WinBoat on Linux Mint: complete guide

Guide index

What is WinBoat
System requirements
Installation on Linux Mint
Initial configuration
Install Windows applications
Manage containers
Practical tips and performance
FAQ

1. What is WinBoat

WinBoat is a container-based system (Docker or Podman) that lets you launch Windows applications on Linux with integrated desktop windows, as if they were native apps. Each application lives in a separate container: fewer conflicts, more stability and better performance than a virtual machine.

Pros: desktop integration, stability thanks to isolation, lower power usage, less tinkering than Wine.
Cons: not total compatibility for all apps; some games with DRM may not work.

2. System requirements

RAM: minimum 4 GB (8 GB recommended).
CPU: at least dual core.
Disk space: 10 GB free (SSD is better).
GPU: up-to-date drivers.
Network: Internet connection to download images and updates.

3. Installation on Linux Mint

3.1 – System update

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

3.2 – Install Docker

🔷 Option A – From distribution repositories

Use this only if the packages are available in your repositories.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker.io
docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

If docker-compose-plugin is not available (common on Mint 22 / Ubuntu 24.04 “noble”), switch to Option B.

🔷 Option B — Official Docker repository (recommended)

# 1) Prerequisites
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg

# 2) Add Docker GPG key and repository
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg \
  | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

. /etc/os-release
echo "UBUNTU_CODENAME=$UBUNTU_CODENAME"
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] \
https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $UBUNTU_CODENAME stable" \
| sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# 3) Install Docker CE + Compose + Buildx
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io \
  docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

Post-installation (permissions and service)

# Enable and start the Docker daemon
sudo systemctl enable --now docker

# Add the current user to the docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER"

# Apply the permissions right away (or log out/in)
newgrp docker

Verify Docker

docker --version
docker compose version
systemctl is-active docker      # expected: active
systemctl is-enabled docker     # expected: enabled
docker run --rm hello-world     # message "Hello from Docker!"

Some apps (e.g., WinBoat) read group changes only after a new login: if permissions are not recognized, log out/log in or reboot.

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3.3 – Install WinBoat

Recommended method: .deb package (amd64)

Download the official .deb file from the WinBoat website (Download section → “.deb amd64”), or via terminal:

cd ~/Downloads
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/TibixDev/winboat/releases/latest \
| grep browser_download_url | grep -E 'amd64\.deb"

Install (APT will resolve dependencies automatically):
```
cd ~/Downloads
sudo apt install -y ./winboat-latest-amd64.deb
```
(Or) Use the AppImage version – Download it from site

3.3.1 – Prerequisite: FreeRDP

If when you click a WinBoat app you only see a black screen that closes immediately, you probably miss FreeRDP, required to start Windows apps.

# Check: if it’s not present you’ll see a suggestion to install it
xfreerdp /version || echo "FreeRDP is not installed"

# Installation (try 3.x first, otherwise use 2.x)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y freerdp3-x11 || \
sudo apt install -y freerdp2-x11

# Version check
xfreerdp /version

# Restart components and try WinBoat again
sudo systemctl restart docker
pkill -f winboat
winboat &

On Linux Mint 22 and Ubuntu 24.04 the 3.x version is called freerdp3-x11. If unavailable, freerdp2-x11 works great and is compatible with all WinBoat apps.

3.4 – Verify installation

winboat --version

3.5 – Resolving prerequisites (WinBoat startup screen)

“User added to the docker group (Relog required)” stays red

sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER"
logout   # or reboot

“Docker daemon is running (Also enable on boot)” stays red

sudo systemctl enable --now docker
systemctl is-active docker   # expected: active

Error “permission denied … /var/run/docker.sock”

id -nG | grep -w docker
ls -l /var/run/docker.sock   # expected: root docker  srw-rw----
sudo chgrp docker /var/run/docker.sock
sudo chmod 660 /var/run/docker.sock

Final checks

docker ps                 # must work without sudo
docker info | head -n 20

If WinBoat still shows red items, completely close the program (pkill -f winboat) and reboot the system. After the reboot they will all turn green. ✅

4. Initial configuration

On first launch WinBoat requires:

Creating a WinBoat user profile.
Choosing a library folder (recommended: ~/WinBoat on SSD).
Enabling desktop integration (icons and menu entries).

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5. Install Windows applications

5.1 Preconfigured apps

Inside WinBoat, in the left menu you’ll find the Apps section. It already contains several preconfigured Windows applications (e.g., Notepad, Paint, WordPad and others).

No manual installation required: just enter the Apps section, choose the desired app and click “Run” to open it.

To start applications that are not in the list, we recommend launching the Windows desktop first and then performing the installation of the program you need inside it.

5.2 Apps from a .exe file

Want to install your own program (e.g., an .exe installer downloaded from the official site)? Follow these steps directly in WinBoat → Apps.

Steps

Open WinBoat → go to Apps (left menu).
Click Add Custom.
Name: enter a recognizable name for the app (e.g., “7-Zip”).
Path: enter the path to the application.

NOTE: we tested this system, but we encountered some issues; hopefully they will be fixed in the final version.

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6. Manage containers

# List applications/containers
winboat list

# Update everything
winboat update --all

# Remove an app
winboat remove app-name

# Snapshot and rollback
winboat snapshot office-2021 pre-plugin
winboat rollback office-2021 pre-plugin

7. Practical tips and performance

Use an SSD (NVMe is better) for fast startup times.
One container per app → maximum stability.
On older PCs prefer Xfce as desktop environment.
“Official”/preconfigured containers are more reliable.

8. FAQ

Does WinBoat replace Wine?
For the majority of users yes: it’s simpler and more stable.

Does it work on old PCs?
With Xfce and at least 8 GB RAM it works fine.