WinBoat logo WinBoat logo background glow

WinBoat

Runs a Windows virtual machine in a Docker or Podman container on Linux and displays each Windows program as a desktop window via FreeRDP RemoteApp

It takes care to curate a safe software space. Help us do more.

&

+
Windows Virtual Machine
Boots a full Windows 10 or 11 installation inside a Docker or Podman container using the dockur/windows image, enabling driver and application compatibility a Wine-based layer cannot always match.
+
Native App Windows
Streams individual Windows programs to the Linux desktop as separate windows via FreeRDP’s RemoteApp protocol, so each app behaves like a normal Linux window instead of a full VM screen.
+
Automated Setup Wizard
Walks the user through allocating RAM, CPU and disk space and provisioning a trial Windows ISO automatically, removing the need to manually configure a VM.
+
Filesystem Integration
Mounts the Linux home directory inside the Windows guest, letting files be opened, saved and shared between both systems without extra transfer steps.
+
Podman Support
Lets the container run under Podman instead of Docker as of version 0.9.0, giving users a container runtime option that avoids Docker Desktop’s licensing restrictions.
+
USB Passthrough
Forwards USB-connected peripherals into the Windows guest as an experimental feature added in version 0.8.0, so hardware needing Windows-only configuration tools can be set up directly.
+
Multi-Monitor Support
Offers MultiMon and Span display modes so Windows apps can open on separate per-monitor displays or stretch across all connected monitors, added in version 0.8.6.
+
UWP App Detection
Detects and launches Universal Windows Platform apps such as Microsoft Store titles as of version 0.9.0, extending app coverage beyond traditional Win32 programs.
+
Custom Install Location
Allows Windows VM data to be stored at a user-chosen path instead of a fixed Docker volume, since version 0.8.6, freeing users from needing space on one specific system partition.
...10 more features/limitations. Contact us to get a complete list of features and system requirements.

Platform

Desktop

Social

System Requirements

Want to get access to entire data for training LLM or studying software or may be something else? Contact us at contact [at] softorage [dot] com

Ratings

Not available, but we appreciate help! You can help us improve this page by contacting us.

Developer

Written in

TypeScript, Vue, Go

Initial Release

2025-08-24

Repository

License

Categories


Notes

  • WinBoat runs a real Windows installation inside a Docker/Podman container rather than translating API calls like Wine or CrossOver, at the cost of needing KVM virtualization, a Windows ISO/license, and significantly more disk space.