Update 5/13/19: The Arch Linux distribution on the Microsoft Store is not an authorized version. An Arch Linux team member has also pointed out that the distribution on the Microsoft Store added an unknown repository to the pacman.conf file, so if you install packages through it, it is not known if they have been tampered with.

With that said, use at your own risk.

Fans of the Windows 10 Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will be happy to learn that the Arch Linux distribution is now available from the Microsoft Store.

Since Windows 10 has been released, Microsoft has been increasingly focused on integrating Linux into the Windows 10 operating system. For example, WSL2 was announced last week at MS Build 2019 and includes a true Linux kernel that will allow a greater amount of Linux applications to be compatible.

They have also announced a new Windows Terminal application coming this summer that acts as a tabbed interface where you can launch a variety of different shell, including PowerShell, the traditional CMD prompt, and shells associated with installed WSL distributions.

Before you can install the WSL Arch Linux distribution, you first need to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux. To do this, go to the Windows Features control panel and select Windows Subsystem for Linux as shown below.

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux

Once WSL is installed, you can then go to the Microsoft Store and search for WSL Arch Linux. To install it, simply click on the Get button and it will be downloaded and installed from the Store. When done, you can click on the Launch button.

WSL Arch Linux in Microsoft Store

Once launched for the first time, you will need to configure your region and Arch Linux will start to download the appropriate files. When done, create a user name and password and you will be logged into Arch Linux.

From there, you can use the pacman package manager to install more applications.

Using pacman in Arch Linux

For Windows users who have never tried Linux, or Arch Linux, using WSL is a great way to get introduced to a new operating system. You never know, you may like it so much you create your own dedicated Linux PC.