Reverse WSL? I Tried This New Tool to Integrate Windows Apps in Linux
Reverse WSL? I Tried This New Tool to Integrate Windows Apps in Linux
Publish Date: 2026-06-01 05:02:00
Source Domain: itsfoss.com
Microsoft’s WSL allows people to use Linux inside Windows. It integrates well in the system allowing people to use Linux command line Windows. Linux GUI apps can also be used, which helps for editing config file in GUI-based editors.
Now reverse the situation. How about using Windows applications on Linux? Sure, WINE and Bottles are there but I came across a new tool that combines container technology with Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to give you native-app feel for Windows software on Linux.
I am going to share my experience with Winpodx for running Windows software on Linux in this article. But first, lets briefly understand its mechanism.
How Winpodx Works
Under the hood, Winpodx relies on open-source tools like Podman, FreeRDP, and the dockur/windows project to spin up a lightweight, isolated Windows environment. This way, it runs a specialized Windows instance inside a background container. Then, instead of rendering a full virtual machine interface, it uses FreeRDP to seamlessly stream individual Windows applications directly to the Linux desktop, making them behave like native apps.
This setup allows Windows applications to launch and blend into the underlying Linux desktop with minimal overhead.
If needed, we can also access the full Windows desktop environment, which I will cover in a later section of this article.
Installing Winpodx
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You’ll need high-end system with at least 16 GB RAM. Fast and stable internet connection is a must for the installation as it downloads Windows ISO.
Before beginning the installation, there are a few important resource requirements to keep in mind. On its first launch, the installer will automatically download a full Windows ISO, which requires a fast and stable internet connection.
Second, because this setup runs a complete Windows operating system in the background, it is resource-intensive. To avoid performance issues, the host system should meet the following requirements:
- Storage: A…
