A curated list of guides, scripts, and workarounds to run traditionally "unsupported" software on GNU/Linux.
Linux has grown tremendously — but sometimes you still need that one application that only officially supports Windows or macOS. This repository serves as a community knowledge base for getting stubborn software running. Whether you're a creative professional, developer, gamer, or office worker — we've got you covered.
- 📖 How to Use This Guide
- 🔄 Transitioning to Linux (Alternatives & Setup)
- 🚀 Supported Software Directory
⚠️ Important Disclaimers- 🤝 Contributing
- 📜 FAQ
- New to Linux? Jump straight to Transitioning to Linux to find the fastest way to adapt your current workflow.
- Looking for a specific app? Browse the Supported Software Directory.
- Check the tier (Gold / Silver / Bronze) to set expectations before you start installing.
- Follow the guide linked under the Solution column for step-by-step instructions.
| Tier | Description |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Gold | Works perfectly or with very minor tweaks. Daily-driver ready. |
| 🟡 Silver | Works well with specific workarounds, drivers, or minor bugs. |
| 🔴 Bronze | Runs but you may experience significant issues. A VM is usually recommended. |
If a guide mentions Wine or a VM, familiarize yourself with these tools:
| Tool | What it does | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Wine | The foundational layer to run Windows binaries directly on Linux. | winehq.org |
| Bottles | GUI Wine prefix manager. Highly recommended for creative/office software. | usebottles.com |
| Lutris | Gaming-oriented Wine/Proton manager — also excellent for productivity apps. | lutris.net |
| Proton | Valve's Wine fork optimized for Steam games. | github.com/ValveSoftware |
| WinApps | Run Windows apps in a seamless VM so they look and behave natively. | Fmstrat/winapps |
| Distrobox | Run any distro inside your terminal (great for distro-locked native apps). | 89luca89/distrobox |
If you are trying to move to Linux but feeling held back by your "Windows-mindset" or "Mac-mindset," you aren't alone. Here is a cheat sheet for the apps you probably miss the most.
When leaving Windows, you might worry about losing heavy hitters like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud. You don't have to settle for web versions — MS Office runs well via Bottles or WinApps, and Adobe software has strong Wine support. Gaming is heavily supported via Proton/Steam.
Here is how to map your Windows workflow to Linux:
| You Use This | Linux Native Alternative | Run the Original on Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office | LibreOffice, OnlyOffice | Bottles or WinApps VM |
| Adobe Photoshop | GIMP, Krita | photoshopCClinux — 🟡 Silver |
| Adobe Premiere | Kdenlive, DaVinci Resolve (free) | WinApps VM — 🔴 Bronze |
| AutoCAD | FreeCAD, BricsCAD (paid) | VM with GPU passthrough — 🔴 Bronze |
| Visual Studio | VS Code, JetBrains | Wine — 🟡 Silver |
| Notepad++ | VS Code, Notepadqq | Wine — 🟢 Gold |
| ShareX | Flameshot, Spectacle | Wine — 🟡 Silver |
| Everything Search | FSearch, KRunner | Wine — 🟡 Silver |
| PowerToys | KRunner, Ulauncher | Built into most Linux Desktop Environments |
| WinRAR / 7-Zip | Ark, File Roller | Wine (WinRAR) — 🟢 Gold |
Tip: Many Windows workflows have better native equivalents on Linux. Try the alternative first!
Mac users often miss the tight ecosystem and highly-polished creative tools. While you can't easily run macOS apps natively on Linux (Wine translates Windows APIs, not Mac APIs), you have fantastic options.
Here is how to map your Mac workflow to Linux:
| You Use This | Linux Native Alternative | Run the Original on Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Final Cut Pro | DaVinci Resolve (Native) | Not possible (no GPU-accelerated macOS VM) |
| Logic Pro | Bitwig Studio, REAPER | Not possible |
| Affinity Suite | Inkscape, GIMP | Windows version via Wine — 🟢 Gold |
| Apple Music | Cider (Native Client) | iTunes via Wine — 🟡 Silver |
| Spotlight / Raycast | Ulauncher, Albert | N/A — built into desktop |
| Time Machine | Timeshift, Déjà Dup | N/A |
| Little Snitch | OpenSnitch | N/A |
| iTerm2 | Kitty, Alacritty | N/A |
| AirDrop | Warpinator, KDE Connect | N/A |
Note: For Apple-exclusive apps, the native Linux alternatives (like DaVinci Resolve) are industry standards and excellent replacements.
