14 DAY TRIAL // Canonical has released the latest version of Ubuntu only a few hours ago, and now this update is also live for Windows 10 users who want to download it from the Microsoft Store.
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS comes with a long list of improvements, including notable security enhancements like Secure Boot to protect against low level attacks and rootkits.
Furthermore, this is the first release to come with Fast ID Online, or FIDO, to power universal multi-factor and passworldless authentication in the operating system.
Another notable addition is WireGuard VPN, which comes pre-loaded in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS but will also be backported to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, according to Canonical.
Of course, users can upgrade to the latest Ubuntu release manually, but the Microsoft Store version makes it easier for those running the Windows Subsystem for Linux to install it.
Windows 10 and WSL
Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL, allows users to run Linux on top of Windows 10, and Microsoft has shipped substantial improvements to the existing implementation over the years. The upcoming Windows 10 feature update called May 2020 Update will include the new Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 by default.
“Ubuntu 20.04 on Windows allows you to use Ubuntu Terminal and run Ubuntu command line utilities including bash, ssh, git, apt and many more,” Microsoft explains in the release notes of the new Ubuntu version in the Microsoft Store.
What you need to to know is that Ubuntu 20.04 from the Microsoft Store can’t be installed on Windows 10 in S Mode – this particular version of the operating system is limited to Microsoft Store apps, but is also restricted to specific apps and Ubuntu isn’t supported for the time being.
It goes without saying that Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is free of charge from the Microsoft Store and can be installed on any device where the WSL has already been enabled.