I've been gradually moving away from Windows and now I'm using Kubuntu 25.10. However, I still need to run a few apps like Kindle Reader, Previewer, and Photoshop until I get comfortable with GIMP. I heard about Winboat, and I'm curious: will I need a licensed copy of Windows to use it? Is it realistic to expect that I could run those applications through Winboat? Thanks for any insights!
3 Answers
From my experience, if your computer has a valid Windows license, you can usually activate it on a virtual machine. Winboat is promising; I tested it and found it runs certain apps quite well. Just make sure your hardware can handle it, especially if the apps require graphics acceleration. It's a fresh take on running Windows apps on Linux!
If you're considering using Winboat, there might be a better solution for you! Since your machine shipped with Windows, you could reinstall it without additional costs. I did something similar where I left Windows on my PC and installed Linux on an external SSD. This way, I can choose to boot into either OS without hassle. It's super convenient!
Yes, you will need a valid Windows license to run Windows in Winboat, since it operates Windows in a KVM virtual machine. This is in line with Microsoft's licensing policies. If your PC originally came with Windows, you're likely covered by an OEM license, so you won't have to buy a new one. Just double-check your license situation!
I can confirm that my computer also came with Windows, and since I wiped it for Linux, I didn't need a fresh license. Always good to check, though!