winetricks

Start a graphical setup at the default Wine location

$ winetricks

$ WINEPREFIX=[path/to/wine_directory] winetricks

$ winetricks [package]

winetricks [--force] [--unattended] [--no-isolate] [--prefix prefix] [--optout-data | --optin-data] [--verbose | --quiet] verb [verb...]
winetricks [--force] [--unattended] [--no-isolate] [--prefix prefix] [--optout-data | --optin-data] [--verbose | --quiet] --gui
winetricks --help | --version | --self-update

--force
    Forces an action, ignoring existing installations or potential errors. Can be useful for re-installing components.

--unattended
    Runs in non-interactive mode, suppressing all graphical user interface prompts and dialogs. This is particularly useful for scripting or automated setups.

--no-isolate
    By default, winetricks may create a new, isolated Wine prefix for certain verbs. This option forces the installation of the selected verb(s) into the default Wine prefix (typically ~/.wine) or the one specified by --prefix, without creating a new one.

--prefix prefix
    Specifies an alternative Wine prefix directory to operate on. This allows users to manage multiple distinct Wine environments for different applications.

--gui
    Launches the graphical user interface of winetricks, allowing for interactive selection and installation of components.

--verbose
    Prints more detailed output during execution, which can be helpful for debugging or understanding the steps being performed.

--quiet
    Suppresses most output, showing only critical errors or essential information. Useful for minimizing console clutter.

--optout-data
    Disables the collection of anonymous usage data (telemetry) that helps improve winetricks.

--optin-data
    Enables the collection of anonymous usage data (telemetry). This is often the default behavior.

verb
    A specific component, setting, or application to install or configure. Examples include vcrun2019 (Visual C++ 2019 runtime), d3dx9 (DirectX 9 components), or dotnet472 (.NET Framework 4.7.2).

list
    Lists all available verbs and categories that winetricks can install or manage.

winetricks is a helper script designed to simplify the process of installing and configuring various redistributable runtime libraries, games, and components, which are often essential for Windows applications and games to run correctly within the Wine compatibility layer on Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

Instead of requiring users to manually download, extract, and install complex dependencies like DirectX components, .NET Framework versions, Visual C++ runtimes, specific fonts, or apply registry tweaks, winetricks automates these tasks. It fetches the necessary files from the internet, applies common workarounds, and integrates them into your Wine prefixes.

This tool significantly reduces the effort and technical knowledge required to get many Windows programs functioning properly in Wine. It also supports managing multiple Wine prefixes, allowing users to maintain isolated environments for different applications, thus preventing potential conflicts and ensuring cleaner installations.

Using winetricks requires Wine to be installed and properly configured on your system. An active internet connection is typically necessary for winetricks to download the various components it installs. While it greatly simplifies setup, some complex Windows applications or games may still require additional manual tweaks or specific Wine versions. Be cautious with the --no-isolate option, as installing many different dependencies into a single Wine prefix can sometimes lead to conflicts or instability.

winetricks organizes its vast functionality into specific 'verbs'. These verbs are grouped into logical categories to help users find what they need. Common categories include apps (for general Windows applications like Notepad++), dlls (for runtime libraries such as DirectX, .NET Framework, Visual C++ redistributables), fonts (for installing common Windows fonts), games (for specific game fixes or dependencies), and settings (for various Wine configuration tweaks like changing screen resolution or enabling CSMT). You can discover all available verbs and their categories by running winetricks list.

winetricks is highly integrated with the concept of Wine prefixes. A Wine prefix is an isolated environment (akin to a separate Windows installation or 'C:' drive) where Wine stores its configuration, installed programs, and registry entries. By default, Wine uses ~/.wine as its prefix, but you can specify a different one using the WINEPREFIX environment variable or the --prefix command-line option. This feature is crucial for managing multiple Windows applications that might require different versions of libraries or conflicting settings, as it allows each application to reside in its own dedicated and clean Wine environment.

winetricks began as a modest collection of shell scripts, initially developed by Austin English in 2006, with the primary goal of automating the installation of common components frequently needed by Windows applications running in Wine. Its simplicity and effectiveness quickly made it popular within the Wine community, as it addressed a common pain point for users. Over the years, it has been significantly expanded, maintained, and improved by numerous contributors from the Wine project, growing into the comprehensive and indispensable tool it is today.

wine(1), winecfg(1), regedit(1), wineserver(1)