Is it possible to run .exe files on Linux?

You don’t have to trade the allure of Windows software for the stability, security, ease of customization (and even great classic look) of Linux. In this article, you will be shown how to run Windows exe (executable) files and software using Linux operating system. These methods can be applied to any Linux distribution, including Ubuntu, Kali Linux, CentOS and many more.

Table of Contents

Can `.exe` files run on Linux?

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Yes, you can run .exe files on Linux through Wine (a freeware). Wine acts as an intermediary that keeps the operating system (Linux) and files (made for Windows) compatible. ^{[1] X Research Source} This is the only way to run .exe files without Windows. ^{[2] X Research Source} Since the .exe is made specifically for the Windows operating system, to run this file you must have a compatible intermediary (such as Wine) or a copy of Windows via a Windows emulator (ie. you will no longer use Linux only).

How to download Wine?

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Open Terminal on Linux and type the following commands one by one. Start by updating the repository (where software is gathered) of the Linux kernel (the Linux kernel). To do this, type sudo apt update and press ↵ Enter . When prompted, type your password and press ↵ Enter . Then, when prompted again, type clear and press ↵ Enter . Now you are ready to enter the command line to download Wine: ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Type sudo apt-get install wine and press Enter
Type sudo apt-get install wine32 and press Enter
Type sudo apt-get install libwine and press Enter
Although the Terminal command line interface looks a bit intimidating, don’t worry! It’s unlikely you’ll mess things up, and all you need to do is copy these commands.

How to run `.exe` file on Linux?

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Navigate to the folder containing the file, then open the file with Wine. In Terminal, navigate to the directory containing the file using the command line cd <directory name> . ^{[4] X Research Source} Then run the file using the command line wine <filename>.exe . Example: If the file example.exe is hosted on your Desktop, follow the procedure below: ^{[5] X Research Source}

Type cd Desktop/ and press Enter
Type wine example.exe and press Enter

How to run Windows software on Linux?

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Use Wine for single application. This is the only option to run software designed for Windows without having a copy of Windows on the machine. Wine is free, open-source software that can emulate Windows to run Windows programs. As a result, you will likely encounter more bugs and accept lower performance when running the software through Wine. ^{[6] X Research Source}

READ More: George III

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Select virtual machine for slightly better performance. A virtual machine is a program that runs a complete version of Windows in its own window. This method is less error-prone than running the application through Wine, because you will essentially be running the application in the Windows environment. The downside is that you will have to run two operating systems (Linux and Windows) at the same time, which can affect the performance of the personal computer. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Some popular virtual machines such as VirtualBox, VMware and KVM (virtual machine with Kernel kernel) are built into Linux. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Because it consumes computer performance to run both Linux and Windows, this method is suitable for business applications such as Microsoft Office, but not suitable for high performance/graphics programs such as video games.

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Use Dual-booting to run Windows games and complex applications. Dual-booting means that you will be rebooting your computer into Windows so that the application can run in the correct environment. This is the best method for high performance games or applications. Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to restart your computer every time you want to run Windows software. ^{[9] X Research Source}

What is `the .exe` equivalent of in Linux?

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Linux has no direct equivalent to .exe . Windows defines the .exe as an executable file, which means the operating system can run the file. On Linux, the extension is not what determines which files can be executed. Instead, this operating system uses decentralization (the basic permissions are read r , write w , and execute x ). Permissions determine which files can be executed. ^{[10] X Research Sources} As such, Linux files can have various extensions (like .sh ) or no file extension and still be executable. ^{[11] X Research Source} Here’s how to change permissions and run a file: ^{[12] X Research Source}

Type chmod +x file-name.run into the command line to change the file permissions to “executable” (replace file-name with your filename).
Type ./file-name.run to execute the file.
If you see an error, type sudo ./file-name.run . Typing sudo allows you to run the file as an administrator (admin). Be careful, because sudo also allows you to change the whole system.
When installing software, you are often asked to type sudo .

Steps

Can .exe files run on Linux?

How to download Wine?

How to run .exe file on Linux?

How to run Windows software on Linux?

What is the .exe equivalent of in Linux?

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