- Waydroid creates a complete Android environment in a container, integrated with Ubuntu Touch.
- It allows you to run many Android apps with good integration, but with limitations in battery life and compatibility.
- Installation and initialization on Ubuntu Touch is simple on Halium 9 or higher devices.
- Without Google Play, you depend on APKs and alternative stores like F-Droid or Amazon Appstore.
If you use Ubuntu Touch and would like to run Android apps smoothly and easily , you've probably come across Waydroid more than once. The idea of having Android apps integrated into your Ubuntu phone or tablet sounds almost magical, but it also raises many questions: requirements, limitations, performance, installation, app store compatibility, and so on.
In this article, you'll find a complete and detailed guide to understanding and using Waydroid on Ubuntu Touch , from exactly what it is and how it works, to how to install it, what problems you might encounter, and how to install APKs and alternative app stores like F-Droid or the Amazon Appstore. Everything is explained in easy-to-understand language, without skipping over important technical aspects.
What is Waydroid and why is it so interesting in Ubuntu Touch?
Waydroid is essentially a complete Android environment running inside a Linux container , designed to work on GNU/Linux distributions, including Ubuntu Touch and other Halium-based systems. It's not a simple emulator or a heavyweight virtual machine, but rather a compatibility layer that integrates the Android system with your Linux device's desktop or interface.
This project originated as an evolution of a previous development called Anbox-Halium, an Anbox variant optimized for Linux phones . The goal was to take better advantage of the device's native hardware, reducing intermediate layers and significantly improving performance when running Android applications. This results in apps feeling much more "native" within Ubuntu Touch.
Waydroid uses standard Linux container technologies such as namespaces (user, pid, uts, net, mount, ipc) to isolate the Android system from the rest of the system. To manage this container, it relies on LXC, a powerful solution for user-level container administration. All of this is built on top of a conventional Linux kernel, to which specific modules like binder_linux and ashmem_linux are added for Android to function correctly.
In practice, this means that the Android system within Waydroid has fairly direct access to the hardware (graphics, input, etc.) without relying on a traditional virtual machine. The system image is usually based on LineageOS builds, and a widely used version is based on Android 10, adapted to the container environment to offer a minimal but functional Android experience.
On devices running Ubuntu Touch, Waydroid is designed to integrate with Wayland-based sessions, the modern protocol that replaces X11 . This Wayland integration allows Android windows to coexist seamlessly with native applications, both on mobile phones and other touch devices.
Main features of Waydroid
One of the great advantages of Waydroid on Ubuntu Touch is the almost seamless integration of Android applications into the user environment . You're not booting into an isolated emulator with the entire Android system in full screen (although you can), but rather you can launch Android apps just like native ones.
Among the project's most notable features is the ability for Android apps to run alongside Linux applications . This means you can have Ubuntu Touch's native browser open while using an Android messaging app, a game, or any other tool, switching between them much like you would in a typical Android environment.
Waydroid also allows you to integrate Android app shortcuts into the standard system menu or the Ubuntu Touch app list. This way, when you reload the app view (the "scope" or main list, for example, by swiping down from the center of the screen), Android app icons appear alongside the system's native applications.
Another very useful feature is the ability to run Android applications in multi-window mode , with a visual style that adapts to the Ubuntu Touch desktop or interface design. This provides a more "desktop" experience on tablets or converged devices, allowing for better organization of the workspace.
For games and multimedia content, Waydroid offers a full-screen mode for Android apps . This makes better use of the device's screen, which is useful if you want to use your Ubuntu Touch device as a portable game console or media center.
In addition to these more integrated system modes, there's also a mode that displays the standard Android interface . In this case, the experience is more like using a conventional Android device within your Ubuntu Touch system, with its own home screen and app drawer.
Limitations and aspects to consider in Ubuntu Touch
While Waydroid is very appealing, it's important to understand its limitations and potential side effects before activating it on an Ubuntu Touch device. Nothing is perfect, and it's wise to know where the potential problems lie.
One of the first things you'll usually notice is increased battery consumption when Waydroid is running . After all, you're keeping an entire Android system running alongside Ubuntu Touch, with its services, processes, and hardware access. If you want to save power, it's recommended to manually stop Waydroid when you're not using it and follow tips for reducing battery consumption on Android.
The issue of app compatibility must also be considered. Not all Android apps are compatible with Waydroid , especially those that rely on security systems like Play Integrity or SafetyNet (used by many banking and sensitive service apps). These types of apps typically verify that the device is Google-certified and has the Play Store with its proprietary services active.
