How to Read and Write EXT4 Hard Drives from Linux to Windows

Those of us who use two computers, one with Linux and one with Windows, sometimes feel like we're swimming in opposite currents. In certain cases, we've needed access our files in Linux from the Windows computer, and things have gotten complicated. Has this happened to you? Then you'll be interested in learning how to read and write EXT4 hard drives from Linux in Windows.

Why can't Windows handle EXT4 natively?

Let's say you have a removable hard drive or an old partition on a Linux computer full of important projects, documents, and photos. Now you need to recover those files, but you're on a Windows computer. You plug in the drive, but Microsoft's operating system simply ignores it. Or, at best, it suggests formatting it. What's going on?

It's not a bug, but rather an invisible wall separating these ecosystems. The problem is that Windows doesn't include native support for the EXT4 file system, which is the standard in Linux. Doing so would involve integrating open source into the Windows kernel., something Microsoft is unwilling to do for technical, licensing and business reasons.

Fortunately, it is possible to read and write EXT4 Linux hard drives in Windows, without any additional software. Of course, there are third-party tools that make the process much easier, especially useful for beginners. But before you try it, it's a good idea to know the basics. risks of uniting both worlds.

Precautions before reading and writing EXT4 hard drives from Linux to Windows

It's wise to review the risks of reading and writing to EXT4 Linux hard drives in Windows. There are risks because Windows uses its own file systems, such as NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT. Linux, on the other hand, has its own: EXT4 (Fourth Extended Filesystem), an open-source file system designed specifically for its kernel. Attempting to read and write to one file system from another may cause serious errors or corrupt files.

This is especially true when we need to write or modify a file created in Linux from a Windows computer. Reading them is usually not a problem; however, Making modifications to them carries a high risk of generating incompatibilitiesWhat can happen?

• data corruption: A write operation from Windows could corrupt the Linux EXT4 file system, especially if the drive is not removed properly.
• Loss of user permissions and attributes, as Windows writing tools often cannot preserve that information.
• Compatibility errors: Linux may not be able to recognize an EXT4 hard drive that has been modified in Windows previously.

So, if you only need to recover files, stick to reading. And if you must write, do so only superficially and on disks you have backed up or don't mind formatting. Let's see now. Two safe ways to read and write EXT4 hard drives from Linux to Windows: natively and with third-party tools.

Natively: With the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft incorporated a native tool for reading and writing EXT4 Linux hard drives into Windows. It's called Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and allows you to run Linux distributions directly on Windows. Additionally, in its latest version (WSL2), it is possible to mount EXT4 disks and access them from Windows File Explorer.

There are two things you should know about WSL2. First, It is not activated by default in Windows 10 and Windows 11. So you have to activate it manually to be able to use it. Secondly, It does not have direct access by default to the physical disks that you connect via USB. So you have to mount them from PowerShell with administrator permissions. Let's see how to do each one.

How to enable WSL to read and write EXT4 hard drives from Linux on Windows

Activating WSL is the first step to be able to read and write EXT4 Linux hard drives in Windows. With this option enabled, you can install Linux distributions in Windows and, from there, access your EXT4-formatted drives. The steps to enable it are:

1. In Windows, go to Control Panel – System – Optional Features – More Windows Features.
2. In the list of features, activate the options Windows subsystem for Linux (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and Virtual machine platform (Virtual Machine Platform).
3. Click on To accept, wait for Windows to install the necessary components and restart the team.
4. (Optional, but recommended) Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following command to install WSL and set WSL2 as the default: wsl -install.
5. This command will install the latest version of WSL and download Ubuntu by default.

How to mount an EXT4 drive with WSL

Once WSL is activated and a Linux distro is running on Windows, it's time to mount the EXT4 drive so it can be read and modified. Obviously, you need to physically connect it to the Windows computer. Then, it's time to Open PowerShell as administrator and do the following::

1. Run the command Get Disk to view the list of connected disks. Identify the number of the EXT4 drive you just connected.
2. Then, execute the command wsl -mount [drive ID] -partition [partition number] to mount the drive. If the disk has only one partition, you can delete the section -partition.
3. That's it! You can now access the EXT4 drive directly from File Explorer. Just open the Linux category and navigate to the /mnt folder.

For a more detailed step-by-step, check out the full guide on How to safely read and write to EXT4 partitions in Windows 11.

Read and write EXT4 Linux hard drives in Windows with third-party tools

If the native solution for reading and writing EXT4 hard drives in Linux on Windows doesn't suit you, you can try a third-party tool. These programs They make it much easier to access and write to EXT4 drives from Windows environments.This is primarily for inexperienced users or those looking for a fast, effective, and risk-free solution. Here are the best alternatives:

• Linux File Systems for Windows by Paragon Software.
• PartitionGuru (DiskGenius)
• UFS Explores Professional Data Recovery Software (access and read only).
• LinuxReader by DiskInternals

Yes, reading and writing EXT4 Linux hard drives in Windows is possible. If you think you can handle everything, try using the native WSL feature. Otherwise, look into a third-party tool. In any case, The priority is that you can access and recover your Linux files from your Windows computer..