Your Android phone will run Debian Linux soon (like some Pixels already can)

Qualcomm claims that my Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus’ Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU is faster than the Intel Core Ultra 288V chip. My smartphone also has 12GB of RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage. In short, it’s more powerful than most of my laptops. So why not use it as a laptop? 

Why not, indeed, says Google, which has introduced — at long last — a native Linux Terminal application in its March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop. 

Of course, Android is Linux. However, it’s a mobile-first Linux distribution with a smartphone-friendly interface that bears little resemblance to the traditional Linux shell interface, never mind the Linux graphical user interfaces and their programs. That’s changed now.

Also: I’ve tested every Samsung Galaxy S25 model – and my favorite isn’t the Ultra

Today, Linux is only available on the latest Pixel devices running Android 15. When Android 16 arrives later this year, it’s expected that all sufficiently robust Android phones will be able to run Linux. Besides a Linux terminal, beta tests have already shown that you should be able to run desktop Linux programs from your phone — games like Doom, for example. 

The Linux Terminal runs on top of a Debian Linux virtual machine. This enables you to access a shell interface directly on your Android device. And that just scratches the surface of Google’s Linux Terminal. It’s actually a do-it-all app that enables you to download, configure, and run Debian. Underneath Terminal runs the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF). These are the APIs that enable Android devices to run other operating systems. 

To try the Linux Terminal app, you must activate Developer Mode by navigating to Settings > About Phone and tapping the build number seven times. I guess Google wants to make sure you want to do this. Once Developer Mode is enabled, the app can be activated via Settings > System > Developer options > Linux development environment.

The initial setup may take a while because it needs to download Debian. Typically this is a 500MB download. Once in place, it allows you to adjust disk space allocation, set port controls for network communication, and recover the virtual machine’s storage partition. However, it currently lacks support for graphical user interface (GUI) applications. For that, we’ll need to wait for Android 16.

According to Android specialist Mishaal Rahman, “Google wants to turn Android into a proper desktop operating system, and in order to do that, it has to make it work better with traditional PC input methods and display options. Therefore, Google is now testing new external display management tools in Android 16 that bring Android closer to other desktop OSes.”

Also: This might be the end of ChromeOS, but what’s next could be better

ZDNET’s Jason Perlow predicted that Google would merge Android and Chrome OS to create a new, lightweight hybrid smartphone/desktop operating system. I’m not sure Google’s doing that, as I see Chrome OS continuing to have a place of its own. But marrying the smartphone and desktop — sure, that’s precisely what I think Google is doing. 

Some of us have been waiting for this kind of smartphone/desktop convergence for a very, very long time. Earlier efforts have included the 2007 Palm Foleo, the 2009 Redfly Mobile Companion, and the 2011 Motorola Atrix. My personal favorite was 2012’s Canonical Ubuntu Linux smartphone. Alas, it was not to be. 

Later, Samsung would give it the old college try with Samsung DeX. This project is still alive, but you can’t call it well. As Tech with Benefits recently put it, “Dear Samsung – PLEASE SAVE Samsung DeX!”

Also: I’ve used every iPad since the first one. This is my buying advice

Misfires and all, the idea has always been compelling. Now, it appears as if it’s finally on its way. True, today’s version is one that only Linux fans and developers will love. Looking ahead, though, by enabling Joe and Jane Users to use Linux GUI apps, I can easily see people replacing their laptops with large Android phones and tablets. 

Mind you, there won’t be many — just like there aren’t many people who use iPads to replace their laptops. Still, some people will do it.  When you leave your laptop in Uber and need to work, it will be really handy to have a full-powered Linux desktop in your pocket.