Kali Linux GUI on Windows

How to setup Kali Linux with GUI on Windows 10

Introduction

Kali Linux is a Debian-derived Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. It is maintained and funded by Offensive Security.

The Kali for Windows application allows one to install and run the Kali Linux open-source penetration testing distribution natively, from the Windows 10 OS.

Requirements

• WSL 2
• Running Windows 10, updated with version 2004, Build 19041 or higher.

Installation

First, lets install WSL 2.

Step 1) Run Windows PowerShell as an Administrator.

Step 2) Run the following code and restart your computer.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

Step 3) Now run the next set of code and restart your computer again.

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart

Step 3) Download and install Linux Kernel

Downloading

Step 4) Install Kali Linux from Microsoft Store and complete the initial setup.

Step 5) Kali Linux has been Installed on your computer. To install the GUI, run the code below. This will install xrdp on your Kali Linux.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install kali-desktop-xfce -y
sudo apt install xrdp -y

Running Kali Linux GUI

Step 1) To run Kali Linux Gui on Windows, first start xrdp.

sudo service xrdp start

Step 2) Get your IP Address. You can run one of the following commands in Kali Linux to do so.

ip add
ifconfig

Your IP Address should look something like this

Step 3) Run Remote Desktop Connection and enter your IP Address.

Step 4) Enter your Kali Linux credentials.

Once entered, your Kali Linux GUI should be up and running on your windows machine.