Troubleshooting and FAQ
Common questions and problems, each with its cause and fix.
Installing and starting
Windows says "Windows protected your PC"
The downloads are not code-signed, so SmartScreen does not recognise the publisher. Make sure the file came from the Ubuntu Terminal releases page. If it did, select More info, then Run anyway.
Do I need WSL, Ubuntu or Git Bash?
No. The shell, the everyday commands, vi and Git are inside the app.
Is this Ubuntu?
No. It looks like Ubuntu's terminal and accepts the same everyday commands, but it runs on Windows. It is not a Linux system and is not made by the makers of Ubuntu.
Which Windows versions and processors are supported?
The downloads are for 64-bit Intel/AMD Windows (x64).
Commands
"apt: not found"
There is no Ubuntu package manager, so lines from Linux tutorials such as sudo apt install … do not work here. Install the Windows version of the program you need, with its Windows installer. After you restart Ubuntu Terminal, the program runs by name if it is on your Windows PATH.
A command I installed is "not found"
- Close Ubuntu Terminal and open it again. The
PATHis read at start. - Run
which nameto see whether it is found. - Check that the program's installer added it to the Windows
PATH. Many installers have a tick box for this.
A Linux program will not run
Programs built for Linux cannot run on Windows. Look for a Windows build of the same tool, or use WSL.
A command rejects an option that works on Linux
The built-in commands are compact versions that cover the common options. Run the command with --help to see what it accepts.
How do I go to another drive?
Use the drive letter with forward slashes, for example cd C:/Projects or cd D:/. Put quotes around paths with spaces.
I deleted a file with rm. Can I get it back?
No. rm does not use the Recycle Bin. Restore the file from a backup, or from Git if the project is under version control.
The editor
I am stuck in vi
Press Esc, type :q! and press Enter. That leaves without saving. To save and leave, use :wq.
vim does not load my plugins or settings
vim starts the small built-in vi. It has no plugin or .vimrc support. To use another editor, install it on Windows and start it by name, for example code file.txt.
git commit opened an editor I did not expect
Git opens vi for the commit message. Type the message, press Esc, type :wq, press Enter. Or commit with git commit -m "message".
Copy, paste and display
Ctrl+C does not copy
In a terminal, Ctrl + C interrupts the running command. Copy with Ctrl + Shift + C and paste with Ctrl + Shift + V.
The text is too small or too large
Press Ctrl + + or Ctrl + -. Ctrl + 0 returns to the normal size.
Where is the menu?
Press Alt. To keep it, open Terminal and tick Show Menu Bar.
A tab shows "[Process exited]"
The shell in that tab has ended, for example because you typed exit. Close the tab with the × and open a new one.
The font does not look like Ubuntu's
The app uses the Ubuntu Mono font when it is installed on Windows. Otherwise it uses Cascadia Mono or Consolas.
Git
git push asks for a password and rejects mine
Most Git hosting services no longer accept account passwords for Git over HTTPS. Create a personal access token in your account settings on the service and use it as the password. Or use an SSH address with a key. See Use Git.
git clone with an SSH address fails
SSH needs Windows OpenSSH and a key that is registered with the Git service. Test with ssh -T git@github.com for GitHub. If ssh is not found, add the OpenSSH Client feature in Windows settings, or clone with the HTTPS address.
Do I need to install Git for Windows?
No. Git is included.
Privacy
Does the app send anything over the network?
The terminal itself runs on your PC. Network traffic comes from the commands you run, such as git clone, and from links you click, which open in your browser.
Get help
Report a problem on the Ubuntu Terminal issues page. Include your Windows version, the app version, the command you typed and the exact output. Remove tokens and passwords first.