Getting "The requested operation requires elevation" error while enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in Windows

Question

I'm running the below command to enable Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

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

But, getting the below error

```
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : The requested operation requires elevation.
At line:1 char:1
+ Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows- ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature], COMException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Dism.Commands.EnableWindowsOptionalFeatureCommand
```

Any suggestions?

Divya · Accepted Answer

I was able to resolve the issue by performing below things:

1. Check if any windows updates are pending and install them 
2. Make sure you are running Power Shell as "Administrator"

Hope it works for you too!

Getting "The requested operation requires elevation" error while enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in Windows

2 Answers