This wikiHow teaches you how to install and run Wine on a Linux computer. Wine is a program that allows you to run Windows applications on non-Windows computers.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Installing Wine
Step 1. Open Terminal
Select application Terminal ” from the computer menu or application list.
- On most versions of Linux, you can also open the Terminal application by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+T key combination.
- Some versions of Linux also have a command line text box at the top of the screen.
Step 2. Enable 32-bit architecture
If your computer uses a 64-bit processor, you will need to enable 32-bit mode on the computer. To activate it:
-
Type
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
- in the Terminal window and press Enter.
- Type the key password when prompted and press Enter.
Step 3. Navigate the computer's download program to the Wine website
With this step, the computer can find the right downloaded files. To do so:
-
Type
wget -nc
- and press Enter key.
-
Type
sudo apt-key add Release.key
- and press Enter key.
- Enter the master password if prompted.
Step 4. Add the Wine repository to the library
You will need to enter one of the following commands, depending on the Linux version you are using:
-
Ubuntu -
sudo apt-add-repository
-
Mint -
sudo apt-add-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/xenial main'
Step 5. Update the downloaded package
Type
sudo apt-get update
and press Enter key.
Step 6. Select download
Since March 2018, stable Wine output can be downloaded by typing
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends winehq-stable
and press Enter key.
There may be a future version of Wine that supports some kind of stable download
Step 7. Confirm the download
Type y and press Enter, then type your master password again if prompted. Wine will be downloaded and installed to the computer afterwards.
Step 8. Wait for Wine to finish downloading
Wine can take up to 10 minutes to finish installing on the computer. After that, you can move on to the next method.
Part 2 of 3: Setting up Wine
Step 1. Create a Windows main directory
Type
winecfg
and press Enter key, then look for the confirmation message " created the configuration directory 'home/name/.wine' ".
If prompted to install the missing packages, click “ Install ” in the displayed window and wait for the package to install.
Step 2. Select the Windows version
Click the " Windows Version " drop-down box at the bottom of the " Wine configuration " window, then click the version of Windows you want to use (eg. Windows 7 ”).
If this option is not displayed, click the tab “ Applications ” which is at the top of the window first.
Step 3. Click Apply
It's at the bottom of the window. After that, the settings will be saved.
Step 4. Click OK
It's at the bottom of the window. After that, the window will close.
Step 5. Download the Windows program in EXE format
Find and download the EXE version of the program you want to use on Linux (eg 7-zip). After that, you can install the program.
You can see a complete list of Wine-compatible programs on the Wine website
Part 3 of 3: Installing the Program
Step 1. Open the “Downloads” folder
This folder is in the “Home” folder. You may be able to open it through the "Applications" menu.
Step 2. Find the downloaded EXE file
Browse the folders until you find the EXE file for the program you want to install.
Step 3. Right-click the file
After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 4. Click Open With Wine Windows Program Loader
It's at the top of the drop-down menu. After that, the installation window will open.
Step 5. Click Install
It's at the bottom of the installation window. After that, the program will be installed to the computer.
- Some programs require additional input before they can be installed.
- You can also change the installation location of the program by clicking the “ ⋯ ” which is on the right side of the window and selects a different folder on your computer.
Step 6. Click Close when prompted
This option is available when the program has finished installing.
Step 7. Run the program
You can run programs that have been installed through the “Applications” section which is usually in the menu.
Tips
-
You can install a Wine user interface called PlayOnLinux. This interface allows you to install, remove, and access Wine programs. To install it, just open the Terminal program after installing Wine, type
sudo apt install playonlinux
- , enter the password, and confirm the download by typing y.
- Make sure you frequently check for updates from the Wine website.
