How to Install PlayOnLinux on Ubuntu 26.04 – Complete Guide

If Flatpak is not yet configured on your computer, install the daemon package via APT:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak -y

Add the official Flathub remote server to query and pull application packages:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Fetch and install PlayOnLinux from the Flathub registry. The first installation downloads the application plus its Freedesktop and Wine runtime components, so it may take longer than a standard APT package:

flatpak install flathub com.playonlinux.PlayOnLinux4 -y

Confirm that the installed Flatpak application reference matches PlayOnLinux:

flatpak info --show-ref com.playonlinux.PlayOnLinux4

PlayOnLinux resides in the Multiverse component. Most desktop installations have it enabled by default, but on minimal or server-based setups you may need to add it manually:

sudo add-apt-repository multiverse -y

Update your APT repository indexes to fetch the latest package definitions:

sudo apt update

On Ubuntu 24.04, Python 3.12 removed the legacy asyncore module that PlayOnLinux depends on. You must install the python3-pyasyncore compatibility package alongside PlayOnLinux to prevent a startup crash:

sudo apt install playonlinux python3-pyasyncore -y

On Ubuntu 22.04:

Ubuntu 22.04 ships Python 3.10 which still includes the asyncore module natively. The standard install command is sufficient:

sudo apt install playonlinux -y

Check the installation state and verify the installed package version:

apt-cache policy playonlinux

Open your desktop application grid, type PlayOnLinux in the search bar, and click the application icon. For Flatpak installations, you may need to log out and log back in if the icon does not appear immediately after the first install.

Open your terminal using the shortcut key combination Ctrl+Alt+T and run the launch command matching your installation type:

For APT installations:

playonlinux

For Flatpak container builds:

flatpak run com.playonlinux.PlayOnLinux4

PlayOnLinux maintains a library of preconfigured installation scripts for popular Windows software. To install a supported application:

1. Click Install in the main toolbar.

2. Browse the categories or search for the application you need.

3. Select the entry and follow the installation wizard prompts.

4. Provide the Windows installer file (.exe or .msi) when the wizard requests it.

If your Windows application does not appear in the script library, click the Install a non-listed program link at the bottom of the install menu. This creates a new Wine prefix from scratch and launches a generic wizard where you can specify the Windows installer file, target Wine version, and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Manual installs require more familiarity with Wine configuration, but they work for any Windows executable.

PlayOnLinux can download and manage multiple Wine versions independently of your system’s default Wine package. Navigate to Tools > Manage Wine Versions to install specific Wine releases. This is useful when a Windows application requires a newer or older Wine branch than the system default. Each Wine prefix can be configured to use a different Wine version through the Configure panel.

This error is expected on Ubuntu 26.04 because the playonlinux package has been removed from the repositories for that release:

E: Package 'playonlinux' has no installation candidate

Solution: Use the Flatpak installation method (Method 1). If you see this error on Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04, it means the Multiverse repository is disabled. Enable it with: sudo add-apt-repository multiverse && sudo apt update

Ubuntu 24.04 ships Python 3.12, which removed several legacy standard library modules including asyncore. PlayOnLinux depends on this module and will crash at startup with a traceback error if it is missing:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'asyncore'

Solution: Install the compatibility package that restores the removed module:

sudo apt install python3-pyasyncore -y

Many older Windows programs require 32-bit Wine libraries that are not installed by default on 64-bit Ubuntu systems. For APT-based installations on Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04, enable the i386 architecture and install the 32-bit Wine package:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install wine32 -y

Note: The Flatpak package includes its own Wine runtime with built-in 32-bit compatibility, so you do not need to install host-side wine32 for Flatpak installations.

Preconfigured installation scripts can break when a Windows software vendor changes their download URL, installer version, or distribution method. First, try refreshing the script list inside PlayOnLinux. If the script still fails, visit the PlayOnLinux community forums to check for that specific application, or use the Install a non-listed program option and provide the Windows installer file manually.

Remove the PlayOnLinux binaries using the package manager that matches your current installation:

For APT installations:

sudo apt remove playonlinux -y
sudo apt autoremove --purge -y

If you installed python3-pyasyncore only for PlayOnLinux on Ubuntu 24.04, remove it separately:

sudo apt remove python3-pyasyncore -y

For Flatpak installations:

flatpak uninstall com.playonlinux.PlayOnLinux4 -y
flatpak uninstall --unused -y

Uninstalling the software does not remove your Windows applications, Wine prefixes, or configuration settings. These are stored in your home directory. To perform a complete cleanup, delete the directories that correspond to your installation method:

## Clean native APT configuration and Wine prefixes
rm -rf ~/.PlayOnLinux

## Clean Flatpak application caches
rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.playonlinux.PlayOnLinux4