How To Install Windows Applications in Linux

With a few tweaks, the best of both worlds

Do you want to switch to Linux but don’t want to lose your favorite Windows apps? Now you can have the best of both worlds. Linux knows how to handle most species of Windows software and with a few tweaks can run just about anything you throw at it.

If you are not interested in dual-booting (having both systems in your computer) or you just want to experiment with the kinds of capabilities that Linux has for running Windows software, this article will give you a good overview of what you need to know.

Try Wine

Wine is an open-source compatibility layer that enables users to run Windows apps directly from their Linux desktop.

There are currently thousands offully supported applicationsthat run on Wine. Wine is very user-friendly.

Note that if a program requires a license key to legally run on Windows, you must have a license key for the program or app to legally run it through Wine.

For this article, we will use Ubuntu. However, the installation for other Linux distros should be very similar.

How To Install Wine On Ubuntu Linux Via GUI

You can find Wine in your Ubuntu Software Center. However, the version available by default might not be the latest one.

To avoid installing an older version of Wine, you will want to add theofficial Wine repository. You can use the command-line or Graphical User Interface (GUI) to add it to your system. Below are thesteps to followusing the GUI method.

Typesoftwareinto theApplicationsmenu.

The next step is to click onSoftware & Updates, then theOther Softwaretab and selectAdd. In the APT line section, add the following and then clickAdd Source.

ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa

Enter your sudo password, which is the same password that you set when you installed Ubuntu. It is usually the same one you used to log in.

ClickAuthenticateand thenClose.

You will then be prompted toReloadand then open theSoftware Center. Do a search forWineand then clickinstall. Wait for the installation to be completed.

Installing Via Command Line

Installation via command line can be done in just a few steps.

First, download the wine repository key and add it to your system.

Then add the PPA to your package lists. The PPA address that you need to use may differ depending on what version of Linux you are using. For Ubuntu 18.04, you want thebionicone.

Then to install win, run the following command:

After that command completes, the installation is finished. You can open the Wine program.

If the final install step complains that it cannot find the correct wine packages or about incorrect architectures, enable the 32-bit extra libraries by running the following command. Then try the install again.

Select Your Windows Application

As mentioned above, Wine has a database of approximately 24,000 known apps. You can find this database on the WineHQ website.

They are sorted or ranked by how well they work when running in Wine and are as follows:

Let’s show you how to use an app that is included in the Platinum category.

ClickBrowse Appsfrom the left sidebar in the Application Database.

Type the name of the app you are looking for in theNamefield. We are going to choose the Platinum rating and search forNotepad++.

Look at the screenshot below where you will see your search results.

When you click onNotepad++, you will see the application description, a list of available versions (if more than one), and how compatible it is with the version of Wine.

Once you select the version of the app you want to download, click on it. In this case, we will choose version 7.x. Note in the screenshot below that you are provided with a clickable download link.

How To Download & Use An App With Wine

Select the version you want to install. This is usually the latest version. In this case, it is version 7.7.1. Once you download the application, by default, it will be saved in your downloads folder.

Find the file (it will be a zipped file), right-click on it and chooseExtract herefrom the menu options.

After you have extracted the files, find thenotepad++.exefile.  Right-click on it and then selectOpen with Wine Windows Program Loader.

After you open the file, you will be able to use the Windows app Notepad++ on your Linux machine.

Since Wine doesn’t always run the latest version of Windows apps and some run sluggishly, you might want to consider using CrossOver.

Use CrossOver In Ubuntu Distribution

CrossOver is a commercial product from CodeWeavers. It costs $41.97 and has a fully functional 14-day free trial. It is based on Wine, as explained above.

CrossOver has enhanced functionality that:

Compared to Wine, CrossOver is more user-friendly, automated, and provides technical support.

To start your free trial, go toCodeWeavers, select your Linux Distribution, and enter your name and email.

There are many Linux distributions available. The default package management system or install software tool will depend upon the type of Linux you are using.

Download CrossOver

You should install CrossOver from the appropriate.DEBor.RPMfile using your system’s default installer program. For Ubuntu, you want the .DEBformat.

Most of the time, all you need to do is download the CrossOver installer package and double-click on it. Be sure to select the appropriate package, 32 or 64-bit.

When you double-click on the downloaded file, it will launch the Ubuntu software center (the default package manager.)

Click onInstalland put in your root or sudo password when prompted to authenticate.

Once the installation is complete, close the Ubuntu Software Center.

The CrossOver menu items in Ubuntu’s Utility Desktop Manager are alphabetically organized by first name.Typing inCrossOverwon’t help. You will need to bring up the installer menu. Typeinstallin the search box.

You will have to search manually for CrossOver menu items. To learn more about different CrossOver menu items,read the FAQs.

During the installation process, be sure to selectAlways Updateto ensure that the software installer is up to date. You are now ready to install and use Windows apps on your Ubuntu Linux machine.

Install Windows Software Using CrossOver

Once you have completed the installation, CrossOver will auto-start. You will only see one button. It saysInstall Windows Software.

When you click the button, there will be three steps to follow. In step one, search for your desired app in the database.

If your desired app is in the database, you will benefit from the special configurations already loaded and tested, and your app will work well. If the installer is not in your system, you can choose to let CrossOver download it for you.

If you want to install and use an application that isn’t included in the database, type it in step one and then chooseSelect Installeras step two.

Step three involves the bottle selection. Bottles are app containers with unique configurations. Thedifferent bottles in Crossoverallow for compatibility diversity for different versions of Windows.

You will next see a summary screen. Click onInstallto start the installation of the app you have chosen.

Once you have installed the Windows apps you want to use, a new bottle is created with the same name. Click on thebottlesbutton. Then clickRun Command.

You will now be able to locate the executable files in installed applications in the “c:” partition.

Once you choose the executable file you want to run, you can do so by creating a Launcher for it or running it directly.

You can find the launcher in theProgramssection next toRun Command.You can also see in the screenshot below the configuration tool for a specific bottle.

If you click onWine configuration, it will enable you to set new configurations for any chosen bottle. This can be helpful if you want to run a specific application that isn’t running well.

For more information on configurations and to get advice for library overrides, visitwinehq.org.

David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration.Read David’s Full Bio

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