Fusion is one of Autodesk’s most popular products for computer aided design (CAD). Aside from the standard CAD tools, it also has a CAM environment, a built-in 3D slicer, top-notch simulation tools, and a hose of new AI features. These attributed combined make this a very desirable CAD program for all kinds of users, from beginners to professionals.
Unfortunately, Fusion is only available on Windows and MacOS, meaning it can’t be directly installed on Linux. But when has anything ever stopped Linux users from getting what they want?
The more recent online version of Fusion, which can be accessed through a web browser, has appeased many a Linux users, but to get the full power and speed from Fusion, this article will go over a few workarounds for Linux users to run Fusion in their machines. We’ll also talk about the pros and cons of each method and provide some links to tutorials. If it still all sounds too hard, we’ve also got some suitable alternatives that natively support Linux.
Possible Solutions
Linux platforms come packed with unique features, but some commercial software is still not published for Linux. Although alternative software is usually available (and we mention some good options at the end of this article), sometimes you need a specific program.
There are currently three workaround solutions for Fusion specifically:
- Browser version: Autodesk offers a web-based version of Fusion for users with an that works with Chromebooks and any other device with an internet browser. Linux users usually use the open-source Chromium browser to run it. Trial accounts and Personal licenses (the free ones) do not have browser access.
- Virtual machines: Virtual machines are essentially emulations of computer systems, meaning that a “second computer” is created virtually within your Linux platform and can run another OS. In this case, Fusion 360 would be installed and run within this virtual computer, on either Windows or MacOS.
- Wine: Wine is a free program that allows Windows applications and games to run in Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and MacOS. It’s a compatibility layer rather than an emulation, which basically translates from Windows to Linux. Lutris, a popular Linux gaming platform, also supports installing Fusion via Wine, making the setup much easier.
How Do They Work?
If you’re a seasoned Linux user, you most likely know these solutions by now. However, if you’re new to the platform and feel like we’re talking another language, we’ll break down some of the steps required so that you have a clearer picture of each solution.
Running Fusion in a web browser is very straightforward. If you have a personal Fusion license, you don’t have access to the browser version, so let’s look at alternatives for this scenario.
Let’s start with virtual machines. First, we need to emulate a new computer within Linux, and this can be done by programs like Oracle VirtualBox, VMWare Workstation, and GnomeBox.
Once the virtual machine is set up, a new Windows instance must be installed, which might require a license. Finally, Fusion 360 can then be installed and run through this emulated Windows system. Phew!
Now, for the other solution, we first need to download and install Wine plus a bunch of other packages. Then, some setting up and configuring is required before finally installing Fusion 360 through it. It sounds less complex overall than running a virtual machine, but it does still take some time to get everything up and running. In fact, because Fusion 360 does not run natively on Wine alone without significant modifications, you may experience performance and stability varances.
WineHQ’s compatibility database lists Fusion 360 as “Gold” or “Silver,” depending on version, but support can break with updates from Autodesk. CAM and simulation features may perform poorly in virtualized or Wine environments due to hardware acceleration limitations.
GPU passthrough is the best option for serious CAD users on Linux who want Fusion to run as smoothly as it does on native Windows — but it comes at the cost of setup complexity and hardware requirements. GPU passthrough is an advanced virtualization technique that lets a virtual machine running on Linux to directly access a dedicated graphics card. GPU passthrough bypasses the Linux host entirely for that GPU, giving the VM direct control.
Are They Worth It?
Setting up virtual machines and Wine sound like a lot of work. In the end, are these workaround solutions worth it to get Fusion running in a Linux machine? The short answer is: it depends.
If you absolutely need Fusion, rest assured that these solutions are proven to work in many Linux platforms. However, they’re known to have performance issues, especially when using virtual machines. After all, you’re splitting your hardware to run two different operating systems simultaneously.
In addition, you’ll probably encounter some issues along the way when setting up either a virtual machine or Wine, which will require some troubleshooting to get past. And remember, these are workaround solutions, so newer releases of Fusion may create future problems, too.
Still, once set up, both these solutions will enable you to run other Windows programs, which is a plus. Moreover, all the software required is free to use, including Fusion personal licenses.
In the end, it will all come down to how badly you want (or need) to run Fusion, specifically.
How to Do It
By far the easiest solution is to run Fusion in a web browser. As for the other solutions, if you want to go forward and get Fusion up and running on your Linux platform, here are some detailed tutorials that will help you in this task.
There are plenty of tutorials on how to set up a virtual machine with Windows. However, the tutorial by Abhishek Prakash teaches beginners how to install Windows 10 in VirtualBox on Ubuntu, and it’s pretty thorough. It provides links to the software required and was recently updated.
For the solution with Wine, Cryinkfly has a YouTube tutorial that covers the entire process, plus a GitHub repository with troubleshooting tips and additional documentation. They also developed a script that facilitates the setup and configuration process.
Fusion Alternatives on Linux
If you don’t mind using other CAD software or just don’t want to go through the process of getting Fusion on Linux, here are some good alternatives that support 3D modeling:
- FreeCAD, as the name suggests, is a free 3D CAD program with a focus on engineering. For more information on how FreeCAD and Fusion 360 compare in detail, be sure to check our comparison article.
- SolveSpace is open-source 3D CAD software for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Like Fusion 360, this is fully parametric CAD software, and it’s completely free to use.
- Onshape is a browser-based 3D CAD tool that doesn’t require installing anything on your computer, you just need a Chrome browser to use it. There’s a free version available.
- Blender is mostly used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, and 3D games, but it also offers a pretty comprehensive suite of tools for 3D modeling, sculpting, and texturing. Because it’s a feature-rich platform, it’s not the easiest to master.
License: The text of "Autodesk Fusion on Linux: How to Run It" by All3DP Pro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.