Run Windows applications on Linux

If you're thinking about switching to Linux, but there are some Windows applications you can't live without... You have options... and some of them are free.

We could mention VM. VirtualBox is FOSS and is included in most mainstream distributions. With VM you can run Windows inside the distribution you are using. Another similar solution is VMware. It is free since the end of 2024 , but it is not open source and we suspect that even Broadcom does not know if it will remain free.

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If you try one of these solutions, we recommend installing the LTSC version , as it will receive updates for years to come.

But let's look at WINE

When WINE first came out, it took 18 years to reach version 1.0 and then another nine years to reach version 2.0. But since the release of WINE 3 in 2018, a new version has been released about once a year.

The name WINE stands for WINE Is Not an Emulator. WINE attempts to intercept calls made by a Windows program to the Windows operating system and translate them into the closest equivalent Linux calls. This is a complicated and risky undertaking, which is partly why, after over 30 years, the application is only recently starting to become useful.

The ability to run Windows applications on Linux is achieved primarily through Wine, a compatibility layer that translates Windows API calls into Linux API calls. Wine, with its latest version 10.0, has improved compatibility and allows many Windows applications to run on Linux.

WINE is also not some magic potion. It works for some programs in some settings, but it doesn't work with everything. There are many Windows programs and tools that will probably never work, or won't work well enough. There are many variables and factors involved. It's complicated.

Use the original version

Most distributions have WINE in their repositories. You can simply run sudo apt install wine or your distribution's equivalent, wait a while, and then reboot. If you have Flatpak, it's also available on Flathub.

With WINE installed, Linux can run Windows binaries. So, for example, you could grab an Office 97 ISO file from the Internet Archive, open it, and just run wine setup.exe. WINE is much more capable than it once was, and many applications will work, but there are limitations. Programs intended to extend the functionality of the Windows operating system, such as cloud drive clients (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) usually don't work. Nor do antivirus programs, not that you need them. There's no Windows Store, so there's no way to install or run applications distributed this way.

If the version of WINE included with your distribution can't run the application you need, it's quite easy to download a newer version directly from the developers. The WineHQ download page has ready-made packages for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and macOS, along with instructions on how to install them. It also has instructions for openSUSE, Slackware, and FreeBSD.

A few years ago, it wasn't worth trying, but as we mentioned before, WINE has matured significantly in recent releases. If you're using a distribution with a slow release cycle, like Debian or Ubuntu LTS releases, it's worth a try.

Along with the simple FOSS version of WINE, there is also a paid premium product, Codeweavers Crossover. There are versions for the Debian/Ubuntu family and the Fedora/Red Hat family, as well as a binary version that runs on most other distributions. There are versions for macOS and for ChromeOS if you have a ChromeBook.

There is a free trial version, but it is quite limited. CrossOver does what it says and is much less tedious than WINE. Of course, the problem is that paying for software is too much for many open source fans – but if you need a Windows application that badly, it may be worth it. For example, the application compatibility database gives Adobe Photoshop CS 6 five stars and says “Runs great.”

I just want to play.

If you're not interested in all of this but want Windows games, then there are plenty of tools to help you play on Linux.

One of the first was PlayOnLinux, but the project seems to be dormant. The current version, 4.4, was released in 2020, shortly after version 5 completed alpha testing in 2019 — and then it was discontinued. There hasn't been a new version in over five years.

A newer replacement is Lutris , which is included in many distributions and can be added to most. It supports WINE as well as many other emulators and similar tools to get it working with minimal hassle.

Another tool is Valve's Proton , which combines WINE with other tools. Proton, however, is not available on its own: it is part of the Steam client, Valve's subscription service. The only way to use Proton is to install the Steam client and log in. There is a Steam repository with packages for the latest Ubuntu LTS release, but the recommended route is to use your distribution's package store. The Steam client is also available in Canonical's Snap store and on Flathub.

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