Only install Winlator from the official GitHub Releases page. Unofficial APKs from third-party sites may be modified or contain malware.
Requirements
Android version
Android 8.0 or later (API level 26+)
Device architecture
ARM64 (64-bit) processor required
Free storage
At least 2 GB of free storage for the system image and containers
Graphics
OpenGL ES 2.0 support (nearly all modern Android devices)
Install Winlator
Download the APK
Go to the Winlator GitHub Releases page and download
Winlator_10.1.apk from the latest release (version 10.1).Allow installation from unknown sources
Because Winlator is not distributed through the Play Store, Android requires you to allow installation from unknown sources.On most devices:
- Open Settings > Apps (or Application Manager).
- Tap your browser or file manager.
- Enable Install unknown apps (or Allow from this source).
Open the APK
Locate the downloaded
Winlator_10.1.apk file using your file manager and tap it to begin installation. Confirm when prompted by Android.Grant permissions
When you first launch Winlator, Android will request the following permissions:
Tap Allow for each prompt. Denying storage permissions will prevent Winlator from reading or writing game files.
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE | Save container data, game files, and shortcuts to external storage |
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE | Access .exe files and game assets stored on your device |
MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS | Configure audio output for Wine’s audio drivers |
Wait for the initial setup to complete
On the very first launch, Winlator installs its internal Linux filesystem image (
imagefs). This is a compressed system archive bundled inside the APK that gets extracted to your device’s internal storage.A progress dialog will appear with the message Installing system files. Do not close the app during this step — it typically takes 30–90 seconds depending on your device.If the installation fails, Winlator will display an error toast. This can happen if your device runs out of storage mid-extraction. Free up space and relaunch the app to retry.