Adobe Photoshop spotted running on Linux with a Windows compatibility layer fix — Creative Cloud’s most killer apps could escape Microsoft and Apple exclusivity

Adobe’s popular Photoshop and other Creative Cloud apps are now beginning to work on Linux thanks to adjustments made to the WINE compatibility layer. Interestingly, the initial work comes from a developer named “Phiality” who first targeted Valve’s modified version of WINE – the one used in SteamOS and on devices like the Steam Deck gaming handheld – as reported on Reddit.

This allows Adobe users on Linux to bypass a technical issue and continue their work without needing to switch to Windows 11 or macOS. Currently, this workaround is unofficial and isn’t supported by Valve (the creators of Steam), though it *can* be done without using Steam at all. Still, it’s a promising development for users who prefer Linux.

Phiality’s work on WINE addresses problems that previously prevented Adobe applications from running on Linux without a virtual machine. These problems stemmed from the apps’ reliance on Windows-specific components like ‘mshtml’ and ‘msxml3’. With the latest release, the Creative Cloud now seems to be working, and testing has confirmed it functions with Photoshop 2021 and 2025.

Update on the Adobe CC Installers Patch – Now the Collection Installer works too from r/linux_gaming

This might seem like a minor problem, but fixing the issue where Adobe installers need components from Windows could allow many more Adobe apps to run much better on Linux. It’s a key reason why some people, including me, still use both Windows 11 and Linux, and professionals in certain fields still rely on Adobe Creative Cloud because there aren’t good replacements.

Things might be changing, though, with many creative professionals now turning to artificial intelligence – specifically, AI tools that generate images. This is already impacting companies like Adobe, as their stock price is declining. In general, software companies are finding it hard to compete with the ease and realistic results offered by tools such as Google’s Nano Banana Pro, which is even surpassing DALL-E, the image generator from ChatGPT.

Having more options for Photoshop is great for everyone. I mainly use Windows 11, but I found Linux really useful in 2025 and still appreciate it as a free backup. Although programs like GIMP and Krita work well on Linux, Adobe remains the industry leader, and I’m interested to see how this changes things.

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2026-01-19 18:40