Running Windows applications on Ubuntu with Wine 9

Ubuntu is a capable desktop operating system, yet many people still rely on Windows software for work, study, games, or specialist equipment. A business may standardise on Microsoft Office, a TAFE course may require a particular utility, or an older printer may come with a Windows-only configuration tool. Replacing every familiar application is not always practical.

Wine 9 provides a compatibility layer that lets many Windows programs run directly on Ubuntu. It does not install a complete copy of Windows, and it does not behave like a conventional virtual machine. Instead, Wine translates Windows system calls into instructions that Linux can use, while presenting the application with a Windows-like environment.

Results vary by application. Lightweight tools, older productivity programs, and many games can work very well, while software that depends on kernel drivers, aggressive copy protection, unusual media codecs, or modern Microsoft services may require extra configuration. A sensible setup begins with checking compatibility rather than assuming every .exe file will launch perfectly.

For Australian users, this can be useful when a replacement application is unavailable through local retailers or when a household has mixed devices on an NBN connection. Someone in Melbourne might need a Windows-only invoicing tool, while a student in Brisbane may want a familiar study application without maintaining a second computer. Wine gives Ubuntu users a practical middle path.

What Wine 9 actually does

Wine stands for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”. The name reflects an important technical distinction: Wine does not imitate a complete PC processor. It provides Windows-compatible libraries and services that translate application requests into Linux operations. This usually consumes fewer resources than running Windows inside VirtualBox or another full virtual machine.

A Windows application installed through Wine normally lives inside a prefix. A prefix is a self-contained directory containing a simulated Windows drive, registry files, configuration data, and installed libraries. The default prefix is usually ~/.wine, but separate prefixes are often better. A graphics editor, older game, and business utility can each have their own environment without conflicting DLL files.

Wine 9 improved compatibility across a wide range of software, although the exact result depends on the Ubuntu release, graphics driver, application version, and selected Windows libraries. Wine is best viewed as a compatibility project rather than a guarantee. The same program can behave differently under Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04, or a community flavour such as Linux Mint.

A useful reference is the Wine Application Database, commonly called AppDB. It records reports from users and classifies applications by their observed performance. Ratings can be outdated or dependent on a particular installer, so treat them as evidence rather than a promise. Searching for the exact application version often reveals more than searching for the product name alone.

Installing Wine 9 on Ubuntu

Ubuntu includes Wine packages in its software repositories, though the available release depends on the Ubuntu version. For a straightforward setup, enable 32-bit package support first:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install wine64 wine32

Some Ubuntu releases provide a package named wine, while others split the installation into wine64, wine32, and supporting packages. Check the package manager if one command reports that a package cannot be found. The WineHQ repository can provide newer builds, but third-party repositories require care: select the instructions for the exact Ubuntu base, such as Jammy for 22.04 or Noble for 24.04, and avoid mixing packages from unrelated distributions.

After installation, initialise the default environment with:

winecfg

The first run creates the Wine prefix and may offer to install Mono and Gecko. Mono supports some .NET applications, while Gecko supplies browser-related components used by certain Windows programs. Accepting these components is usually sensible when the prompt appears, although an application may still need a Microsoft .NET runtime or another specific dependency later.

You can confirm the installed version with:

wine --version

If the output does not show Wine 9, Ubuntu may have installed an older repository build. That is not automatically a problem. A stable version with good package integration is often preferable to a newer build that introduces an unrelated issue. Users wanting a current development or stable WineHQ release should follow the official WineHQ installation instructions for their Ubuntu version.

Installing and launching Windows software

Download installers from the software publisher whenever possible, and scan files before opening them. A Windows installer normally ends in .exe or .msi. In the file manager, right-click the installer and choose the option to open it with Wine Windows Program Loader. From a terminal, the equivalent command is:

wine ~/Downloads/setup.exe

The installer will usually display a familiar Windows wizard. Its files may appear under a path such as ~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/, while user data may be stored in the prefix’s drive_c/users directory. Wine can create a menu shortcut automatically, but the result depends on how the installer was written. If no shortcut appears, launch the program by specifying its executable path:

wine "$HOME/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/AppName/app.exe"

Paths containing spaces need quotation marks. Linux paths and Windows paths also use different conventions, so copying a Windows path directly into a Linux terminal can cause confusion. The Z: drive in Wine commonly maps to the Linux filesystem, while C: refers to the simulated Windows drive.

