Emulation

Revision 6.1

September 2025

Versions of WordPerfect for Windows

Another way of using WordPerfect on a Linux system is to install and run WordPerfect for Windows using the CrossOver or Wine compatibility layer from CodeWeavers.

It is necessary to select a suitable version of WordPerfect for Windows and a compatible version of CrossOver or Wine.

It is possible to install WordPerfect 12 or X3 on Crossover 25.1.0 (the version current in September 2025). It is also possible to install Paradox 9 for Windows on Crossover.

So far as is known, it is not possible to install WordPerfect for Windows X4-X9 or 2020-2021 on Crossover.

WordPerfect for Windows 12 or X3 on Crossover 25

After installing CrossOver 25 on a Linux distro, one can install WordPerfect for Windows 12 or X3 in a Windows 7 32-bit bottle as an unlisted application.

WPwin 12

In the case of WPwin 12, one should perform a normal installation of WordPerfect and Quattro from the WordPerfect 12 CD, using its "setup.exe", preferably in a Windows 7 32-bit bottle. The optional elements of WordPerfect Office 12 (such as Internet Explorer 6) should be unselected. On Crossover 25, the installation should run cleanly and succeed. Installation issues which arose on some earlier versions of Crossover have now, happily, disappeared.

After installation, WordPerfect can be run from the distro's main menu as a Windows application. Both WordPerfect and Quattro should load and run normally. Unlike under some earlier versions of Crossover, issues relating loading (such as a need to load twice, and loading to a narrow window) have now, happliy, disappeared.

When WordPerfect is run for the first time, it will be necessary to re-enter the registration code. It is also essential to configure WordPerfect so as not to use the enhanced file open/save dialogues.

Most features of WordPerfect 12 should work, including printing and saving to other file formats. Moreover MS Word 2003 .doc documents can be imported successfully. But MS Word .docx documents cannot be directly imported, and macros do not work.

Unlike under some earlier versions, under Crossover 25 one can easily configure the WP keyboard without crashing the program.

In general, WP 12 runs well on Crossover 25.

This section reflects the author's experience with Crossover 25, running on Linux Mint 22.

WPwin X3

Installation of WordPerfect X3

In the case of WordPerfect for Windows X3, one should first copy the files from the WordPerfect CDs, or extract them from the ISOs, to a single working directory, from which "setup.exe" is to be run under Crossover.

Then, under Crossover, one should create a bottle, perhaps using Windows 7 32-bit, and install into it the Crossover "Core Fonts".

Next, into that bottle one should install WPwin X3 using the "setup.exe" program in the said working directory.

When the WP installer proceeds, one should unselect the optional additions, such as Pinnacle. When the WP files are being copied in, one should dismiss (with "ok") the "inadequate memory" message. The copying will proceed to completion, and claim to have succeeded.

The claim is accurate, but you will need to reboot the distro before running WordPerfect X3.

Running WordPerfect X3

After installing WordPerfect X3 and then rebooting, WordPerfect should load and run successfully, in much the same way as WordPerfect 12.

Thus most features of WordPerfect X3 should work, including printing and saving to other file formats. Moreover MS Word 2003 .doc documents can be imported successfully. But MS Word .docx documents cannot be directly imported, and macros do not work. Again it is essential to configure WordPerfect X3 so as not to use the enhanced file open/save dialogues.

This section reflects the author's experience with WPwin X3 Home Edition and Crossover 25, running on Linux Mint 22.

WordPerfect for DOS on DOSEMU or DOSBOX

(1) It is possible to install and run WordPerfect for DOS on a Linux system, using the DOSemu emulation package. This should work with any version of WordPerfect for DOS from 5.0 to 6.2.

Useful information is available on the Linux page at the site on WordPerfect for DOS Updated, at Columbia University.

(2) It is also possible to install and run WordPerfect for DOS on a Linux system, using the DOSBox emulation package. But printing is not possible under DOSBox.

Under DOSBox one can also install Windows 3.1 and WordPerfect 6.1 for Windows.

(3) There is also a character-based version of WordPerfect 8 for Linux, which resembles WordPerfect 5.1+ for MSDOS. This may conveniently be referred to a WordPerfect 8c.

Recent excellent work by Tavis Ormandy has enabled this to be easily installed and successfully run on current versions of Linux. This is helpfully explained on the Unix page at Edward Mendelson's wpdos website.

WordPerfect for Mac on Linux

(1) It may still be possible to install and run WP 3.5e for Mac on a current Linux distro, using MacOS 9.0.4 in the Sheepshaver emulator. This was last successfully tested by the present writer in December 2013, and is probably still possible on a distro current in 2025.

Useful information is available from the WordPerfect Mac group pages, now on groups.io.

A particularly useful program available there is a Droplets utility, enabling the conversion of WordPerfect documents from normal WP 6.1 format to WPMac format.

(2) Another method of running WPmac on Linux is to use the Windows version of the WPMacApp appliance provided on the mac-intel page on the Columbia WPdos site. The appliance uses Sheepshaver, but needs to be installed and run under Crossover. This method definitely works on current distros.

Paradox on Linux

It is possible to install Paradox 9 for Windows on a current Linux distro (such as Mint 22) using Crossover 25.

The Paradox setup program will complete, but Crossover may not recognise that it has done so. One must then "cancel" to close the Crossover operation. The bottle will exist, and will contain the desired Paradox code, and the appropriate menu entries will have been created.

The editing of existing Paradox tables can also be achieved by means of a Windows utility named Paradox Data Editor, which can be installed and run on Linux under Crossover. The Paradox Data Editor is available from its author at MiTeC.

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Last updated in September 2025.