ProtonUp-Qt

What is ProtonUp-Qt?

ProtonUp-Qt is a graphical front-end for managing compatibility layers like GE-Proton and Wine-GE. It allows users to download, update, and assign specific builds to games or launchers without touching the terminal. The project is mature, actively maintained by DavidoTek, and supports major launchers including Steam, Lutris, and Heroic.

It targets gamers who want to run Windows titles on Linux but need specific, often community-built, Proton or Wine versions to fix bugs or improve performance. If you use Steam Play or Lutris and find the default Proton insufficient, this is the tool to tweak your environment. It handles both Flatpak and Snap installations of your launchers.

Unlike Windows, where you just run the .exe, Linux requires selecting the right compatibility layer. ProtonUp-Qt simplifies this by providing a list of available builds. You pick the one known to work for your game, and it configures the launcher automatically. It is not a game launcher itself, but a utility to make your existing launchers work better.

Best for: Linux gamers using Steam, Lutris, or Heroic who need to switch between different Proton or Wine builds to run specific Windows games.

Key features of ProtonUp-Qt

• Install and update GE-Proton, Wine-GE, and other custom builds
• Manage compatibility tools for Steam, Lutris, Heroic, and Bottles
• Supports Flatpak, Snap, and native installations of launchers
• Double-click to view details and see which games use a specific tool
• Includes DXVK and VKD3D management options
• Advanced settings and theme customization in the About dialog

Tips for Windows users

Coming from Windows, you do not need to install ProtonUp-Qt to play most games; Steam handles it automatically. However, if a game fails to launch or has performance issues, use ProtonUp-Qt to install a newer or specific GE-Proton build. In Steam, you would typically select the Proton version in the game's properties; ProtonUp-Qt ensures that version is actually installed on your system first. It does not change how you launch games, only how the underlying compatibility layer is managed.

Recent releases

• 2.16.0 — October 11, 2026

  Changes/Improvements: - Added the proton-wineland compatibility tool - Fixed the GE-Proton install directory since GE-Proton11-4 - Fixed Proton-RTSP installation - Fixed the Heroic game list for GOG and Epic games - Switched to uv and Nix for building the…

• 2.15.1 — June 24, 2026

  Changes/Improvements: - Download correct GE-Proton architecture (aarch64 on ARM, x86_64 otherwise) - Use new Luxtorpeda Codeberg repository - Removed Proton-Sarek. Use proton-cachyos instead - Enabled proton-cachyos for Lutris Various improvements and bug…

• 2.15.0 — February 20, 2026

  Changes/Improvements: - Added the dwproton compatibility tool - Fixed Kron4ek. Allows choosing between amd64 and wow64 - Fixed the GE-Proton install directory for Lutris to runners/wine Various improvements and bug fixes. See GitHub for more details. Thanks…

• 2.14.0 — September 20, 2025

  Changes/Improvements: - Added the Proton-EM compatibility tool - Removed the NorthStar Proton compatibility tool Various improvements and bug fixes. See GitHub for more details. Thanks to sonic2kk and the other contributers!