How to Use rsync on Windows via WSL

This guide walks you through setting up and using rsync on a Windows system by leveraging WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and a Linux distribution (like Ubuntu). rsync is a powerful command-line tool for copying and synchronizing files across systems — especially useful when working over SSH to a remote server.

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Prerequisites

• A Windows 10 or 11 system with WSL support
• Administrative privileges (to install WSL)
• Internet connection
• Basic familiarity with the command line

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Step 1: Install WSL

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
2. Run the following command to install WSL (and default Linux distro):

   wsl --install
   

   This installs the latest version of WSL and a default Linux distribution (usually Ubuntu). You may need to reboot afterward.

If WSL is already installed, you can check your installed distributions by running:
wsl -l -v

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Step 2: Install a Linux Distribution (Ubuntu Recommended)

If WSL didn’t automatically install a distro, or if you want a specific version:

1. Open the Microsoft Store
2. Search for Ubuntu
3. Choose a version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS) and click Install

After installation:

• Launch Ubuntu from the Start menu

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Step 3: Update Ubuntu and Install rsync

Once Ubuntu is open, run the following to fully update the environment and install rsync.

🧹 Update Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt dist-upgrade 
sudo apt autoremove

• You’ll be prompted for your password.
• These commands update your package list, install the latest updates, and clean up old packages.

🔧 Install rsync:

sudo apt install rsync

rsync should now be available for use!

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Step 4: Using rsync with SSH to Transfer Files

Here’s the basic syntax to transfer files from your WSL environment to a remote server:

rsync -avz full_path_to_source -e "ssh -l username" server_address:full_path_to_destination

Parameters Explained:

• -a: archive mode (preserves permissions, timestamps, etc.)
• -v: verbose output
• -z: compress data during transfer
• -e: specifies the remote shell to use (in this case, ssh with a specific login user)

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Example

Let’s say:

• Your local folder is /home/dpane/testData
• Your remote server is at 128.2.244.19 (which is raptor.ni.cmu.edu)
• Your remote username in this example I will use: dpane
• You want to copy to /home/dpane/ on the remote server

The command would be:

rsync -avz /home/dpane/testData -e "ssh -l dpane" 128.2.244.19:/home/dpane/

You will be prompted for the remote server password (for the user dpane on 128.2.244.19).

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Successful Output Example:

dpane@claymore2:~/testData$ rsync -avz /home/dpane/testData -e "ssh -l dpane" 128.2.244.19:/home/dpane/
dpane@128.2.244.19's password:
sending incremental file list
testData/
testData/my-test-data

sent 139 bytes  received 39 bytes  4.40 bytes/sec
total size is 0  speedup is 0.00

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Common Issues

Permission Denied (Wrong Password)

dpane@128.2.244.19's password:
Permission denied, please try again.

• Make sure you enter the correct remote password.
• Check for typos in the username or IP address.

Tip: Use SSH Keys (Optional)

To avoid entering a password every time, you can set up SSH key authentication between your WSL and the remote server. This is optional but can save time.

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Reference

For more detailed documentation, see the page Copying and Syncing Files Guide