The guide walks Fedora 36 users through installing PlayOnLinux, a lightweight wrapper that simplifies running Windows games via isolated Wine environments. First it ensures the dnf‑plugins‑core package is present so COPR can be enabled, then it adds the cgrosby/playonlinux repository and installs the package, automatically pulling in Wine and required DLLs. If the COPR method fails, the article offers a fallback by downloading the latest RPM from GitHub and letting dnf resolve dependencies, even suggesting the --best flag for stubborn conflicts. Finally it confirms success with a quick launch command and provides troubleshooting hints such as verifying 64‑bit architecture when encountering Wine version errors.

How to Install PlayOnLinux on Fedora 36 Linux

If you’ve got a vintage Windows game stuck in your download folder and you’re running Fedora 36, the first thing that usually shows up on your screen is “Wine not found.” That’s where PlayOnLinux comes in – it’s a lightweight wrapper that lets you spin up isolated Wine environments without having to wrestle with configuration files. In this quick guide you’ll learn how to get PlayOnLinux up and running using Fedora’s own package manager, plus a couple of handy tricks for when the default method hits a snag.

I’ve seen this happen after a bad driver update

When I upgraded my GPU drivers last month, Starcraft 2 would launch in Wine but immediately crash with an “invalid op” error. Installing PlayOnLinux and creating a fresh virtual drive solved it instantly because each game gets its own clean Wine prefix.

Install the dnf‑plugins‑core package (if you don’t already have it)

sudo dnf install -y dnf-plugins-core

This gives you access to COPR, Fedora’s community build platform. Without it, you can’t enable the PlayOnLinux repository.

Enable the official PlayOnLinux COPR repository

sudo dnf copr enable cgrosby/playonlinux

The cgrosby/playonlinux repo contains pre‑compiled binaries that already bundle all the dependencies you’ll need. Skipping this step forces you to compile from source or manually resolve libraries, which is a lot more work.

Install PlayOnLinux

sudo dnf install -y playonlinux

Because we’re pulling from COPR, dnf will automatically pull in Wine and any extra DLLs your system needs. If you prefer the latest version, just look for a newer build on GitHub and replace the package name.

If the COPR route doesn’t work…

Sometimes the repo is out of sync with Fedora 36’s libraries, or you’re running into a race condition where dnf can’t resolve a dependency. In that case:

1. Download the latest RPM from the GitHub releases page:

   wget https://github.com/playonlinux/PlayOnLinux/releases/download/v3.2.4/PlayOnLinux-3.2.4.x86_64.rpm

2. Install it manually, letting dnf fix any missing libs:

   sudo dnf install -y PlayOnLinux-3.2.4.x86_64.rpm

If you still hit a dependency wall, try the “--best” flag to force dnf to pick the most compatible package set:

sudo dnf install --best playonlinux

Quick sanity check: launch PlayOnLinux

playonlinux

The GUI should pop up. If it does, congratulations – you’re now ready to add a new virtual drive and point it at the installer for your Windows game or application.

Got a problem?

If you run into an error that reads “Could not find any suitable version of Wine,” double‑check that you’re on a 64‑bit system (uname -m). PlayOnLinux only works there, because it relies on the 64‑bit Wine build shipped in Fedora’s repos.