Linux Folder on Windows in Explorer? An unknown Linux folder with a penguin icon appears on Windows 10 or 11 in the file explorer navigation pane. This is a common issue if you had Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) installed and later removed it. This was once a shortcut used to access the WSL distro you had installed. But since WSL was removed, you'll find it is empty and that you can't directly delete it.
Linux Folder on Windows in Explorer
Here is an example of how it appears from File Explorer navigation pane on Windows 11.
The following simple solution covers removing the Penguin Icon and deleting the Linux folder.
NOTE: Proceed if this "Linux folder" is empty and you are sure that no Linux distributions are currently installed in Windows.
Mysterious Linux Folder in Explorer? Here's How to Remove It
If you've ever installed Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on your Windows 10 or 11 system, you might see a "Linux" folder with a penguin icon in the left-hand side of File Explorer — even after removing WSL. Clicking it shows an empty folder, and it cannot be deleted or removed directly.
This issue happens because the registry entry for the WSL namespace remains, even after WSL itself is gone.
What Is the Linux Folder in Explorer?
The "Linux" folder in Explorer is a namespace shortcut created for WSL. When WSL is uninstalled but the registry is not cleaned, this empty shortcut remains. You may see it if:
- You previously installed WSL and then uninstalled it
- You reset your PC or removed Linux distros manually
- The system didn’t clean up registry entries properly
How to Remove the Linux Folder on Windows
NOTE: Be sure no WSL distros are installed. You can check this by opening PowerShell and running: wsl --list. If nothing appears, it’s safe to proceed.
- Create a new text file on your Desktop and name it remove-linux.reg.
- Right-click the file and choose Edit, then paste in the following:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}]
@="Linux"
"System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000000
- Save the file, then double-click it to apply the change to your registry. Accept any security prompts.
- Restart File Explorer or sign out and back in. The Linux folder should now be gone.
Want to Add the Linux Folder Back?
If you reinstall WSL or want to re-enable the Linux folder, create a new .reg file with this content:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}]
@="Linux"
"System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000001Registry code snippet tip adapted from TenForums.