal use.
In essence, Ubuntu Pro for WSL behaves like a first-class citizen inside standard Windows endpoint management workflows, reducing friction and avoiding ad-hoc solutions.
Support for people, not just machines
Beyond security maintenance, Canonical is introducing a support model that speaks directly to the developer who lives in Windows but thinks in Linux.
The Ubuntu Pro + Support subscription offers:
- A support channel with Canonical specialists.
- Coverage for both the base system and key tools from the open source ecosystem.
- A clear bridge between the company’s Windows world and the real Linux environment where many modern applications are built.
At the same time, Ubuntu’s philosophy remains: free subscriptions for personal use, and paid plans for enterprise environments that need contractual guarantees and SLAs.
Another step in Canonical’s hybrid strategy
With this announcement, Canonical strengthens its position as a provider of omnipresent enterprise Linux: from public cloud to on-premises data centers, through IoT… and now fully integrated into the corporate Windows desktop.
For Microsoft, the move also makes sense: it consolidates WSL as a mature, governable platform instead of a simple “extra” for enthusiastic developers. And it makes it easier for more organizations to adopt Windows as their primary environment without giving up the tools and workflows of the Linux world.
The combination of WSL 2, GPU acceleration, Ubuntu Pro, Landscape, and integration with Intune and AD paints a scenario where development teams can work naturally with Linux while IT maintains control and compliance.
Frequently asked questions about Ubuntu Pro for WSL
What does Ubuntu Pro for WSL offer compared to using a “normal” Ubuntu distribution on WSL?
Ubuntu Pro for WSL adds up to 15 years of security maintenance, CVE patching for thousands of packages, coverage for toolchains like Python, Go or Rust, and access to professional support. It also allows you to integrate WSL instances into management tools such as Landscape, which greatly simplifies control in enterprise environments.
Is Ubuntu Pro for WSL suitable for organizations with strict compliance and audit requirements?
Yes. By providing Expanded Security Maintenance, official support and centralized management tools, Ubuntu Pro for WSL fits far better into demanding compliance frameworks than unmanaged WSL deployments. It enables clear policies for patching and controlling open source software on developers’ machines.
How is Ubuntu Pro for WSL deployed in a large organization?
Companies can distribute Ubuntu Pro for WSL from the Microsoft Store via MSIX, or use tools such as Microsoft Intune and Active Directory Group Policies to install and configure it automatically. It is also possible to host the images internally, maintaining strict control over which versions are in use.
Does Ubuntu Pro for WSL have a cost for individual users?
Canonical offers Ubuntu Pro subscriptions free of charge for personal use, while enterprises that need advanced support, SLAs and extended management capabilities can purchase paid plans. This way, developers and small teams can start at no cost and scale to an enterprise model when needed.
Sources:
Canonical / Ubuntu Pro for WSL announcement (canonical.com)
