Windows (WSL)

Run Matrix on Windows using WSL for the best experience.

While Matrix can run directly on Windows, we recommend using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) for the best experience. WSL provides a Linux environment that works seamlessly with Matrix’s features.

Setup

Install WSL

If you haven’t already, install WSL using the official Microsoft guide.
Install Matrix in WSL

Once WSL is set up, open your WSL terminal and install Matrix using one of the installation methods.
Terminal window
```
curl -fsSL https://y-square-t3.github.io/matrix/install | bash
```
Use Matrix from WSL

Navigate to your project directory (access Windows files via /mnt/c/, /mnt/d/, etc.) and run Matrix.
Terminal window
```
cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project
matrix
```

Desktop App + WSL Server

If you prefer using the Matrix Desktop app but want to run the server in WSL:

Start the server in WSL with --hostname 0.0.0.0 to allow external connections:
Terminal window
```
matrix serve --hostname 0.0.0.0 --port 4096
```
Connect the Desktop app to http://localhost:4096

MATRIX_SERVER_PASSWORD=your-password matrix serve --hostname 0.0.0.0

Web Client + WSL

For the best web experience on Windows:

Run matrix web in the WSL terminal rather than PowerShell:
Terminal window
```
matrix web --hostname 0.0.0.0
```
Access from your Windows browser at http://localhost:<port> (Matrix prints the URL)

Running matrix web from WSL ensures proper file system access and terminal integration while still being accessible from your Windows browser.

Accessing Windows Files

WSL can access all your Windows files through the /mnt/ directory:

C: drive → /mnt/c/
D: drive → /mnt/d/
And so on…

Example:

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents/project
matrix

Tips

Keep Matrix running in WSL for projects stored on Windows drives - file access is seamless
Use VS Code’s WSL extension alongside Matrix for an integrated development workflow
Your Matrix config and sessions are stored within the WSL environment at ~/.local/share/matrix/