If you're a macOS user and looking for a way to run Ubuntu like WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), you're in luck. While macOS doesn’t have WSL natively, there are several great tools that can give you a very similar experience — lightweight, seamless, and developer-friendly.
Below are the best ways to run Ubuntu on macOS with a WSL-style workflow.
1. Multipass – Lightweight Ubuntu VM (WSL-like)
Multipass is a lightweight VM manager made by Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu), and it's one of the closest things to WSL on macOS.
🔧 Install via Homebrew:
brew install --cask multipass
🚀 Launch Ubuntu:
multipass launch --name ubuntu --mem 2G --disk 10G
multipass shell ubuntu
Boom! You're inside an Ubuntu shell — super fast, no GUI, just like WSL.
📁 Mount macOS folder into Ubuntu:
multipass mount ~/Projects ubuntu:/home/ubuntu/Projects
This lets you share files between macOS and Ubuntu easily.
2. UTM – Full Ubuntu VM with GUI (WSL2-Like)
UTM is a virtual machine app for macOS that's easy to use and lets you run a full Ubuntu system, including GUI.
🔧 Steps:
- Download and install UTM.
- Download an Ubuntu ISO (use ARM64 for M1/M2 Macs).
- Create a new VM → Choose Ubuntu → Attach the ISO.
- Allocate RAM, CPU, and storage.
- Install Ubuntu like on a real machine.
UTM uses Apple’s virtualization framework on Apple Silicon, so it's pretty fast and responsive for a GUI-based VM.
3. Colima + Dockerized Ubuntu
If you're into container-based workflows, Colima is an awesome Docker runtime for macOS. Combine it with an Ubuntu container for a super lightweight experience.
🔧 Install:
brew install colima
brew install docker
colima start
🐧 Run Ubuntu:
docker run -it ubuntu
You'll be dropped into an Ubuntu shell instantly — perfect for scripting, dev tools, and testing.
🔍 Quick Comparison
| Method | WSL-Like Feel | GUI Support | Resource Usage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multipass | ✅✅✅ | ❌ | Lightweight | CLI, Dev, Folder Sharing |
| UTM | ✅✅ | ✅✅✅ | Moderate | Full Linux GUI Usage |
| Colima + Docker | ✅✅ | ❌ | Super Light | Containerized Workflows |
✨ Conclusion
Even without official WSL support, macOS users can still get an excellent Ubuntu experience using tools like Multipass, UTM, or Colima. Whether you prefer a terminal-only setup or a full Linux desktop, these tools make it easy.
If you’ve got other tips or setups for running Linux on macOS, drop them in the comments. Happy hacking! 🚀
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