Separate prefixes are worth using for complicated software. For example:

WINEPREFIX=$HOME/.wine-accounting winecfg
WINEPREFIX=$HOME/.wine-accounting wine ~/Downloads/accounting-setup.exe

This creates an isolated environment for that application. It can prevent one program’s old DLL or runtime from damaging another installation. A 32-bit prefix may still be required for older software:

WINEARCH=win32 WINEPREFIX=$HOME/.wine-oldapp winecfg

Set WINEARCH when creating a new prefix, not after the prefix already exists.

Managing dependencies and common problems

Many Windows applications depend on components that Wine does not ship by default. Microsoft Visual C++ runtimes, DirectX libraries, fonts, and .NET versions are frequent examples. Winetricks is a helper script that installs selected components into a prefix:

sudo apt install winetricks
WINEPREFIX=$HOME/.wine-game winetricks

It presents a graphical interface, and components can also be requested from the command line. The correct package depends on the application’s instructions. Installing several overlapping runtimes at random can make a prefix harder to repair, so record what you install and use a separate prefix for each demanding program.

Graphics issues are common with games and 3D applications. Make sure Ubuntu is using the correct proprietary or open-source driver for the graphics card, and check whether the title works better with Vulkan, DXVK, or Wine’s OpenGL renderer. Steam games may be easier through Proton, Valve’s Wine-based compatibility layer, rather than a manually configured Wine prefix. Non-Steam games can sometimes use launchers such as Bottles or Lutris, though those tools add their own configuration layer.

When an application opens and immediately closes, run it from a terminal to capture error messages:

wine program.exe

Missing DLL messages, .NET errors, permission problems, and graphics warnings can point towards the next step. If the program needs access to a USB device, camera, serial port, or printer, compatibility may depend on Linux permissions and driver support as much as Wine itself. Kernel-level anti-cheat systems and Windows-only hardware drivers generally cannot be solved by copying a DLL.

A damaged prefix is often quicker to replace than to repair. Back up important documents, remove the affected prefix only after confirming that it contains no needed data, and create a clean one. Wine software should be treated like software installed in a separate application environment, not as ordinary native Ubuntu packages.

Choosing Wine, a virtual machine, or another option

Wine is most attractive when the Windows application is self-contained and does not require a Windows driver. Older accounting tools, design utilities, small database clients, offline educational programs, and some games are good candidates. A program that works reliably in Wine also starts quickly and integrates more naturally with the Ubuntu desktop than a full virtual machine.

A virtual machine is more appropriate when the application needs genuine Windows behaviour, corporate security software, device drivers, or a precise version of Internet Explorer or Microsoft Office. It uses additional RAM, storage, and processor capacity, and Windows still needs its own licence and updates. Dual booting offers stronger compatibility and native performance, but switching systems interrupts the workflow and can be inconvenient on a laptop.

For office work, check whether the Linux version of an application, a web service, or LibreOffice meets the requirement first. Cloud-based platforms can avoid compatibility problems, though features may differ from their Windows desktop counterparts. An Australian small business using a locally supplied payroll or point-of-sale package should confirm support with the vendor before moving its main workstation to Wine; a program that handles GST, payroll reporting, or specialised peripherals needs dependable testing.

Guides from Ubuntu desktop guides can help with the surrounding Ubuntu tasks, such as package management, desktop settings, and troubleshooting. Broader Linux coverage can also be useful when comparing Wine with Proton, virtual machines, or native open-source alternatives.

Testing should include the actions that matter in daily use: opening and saving documents, printing, importing data, using keyboard shortcuts, connecting to a database, and applying updates. Keep the installer, prefix location, Wine version, and dependency list recorded. This makes it easier to reproduce a working setup after an Ubuntu upgrade or a move to another computer.

Wine 9 can make Ubuntu a practical home for many Windows applications, especially when the program has a clean compatibility record and modest system requirements. The reliable approach is to use 32-bit support where needed, isolate applications in separate prefixes, install dependencies deliberately, and read real compatibility reports. Remember that Wine is a translation layer with application-specific limits, so the best setup is the one tested against the exact software and hardware you need every day.