Below are step-by-step installation guides and workarounds for traditionally unsupported software, categorized by industry.
| Software | Tier | Method | Notes | Guide / Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve | 🟡 Silver | Native | Requires NVIDIA GPU for CUDA | flolu/davinci-resolve-linux |
| Adobe Photoshop | 🟡 Silver | Wine | NVIDIA GPU recommended | Gictorbit/photoshopCClinux |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | 🔴 Bronze | VM | VM with GPU passthrough | WinApps |
| Affinity Suite | 🟢 Gold | Wine | V2 works on Wine 10.17+ | seapear/AffinityOnLinux |
| Figma | 🟢 Gold | Native | Electron-based desktop app | Figma-Linux |
| FL Studio | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Flawless via Bottles | WineHQ |
| Ableton Live | 🟡 Silver | Wine | JACK/PipeWire for low latency | WineHQ |
| Autodesk Fusion 360 | 🟡 Silver | Wine | NVIDIA GPU for acceleration | cryinkfly/Fusion-360 |
| Windows VSTs | 🟢 Gold | Bridge | Run VSTs in native Linux DAWs | Yabridge |
| Software | Tier | Method | Notes | Guide / Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office 365 | 🟡 Silver | VM | Seamless VM integration | WinApps |
| MS Office 2013/2016 | 🟡 Silver | Wine | Very stable | Bottles |
| Evernote | 🟢 Gold | Native | Official Linux client v10+ | Download from official site |
| MetaTrader 4 / 5 | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Trading platform | Lutris |
| TurboTax (Desktop) | 🟡 Silver | Wine | Needs fresh prefix annually | WineHQ |
| Bloomberg Terminal | 🟢 Gold | Native | Official Linux client available | bloomberg.com |
| Google Drive | 🟢 Gold | Native | CLI or GUI tools | rclone (CLI), Insync (GUI) |
| Microsoft OneDrive | 🟢 Gold | Native | Open-source native client | abraunegg/onedrive |
| Software | Tier | Method | Notes | Guide / Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server Mgmt Studio | 🟡 Silver | Wine | Needs .NET 4.8 | WineHQ |
| PowerShell | 🟢 Gold | Native | Official Linux release | Microsoft Docs |
| Samsung Odin | 🟢 Gold | Native | Flash Samsung devices | Heimdall (Open-source) |
| iOS Device Mgmt | 🟢 Gold | Native | Manage iPhones without iTunes | libimobiledevice |
| Sysinternals Suite | 🟡 Silver | Wine | Process Explorer, AutoRuns | WineHQ |
| Any Windows CLI .exe | 🟡 Silver | Wine | Direct terminal execution | Prefix wine before .exe |
| Software | Tier | Method | Notes | Guide / Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epic Games / GOG | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Native GUI Manager | Heroic Games Launcher |
| Wallpaper Engine | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Steam integration | Lutris |
| Android Apps & Games | 🟢 Gold | Native | Containerized (Wayland only) | Waydroid |
| Software | Tier | Method | Notes | Guide / Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WinRAR | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Runs flawlessly | WineHQ |
| Total Commander | 🟢 Gold | Wine | Fast file manager | WineHQ |
| 7-Zip | 🟢 Gold | Native | Official Linux port | p7zip |
- EULA / ToS: Running software via compatibility layers or third-party clients may violate End User License Agreements or Terms of Service.
- Account Bans: Modifying how software launches (especially in competitive online games with anti-cheat) can result in bans. Use these workarounds at your own risk.
- Stability: Software updates on the Windows/macOS side can break Wine compatibility overnight. Always check community repositories before updating.
We want this to be the ultimate resource for Linux users running unsupported software.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feat/add-software-x) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add guide for Software X') - Push to your branch (
git push origin feat/add-software-x) - Open a Pull Request
Please check existing issues first to avoid duplicates.
Q: Why not just use native Linux alternatives (GIMP, Kdenlive, LibreOffice, etc.)?
A: We love open-source alternatives! But many professionals are locked into specific ecosystems due to industry standards, client requirements, or file format compatibility. This list is for those who must use specific software.
Q: A Wine guide didn't work — what now?
A: Wine compatibility changes constantly. Check the linked repository's Issues tab, the Wine AppDB, or ask the community on r/linuxquestions.
Q: Can I dual-boot instead?
A: Yes — this guide is for those who want to avoid rebooting or maintain a single OS.
Q: How can I test these without breaking my system?
A: Use Bottles, Distrobox, or a VM snapshot. They are sandboxed and won't touch your host system files.
Not affiliated with any of the software companies listed above.