Summary
- Google has launched a native Linux Terminal app for Android, allowing users to run Debian in a virtual machine, primarily benefiting developers, security professionals, and those needing Linux-specific applications.
- The app is currently accessible via Developer options in the March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop, requiring manual activation and an initial download to configure the Linux environment.
- Current settings allow for disk resizing, port control, and partition recovery, with Google actively developing enhancements like hardware acceleration and a full graphical environment.
For months now, we’ve known that Google intends to release a native Linux Terminal app that would let users run Debain in a virtual machine on their Android smartphone. Why would you want to run Linux on your Android smartphone though? Well, you truly wouldn’t — though support could be a huge boon for developers, security professionals, or those that need access to Linux-exclusive applications. It runs in a safe virtualized environment, so it doesn’t really mess with your normal Android phone functionality.
Credible Android analyst Mishaal Rahman first spotted the Terminal app with Android 15 QPR2 beta in November, tucked within Developer options. Now, marking a big milestone, the app is available to enable via Developer options after updating to the March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop.
Of course, to surface the app, you’ll still have to enable developer mode first, which can be done by heading into Settings → About Phone → and then tapping the Build number seven times in quick succession. Subsequently, you should be able to enable the Terminal by heading into Settings → System → Developer options → Linux development environment.
Once enabled, the app will show up in your app drawer under the name Terminal, and when you initiate it for the first time, it will trigger a substantial 500MB+ download. This is likely the app downloading and configuring an instance of Debain.
It’s currently unclear if support will be limited to Pixel devices, or if Google intends to bring the Terminal app to other OEMs via Android 16.
Currently, Terminal’s settings allow you to adjust the amount of space allocated to the Linux environment via the ‘Disk Resize‘ setting, set port controls to set networks that can communicate with your virtual Linux environment, and a Recovery option for the virtual machine’s storage partition. According to Rahman, Google’s ongoing development focuses on bringing hardware acceleration and a complete graphical environment to the app.
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