Guide to installing AMD Vivado Design Suite on Windows and Linux

If you need to setup AMD Vivado Design Suite in Windows and Linux, here you'll find a complete walkthrough covering everything from prerequisites to driver installation and device support by release. Everything you see is condensed and rewritten from sources including official notes and real-world Linux installation experiences, with a special focus on dependencies, download options, and recent changes to the web installer. The idea is that you install without problems and take advantage of the key recommendations.

In addition to the classic Linux binary installation, we include relevant details about the web installer, the offline self-installer option, and Flatpak packaging with sandboxing. We also review the highlights of version 2025.1 and edition compatibility, so you can decide which path is best for you based on your hardware and workflow. If you are short on time or connection, the comparison between the web installer and the offline image will be especially useful..

Requirements and packages on Linux (Debian or Ubuntu)

Before launching the installer, on Debian or Ubuntu systems you will most likely need 32-bit packages and historical libraries to make the graphical installer run correctly. Preparing the environment prevents errors Boot of the installer and conflicts with GTK or ncurses.

• libstdc++6:i386 (32-bit C++ runtime)
• libgtk2.0-0:i386 (32-bit GTK2 for the installer)
• dpkg-dev:i386 (package development tools, 32-bit)
• python3-pip (package management Python 3)
• libtinfo5 (terminfo, historical compatibility)
• libncurses5 (support of terminal, previous versions)

The installation can be done one by one or in a single line. If you prefer the short route, throw everything together:

sudo apt-get install libstdc++6:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386 dpkg-dev:i386 python3-pip libtinfo5 libncurses5

If you prefer, you can run each package separately, although running it in bulk is faster. Once the packages are ready, you can open the Vivado installer without any surprises..

Install Vivado on Linux from the binary installer

With the .bin file downloaded, the first step is to give it execution permissions and then run it. This is the basics for the graphical installer to start correctly..

chmod +x ./nombre_del_instalador.bin

./nombre_del_instalador.bin

There's a warning you should remember: to get the launchers to appear in your Linux desktop menu, don't run the installer with sudo. If you do it as superuser, it is very possible that you will not see the shortcuts and you will have to start Vivado from the terminal..

When the wizard opens, you'll see the product selection. If you want Vivado, Vitis, and the entire package, select the first option, Vitis; if you only want Vivado, select only Vivado. Keep in mind that a full installation of tools and devices may require around 300 GB of free space..

If you like quick summaries, this typical sequence will serve as a guide for a clean installation on Linux. It's a little reminder of what's essential:

VIVADO=./nombre_del_instalador.bin
sudo apt-get install libstdc++6:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386 dpkg-dev:i386 python3-pip libtinfo5 libncurses5
chmod +x $VIVADO
$VIVADO

Cable drivers and board detection in Linux

After installing the tools, install the cable drivers so Vivado can detect your development boards. Without these rules, the hardware will not appear available in Hardware Manager..

Go to the driver path corresponding to your version and architecture and run the driver installer:

/Vivado/version/data/xicom/cable_drivers/lin64/install_script/install_drivers/

./install_drivers

When finished, reconnect the board; sometimes it may take a few seconds or require a reboot. If you are using Flatpak packaging, below you will see how to reload udev after installing the drivers inside the sandbox..

Download options: web installer and offline self-installer

There are two approaches to downloading Vivado. With a stable connection, the web installer is fast: downloads a lightweight executable, and from it you select products and devices. With slow networks or repeated installations, the self-installing offline image can save you time..

• Web installer: A small file that downloads components during installation. Recommended by AMD to reduce installation time and save disk space. In addition, it supports selecting specific devices, which shortens the download time..
• Offline self-installable: Full image that you can download from your browser or through the web installer itself with the 'Download Image' option (allows 'Selected Product Only' or 'Full Image'). It is ideal when you are going to install on several machines or you do not have a connection.

Please note two recent announcements: starting with version 2025.2, the Single File Download (SFD) option will no longer be available, and download verification is supported only in Google Chrome y Microsoft Edge. If you usually download from other browsers, consider using one of these two to avoid problems..

If you're using Vivado ML 2021.1 or later, please update your license server tools to Flex 11.17.2.0 to avoid licensing issues. It is a requirement that is often overlooked and then causes boot errors..

Installation on Windows: General Steps and Tips

On Windows, the flow is simple: download the web installer from the AMD portal and run it as an administrator, choose Vivado or Vitis, and select the devices or a lighter installation if you don't need all of them. The web installer is the recommended way to minimize time and local space..

• Select an installation folder with enough space, especially if you will be uploading entire families. Large installations can take up hundreds of gigabytes..
• Check the cable drivers box during the installation process or run them later from the installation folder. Without drivers you won't see your connected cards..
• If you're going to verify downloads, do so with Chrome or Edge, as they are the browsers that support verification. You will avoid false positives of integrity.
• Remember that the SFD option will no longer exist starting with 2025.2, so plan with the web installer or the offline image generated from it. This way you guarantee continuity in your installation flows.

After installation, manage your licenses from the appropriate manager and reboot if the installer suggests it, especially if it added drivers. It is the most reliable way to complete the environment setup.

Highlights from Vivado 2025.1

The 2025.1 release brings significant improvements in both device support and design and usability features. If you work with Versal families or RTL flows, it is interesting to update.

