Can you run Photoshop on Linux?

Best option: Cloud Windows PC (works, general method, not tested with this app). Native alternatives: GIMP, Krita, darktable.

Not verified yet. Adobe's requirement pages (helpx.adobe.com) returned an access error to our research tools, and Adobe's product page does not name operating systems. Search excerpts of the requirements page list only Windows and macOS. Confirm on Adobe's page in a browser before indexing.

No official versionNo official version

Adobe does not list Linux as a supported operating system for Photoshop on desktop. The desktop app is offered for Windows and macOS only.

Sources: Adobe, Adobe Help Center · Checked , not verified

Official platforms: Windows, Mac (all Photoshop platforms)

What works instead

RouteResultCost
Cloud Windows PC Works Subscription

Cloud Windows PC

Works

General method, not tested with this app

Shadow streams a full Windows PC with an NVIDIA RTX class GPU, where you can install your regular Windows apps, including the Windows version of Photoshop.

  • Pen pressure over the stream is not covered by Shadow's documentation.

Setup steps

  1. Choose a Shadow PC plan on Shadow's offers page. (Shadow)
  2. Wait for the activation email. You can log in once your Shadow PC is activated. (Shadow support)
  3. Log in to your Shadow account page, open the Downloads tab and download the Shadow PC app for your device. (Shadow support)
  4. Open the Shadow PC app, click Log In and sign in with your email and password or single sign-on. (Shadow support)
  5. On the Shadow PC, install Photoshop for Windows through your Adobe plan. (Adobe)

Cost: Subscription. Shadow from 33.99 EUR a month, plus a Photoshop subscription (from US$22.99 a month on an annual plan).

Sources: Shadow, Shadow, Adobe · Checked , not verified

Not yet tested (4 routes: Windows in a virtual machine, Official web version, Wine on Linux, CrossOver)

No source we could read confirms whether these routes work for Photoshop. They are listed so you know they exist.

Windows in a virtual machine

Not verified

Not confirmed for Photoshop. A Windows VM gives it a full Windows environment, but graphics and audio go through virtual devices.

  • VirtualBox gives Windows guests Direct3D 11 and OpenGL 4.1 at most.

Cost: Subscription. Free VM software, plus a Windows license and a Photoshop subscription.

We found no vendor statement on how current Photoshop versions behave in a VM.

Source: Oracle VirtualBox · Checked , not verified

Official web version

Not verified

Photoshop on the web runs in the browser, but Adobe's requirements page is the only source for which operating systems it supports.

Cost: Subscription. Included with Photoshop plans.

Search excerpts of Adobe's page list Windows, macOS and ChromeOS but not Linux. Confirm on the page in a browser.

Source: Adobe Help Center · Checked , not verified

Wine on Linux

Not verified

No vendor or forum source we could read confirms current Photoshop versions under Wine.

Cost: Free

The WineHQ AppDB entry for Photoshop could not be read automatically (browser check page). Add the current rating after a manual check.

No source yet · Checked , not verified

CrossOver

Not verified

CodeWeavers keeps a CrossOver rating for Photoshop in its compatibility database.

Cost: One-time purchase. CrossOver costs $74 for 12 months of upgrades or $494 lifetime, plus a Photoshop subscription.

The CodeWeavers compatibility page could not be read automatically. Add the current rating after a manual check.

Source: CodeWeavers · Checked , not verified

Native alternatives on Linux

GIMP

Free

The best known free, open source image editor, with a Flatpak for Linux.

Sources: GIMP, GIMP · Checked , not verified

Krita

Free

Free, open source painting app with a Linux AppImage.

Source: Krita Foundation · Checked , not verified

darktable

Free

Free, open source raw photo developer for Linux.

Source: darktable · Checked , not verified

Sources

  1. Adobe Photoshop. Adobe, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  2. Adobe Photoshop on desktop technical requirements. Adobe Help Center, vendor knowledge base. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  3. Shadow, a full Windows PC in the cloud. Shadow, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  4. Shadow PC offers. Shadow, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  5. VirtualBox manual, Guest Additions and 3D acceleration. Oracle VirtualBox, vendor knowledge base. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  6. Photoshop on the web technical requirements. Adobe Help Center, vendor knowledge base. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  7. CrossOver store and pricing. CodeWeavers, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  8. GIMP, the free and open source image editor. GIMP, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  9. Download GIMP. GIMP, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  10. Download Krita. Krita Foundation, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  11. Install darktable. darktable, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  12. Getting started with Shadow PC. Shadow support, vendor knowledge base. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.

Record last checked 17 October 2026. Ratings from third-party compatibility databases are linked to their original pages. How we verify.

Report a correction for this record.

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