Configuration Options

Configuration File Location

WSL Dashboard's configuration files and logs are stored by default in the user's home directory:

File/Directory	Path	Description
Configuration directory	~\.wsldashboard\	Root directory that holds all persistent data
Settings file	~\.wsldashboard\settings.toml	All UI settings, path configurations, etc.
Log directory	~\.wsldashboard\logs\	Stores runtime log files

TIP

~ represents the current Windows user's home directory (usually C:\Users\username).

Start with Windows (/scheduler)

WSL Dashboard provides a reliable mechanism for starting with Windows.

How it works

When you enable "Start with Windows" in the settings, the app does not simply place a shortcut in the Startup folder — instead, it creates a high-performance startup task through the Windows Task Scheduler.

• Silent startup: The task starts the app with the /scheduler argument. This argument launches the app directly minimized to the system tray without popping up the main window to disturb your work.
• Automatic repair: Each time you manually launch the app, it checks and automatically repairs startup tasks that have become invalid due to moved paths or permission issues, ensuring auto-start always works.

Available Settings

In the app's "Settings" view, you can adjust the following options:

General Settings

• Language: Choose the UI language (supports 20+ languages including Simplified Chinese, English, etc.).
• Default installation directory: Set the default storage path for new WSL instances.
• Start with Windows: When enabled, WSL Dashboard will start with Windows.
• Minimize to tray on startup: When enabled, the app goes straight to the system tray after launch without showing the main window (silent mode).

Interface & Behavior

• Appearance theme: Supports light, dark, or follow system.
• Exit behavior: Choose whether clicking the close button "exits the app" or "minimizes to the system tray".
• Check for updates automatically: Set how often to check for new versions.

Log Configuration

• Log directory: Specify where log files are stored.
• Log level: Five levels are available: Error, Warn, Info, Debug, Trace; the default is Info. If you run into problems, consider switching to Debug or Trace for more debugging information.

Configuration File (settings.toml)

All of the app's configuration is persisted in ~\.wsldashboard\settings.toml. You can edit this file manually, but modifying it through the UI is recommended.

Reset Configuration

To restore all settings to their defaults, delete the ~\.wsldashboard directory and restart WSL Dashboard.