Can I Use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator on CachyOS?

March 22, 2026 5 answers
Asked by PixelPioneer42
I recently switched to CachyOS and I'm really enjoying the experience. I'm thinking about moving my main PC to CachyOS but one of the few things holding me back is my reliance on Adobe apps like Photoshop and Illustrator, which I used to pirate on Windows. I know Wine allows running Windows applications on Linux, but I'm curious how to run pirated Windows applications on CachyOS. Any advice?

Answers

TechieTommy
Adobe doesn't really support Linux users, especially if you're trying to run pirated versions. You might have some luck with the newer Wine patches for Photoshop and Illustrator, but no guarantees. Alternatively, using a virtual machine could be a way to go if Wine doesn't work out. You might even consider switching to free alternatives like GIMP or Affinity tools, especially since thereโ€™s chatter about them working on official Linux ports. Just a heads up, I haven't verified these alternatives myself!
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AlternativeAdvocate
You should really give free software a chance! Programs like GIMP are constantly improving and might be better than you think. Plus, using free tools means you won't have to worry about compatibility or legal issues in the first place.
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LinuxLover
Best case scenario for running Adobe is a dual boot with Windows or a Windows VM. WinBoat is convenient, but just remember that GPU performance can be tricky since you might not get top-notch performance without GPU passthrough.
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CuriousCat
If you're hoping to run Photoshop with Wine, you're likely to face issues. The installer might work, but at some point it's going to break. A better route would be setting up a virtual machine using WinBoat, just know you won't be able to use your GPU unless you have one to assign to it.
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ArtsyAlex
Honestly, why even mention that you're using pirated versions? That just seems a bit unnecessary. Anyway, I'd suggest looking at alternatives like Inkscape and Krita for your graphic design needs as they are open source and work really well on Linux.
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