Zed editor launches native Windows version with WSL integration, extensions & AI features

Zed Editor has launched its stable release for Windows, bringing the platform to parity with macOS and Linux users. The Windows build is fully native and not based on Electron, using DirectX 11 for graphics and DirectWrite for text, delivering system-level integration and higher performance, ensuring the editor's visuals and responsiveness closely match those of native Windows apps.

Zed integrates deeply with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and SSH, allowing developers to open folders, run tasks, and debug remotely through a lightweight server process. Extensions built with WebAssembly Components and WASI work without extra setup, automatically handling Windows–Unix path conversions. All AI tools, including Claude Code and ACP-powered agents, are fully supported, and users can try Zed Pro free for 14 days or use their own API keys.

To match its cross-platform commitment, the Zed team has established a dedicated engineering group for Windows, and announced that weekly updates will arrive alongside macOS and Linux releases. Users can select between a stable or preview release, with the preview track delivering new features a week earlier.