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

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 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 in a Linux environment on Windows is rapidly outpacing native Ubuntu installs, and it may one day become the biggest market share. Ubuntu on Windows may one day outgrow native Ubuntu installs It's a weird, but believable outcome This interesting claim from Canonical was spotted by Windows Latest, which found the quote tucked away within an interview published on The Pragmatic Engineer a few months ago. In the full article, the publication interviews Jon Seager, the vice president of Engineering at Canonical, about what's going on with Ubuntu. One topic Seager touches on is Ubuntu WSL installs, and he has some surprising statistics and predictions to share: “In a year, the growth in our WSL numbers is significantly higher than the growth in Desktop usage numbers. [...] I expect to see more Ubuntu WSL users than “native” Ubuntu users over the coming months. This is especially true for anyone doing ML or AI work. We’re already hearing from lots of devs who have no choice but to get a Windows machine from their employer, but then find themselves needing to do AI or ML work. With WSL, this is a lot simpler.” If you're a little confused as to why people are talking about Linux on Windows, don't worry; you haven't gone mad yet. When Seager says that people are installing Ubuntu more on Windows than on native Linux, what he means is that people are downloading Ubuntu on their Windows machine and then running it via Windows Subsystem for Linux (that's the "WSL" he mentions often in his quote). WSL lets you set up a Linux environment within Windows and interact with it through a terminal, while still using Windows as your main operating system. Beforehand, people had to dual-boot Windows and Linux, but some people find WSL far easier to manage. Seager says that people are sticking with Windows (usually due to employer needs) and using WSL to use Ubuntu whenever they need Linux. And this method may end up outpacing actual Ubuntu installs. Yeah, it's pretty strange. Given how the interview is a few months old now and has only just come to light, there's a good chance we've already seen Ubuntu on Windows overtake native Ubuntu installs. Still, as long as Linux keeps getting used in any shape or form, I'm happy.