The Wine Project, a compatibility layer that enables Linux and macOS users to run Windows applications, has released version 11.3 as the third maintenance update to the stable 11.x series. Here are the main highlights.
This release updates the integrated Mono engine to version 11.0, improving support for .NET-based applications. The bundled vkd3d library is now at version 1.19, enhancing Direct3D 12 translation over Vulkan. These updates are relevant for modern Windows software and games that depend on current .NET runtimes and Direct3D APIs.
Audio handling is refined, with the DirectSound implementation now including an improved FIR filter for more accurate sound processing and better playback in applications using legacy Windows audio APIs. Developers also introduced optimizations in PDB loading to reduce overhead when debugging or running applications that rely on symbol data.
On the user interface side, the Light theme has been renamed to Aero for compatibility reasons, aligning naming conventions more closely with expectations from Windows environments.
This release fixes many real-world compatibility problems. Several games now work better, including Guild Wars 2, which no longer crashes with Winewayland and some DXVK builds, and War Thunder Launcher, which now renders correctly. Flight Simulator 2000 also has less flickering and better performance in windowed mode.
Apart from that, Adobe Audition 2020 startup crashes related to Direct2D were resolved, as were launch issues affecting QuarkXPress 2024. Utilities such as Sysinternals TCPView, Rainmeter, and Amazon Chime installers received fixes, alongside improvements for older software, including Westwood Monopoly’s help system and various installer components.
Several lower-level and regression fixes are included as well. These cover race conditions affecting process exit codes, Windows 11-specific behavior in fusion components, improved parameter validation in printf-related functions, graphics handling regressions introduced after Wine 11.1, and corrections to geometry handling in Direct2D.
For more information, visit the announcement. Wine 11.3’s source code can be downloaded from GitLab’s project page for those interested in trying out or upgrading their current installation. The binary packages for various distributions are expected to be available shortly