• New device support: 2nd Gen Versal AI Edge and 2nd Gen Versal Prime, plus the Spartan UltraScale+ family. More variety for embedded and high-performance projects.
• Unified Selective Installer for Versal: Allows you to download only the devices you need, reducing download size. It is appreciated in teams with storage limited.
• QoR improvements in Versal, including calibrated deskew for SSIT and multi-phase NoC support to maximize performance. Optimizes latencies and bandwidth.
• Flexible booting of the processing system in Versal: Enables booting the PS first and loading programmable logic later, now the default flow on Prime Gen 2 and AI Edge Gen 2. More control over the boot sequence.
• New RTL-based AXI IP Switch and usability improvements: dedicated views in IP Integrator, new Pblocks scheduler, routing GUI, and GUI support for report_dfx_summary. Less friction when integrating IP and planning the design.

AMD recommends using the web installer for its speed and lower local space usage. If you're coming from previous versions, you'll notice the lighter download with selectable Versatile devices..

Edition Compatibility: Standard and Enterprise

Compatibility depends on whether you're using the Standard or Enterprise edition. Families and, where applicable, device examples are listed below. Use this as a reference to validate your implementation goal..

• AMD Spartan UltraScale+: Available in both editions with XCSU10P, XCSU25P and XCSU35P. Good option for low-cost designs.
• 2nd Gen AMD Versal AI Edge Series: in Enterprise with XC2VE3558, XC2VE3504, XC2VE3858, XC2VE3804. focus on IA at the edge with greater efficiency.
• 2nd Gen AMD Versal Prime Series: in Enterprise with XC2VM3558, XC2VM3858. Balance between performance and resources.
• AMD Zynq-7000 SoC: Supported, including XC7Z010, XC7Z015, XC7Z020, XC7Z030, XC7Z007S, XC7Z012S and XC7Z014S. Widely used classics in embedded.
• AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC: Extensive coverage with variants such as XCZU1EG, XCZU1CG, XCZU2EG, XCZU2CG, XCZU3EG, XCZU3CG, XCZU5EV, XCZU7EV, XCZU7EG and XCZU7CG. Versatile platform for heterogeneous systems.
• RFSoC Zynq UltraScale+: Supported in both editions. RF Integration for Programmable Radios.
• AMD Virtex 7 and Virtex UltraScale FPGAs, with advanced variants such as UltraScale+ HBM and 58G in Enterprise. Designed for extreme performance.
• AMD Kintex 7 and Kintex UltraScale FPGAs, with Kintex UltraScale+ in Standard (XCKU3P, XCKU5P) and Enterprise. Good power-price balance.
• AMD Artix 7 FPGAs: XC7A12T, XC7A15T, XC7A25T, XC7A35T, XC7A50T, XC7A75T, Perfect for beginners and volume products.
• AMD Artix UltraScale+: XCAU10P, XCAU15P, XCAU20P and XCAU25P. More resources with low consumption.
• AMD Spartan 7: XC7S6, XC7S15, XC7S25, XC7S50, XC7S75 and XC7S100. Excellent cost per logic.
• AMD Alveo cards and AMD Kria SoMs: available in both editions. Data center acceleration and embedded vision.
• AMD Versal Adaptive SoCs: In Enterprise, AI Core series (e.g., XCVC1502, XCVC1702, XCVC1802, XCVC1902, XCVC2602, XCVC2802, and XQ/XQR variants) and Prime series (e.g., XCVM1102, XCVM1302, XCVM1402, XCVM1502, XCVM1802, XCVM2202, XCVM2302, XCVM2502, XCVM2902, with XQ variants). Extensive catalog for various loads.
• AMD Versal Adaptive SoCs, Top-Tier and HBM Series: Examples include XCVP1002, XCVP1052, XCVP1102, XCVP1202, XCVP1402, XCVP1502, XCVP1552, XCVP1702, XCVP1802, XCVP1902, XCVP2502, XCVP2802 (and XQ variants), plus HBM series like XCVH1522, XCVH1542, XCVH1582, XCVH1742, XCVH1782. For projects where high-bandwidth memory is critical.

Additional Note: UltraScale+ devices support the AMD Vitis unified platform and Vivado-based board design flows. Some devices may require licenses for bitstream generation, please coordinate with your FAE if needed..

Vivado via Flatpak: sandbox, permissions, and utilities

There's a Flatpak wrapper that downloads the official installer and runs the tools in a sandbox. It doesn't redistribute AMD-licensed material and isn't verified or supported by Xilinx/AMD. It is useful to isolate the environment without touching the base system.

Important note about file visibility: The sandbox only sees Downloads, Documents, and Desktop by default. Work there or expand permissions with an override. Otherwise, you won't see your projects from Vivado..

flatpak override com.github.corna.Vivado --filesystem='/ruta/que/quieras'

If you see the message 'Can't open project . Please verify that the project still exists.', it doesn't mean the project doesn't exist, it means the sandbox doesn't have permission to that folder. Locate the sandbox filesystem in ~/.var/app/com.github.corna.Vivado/ if you need to move files.

Hardware access: Install the cable drivers within the sandbox's Vivado path and reload udev. Without these udev rules, license plate detection will not work..

cd ~/.var/app/com.github.corna.Vivado/data/xilinx-install/Vivado/version/data/xicom/cable_drivers/lin64/install_script/install_drivers/ && sudo ./install_drivers && sudo udevadm control --reload

To restrict networking to tools, you can remove the network permission from the container, knowing that the license manager depends on network interfaces (MAC). You can use 'flatpak override com.github.corna.Vivado –unshare=network' if you know what you're doing.

To add components, use the 'Add Xilinx Design Tools or Devices' launcher. To install another version, run 'flatpak run –command=xilinx_install com.github.corna.Vivado'. To uninstall components or versions, use 'Uninstall Xilinx Design Tools or Devices'. Remember that removing the Flatpak does not remove the Xilinx installation if you do not delete its data..

Related article:

What's new in Linux 6.17: changes, improvements, and support

Isaac

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