Running Windows Games and Programs on Android using Box86, Box64, and Wine via Termux

Wine is a compatibility layer that enables running Windows applications on Linux and other Unix-like systems, allowing users to enjoy a wide range of Windows software natively. While there’s a Wine Android app, most devices run on ARM arch, so you can’t run the classic I386 and AMD64 Windows programs and games through it.

Termux:X11, Termux:Widget, Steam Windows in oldbigpicture mode on an Android phone

Box86 and Box64 are revolutionary compatibility layers that enable the execution of x86 and x86_64 Linux programs, respectively, on non-x86 Linux systems. Designed primarily for ARM-based systems, these tools break the traditional barriers of platform limitations and open up a world of possibilities for users. Both Box86 and Box64 will use the native version of “system” libraries when there’s a call of a compatible library through them, and by doing this the speed penalty is minor.

There’s a clear benefit of combining the Box86_64 with Wine so that you can run the native Windows programs with a good performance on your ARM Android device. Everything can be configured through Termux, an Android app that provides a Linux environment on mobile devices, empowering users with access to a full-featured terminal emulator.

Getting started

I’ve created a collection of scripts that will help you to set up everything with ease.

First, you must install the Termux app from GitHub and then run a one-line install command from this GitHub git.

This will install the Termux:X11 app necessary for the XFCE and GUI, and Termux:Widget to create shortcuts on the home screen.

You can also find documentation and a script that let you install more things like PlayOnLinux and Steam Linux.

Playing games

Yes, you can run Windows games through Wine or PlayOnLinux. It will require a bit of configuration and frustration time, but you will get to run some of them in the end.

Collage with Call of Duty 2, Euro Truck Simulator, Portal run through Wine

Check the “Example games” section of the Setup_Wine_Box86_64.md. Here you can find how I manage to run the games above. Performance can be terrible for software that runs through Direct3D (DirectX), but if it has OpenGL compatibility, you can run it using some hardware acceleration. VirGL server is already installed by “Getting Started” script, and you can run your games using “GALLIUM_DRIVER=virpipe” environment variable. You can also try Zink through the “Addons_Menu.sh”.

Enjoy

Hope this is useful for your use case 🥳.