How to Fix ‘gedit’ Error on Windows Subsystem for Linux?

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a compatibility layer used to run binary executables that are native to Linux on Windows 10 or Windows Server 2009. It is available only on the 64-bit architecture of the Windows 10 1603 version and later. Also, it provides support for the Windows Server 2019. In the earlier versions of the layer only an Ubuntu image was available but not SUSE images have also been introduced.

This feature is used by numerous users and is quite popular among the software development community. However, quite recently, a lot of reports have been coming in of a “gedit Error” on the WSL. This error is triggered while trying to use the gedit feature and it might include an error code as well. In this article, we will discuss the reason due to which this error is triggered and provide viable solutions to rectify the issue.

What Causes the “gedit Error” on WSL?

After receiving numerous reports from multiple users, we decided to investigate the issue and devised a solution to fix it. Also, we looked into the reason due to which this error is triggered and listed it below.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the nature of the problem, we will move on towards the solution. Make sure to implement the steps carefully to avoid conflict.

Solution: Disabling Accessibility Features

The Accessibility Features possesses a known bug which prevents the editing process using “gedit”. Therefore, in this step, we will be completely disabling the Accessibility feature by editing a configuration file. For that:

1. Navigate to the following address and locate the “~/ .bashrc” file.

   C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\CanonicalGroupLimited.UbuntuonWindows_79rhkp1fndgsc\LocalState\rootfs\home\{LINUXUSER}\

   If the file isn’t in the above-mentioned address, it should probably be in the following address.

   C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Lxss\home\USERNAME

2. Open the file with “Notepad” or “Notepad++“.
3. Enter the following line into the file.

   export NO_AT_BRIDGE=1

   

4. Click on “File” and select “Save“.

   

5. Close the document and check to see if the issue persists.