Ubuntu Touch with Waydroid doesn't have a Google-certified environment, so it's quite likely that banking apps or others that require Play Integrity won't work . This also affects some applications that require very specific devices or Google-certified ones, which limits what can be successfully installed and used.
Another important aspect is the potential for conflicts when using peripherals between Ubuntu Touch and Waydroid . If both systems try to use resources like the camera, microphone, or other devices simultaneously, one of them might not be able to access them correctly. It's relatively common to find that an Android app can't use the camera because it's already controlled by Ubuntu Touch; in these cases, hardware diagnostic apps can be helpful.
Waydroid requirements and technical environment
Waydroid leverages the capabilities of the Linux kernel to create isolated containers . As mentioned, it uses namespaces to separate processes, users, network, mount points, and other system resources. Thanks to this, the Android system running "inside" Waydroid is isolated from your host system but can communicate with it in a controlled manner.
The toolkit that enables this integration is written in Python and released under the GPLv3 license , which aligns with the open-source spirit of Ubuntu Touch and most Linux distributions. LXC, a well-established solution for this type of environment, is used to manage the Android container.
On desktop systems like Ubuntu or Debian, Waydroid is typically distributed through pre-packaged versions for Ubuntu 20.04, 21.04, Debian 11, and derivatives such as Droidian or UBports . Specifically, on Ubuntu Touch devices running Halium 9 or later, Waydroid comes pre-installed from the "focal" base, making setup much simpler.
It's also worth mentioning that, unlike a heavyweight virtual machine emulator, Waydroid doesn't emulate the CPU or the entire hardware , but instead relies directly on the device's kernel. This allows it to offer superior performance, closer to that of a native Android system; you can verify this by measuring Android's performance and comparing.
Waydroid on Ubuntu Touch: which devices support it and how to start it
In the Ubuntu Touch ecosystem, all devices based on Halium 9 or later typically include Waydroid out of the box, starting with the Ubuntu Touch Focal base. This means that if your device falls into this category, you don't need to install Waydroid from scratch using external repositories: you simply need to initialize it.
The general procedure involves opening a shell on your Ubuntu Touch device . You can do this in several ways: by connecting the device via ADB from your computer, using SSH if you have it enabled, or directly with the terminal application included in Ubuntu Touch.
Once you have access to the command line, simply run the basic initialization command :
waydroid init
After running that command, Waydroid downloads and prepares the Android image and configures the container. Once the process is complete, you can check the Ubuntu Touch application list for new Android apps . If you don't see them right away, simply reload the application scope by dragging down from the center of the screen and releasing to refresh the interface.
Installing new Android applications (APKs) on Ubuntu Touch
Once Waydroid is initialized, the next logical step is to install your own Android applications using APKs . In Ubuntu Touch, this process is also done from the command line, but it's quite straightforward.
The typical workflow involves copying the APK file to an accessible location on the device , for example, the main user's downloads folder on Ubuntu Touch. This location is usually:
/home/phablet/Downloads
After copying the file (for example, via browser, USB, ADB, or whatever you prefer), you need to open a shell again on the Ubuntu Touch device, either with the terminal app or remotely. From there, use the Waydroid command to install applications, specifying the full path to the APK:
waydroid app install /home/phablet/Downloads/mi-aplicacion.apk
If all goes well, the app will install within the Waydroid Android environment, and its icon should appear in the Ubuntu Touch app list shortly after . As before, you may need to refresh the app list by swiping down for it to update and display the newly installed Android apps.
Using app stores on Waydroid
While APKs can be installed manually, it's much more convenient to have an app store within Waydroid for managing installations and updates. Two popular and accessible options from non-Google certified devices are F-Droid and the Amazon Appstore, among other alternative stores.
F-Droid is especially interesting because It offers a catalog of free and open source applications (FOSS)without needing Google Play Services or a Google account. You can download the F-Droid APK from its official website or with a tool like wget and then install it on Waydroid using the app installation command, avoiding suspicious repositories.
Once you have F-Droid (or any other alternative app store) installed on Waydroid, you can search for apps, install them, and keep them relatively up-to-date . However, due to the nature of Waydroid, these stores don't usually update all your apps completely automatically; you'll have to open the store periodically, check for updates, and authorize the installation of each one.
The process is usually the same: you search for the app, tap install or update , wait for it to download, respond to the Android system installation prompt within Waydroid, and confirm with the install button in the dialog box that appears. It's a bit more manual than on a certified Android device, but it works.
For advanced users, there's the option to create custom Waydroid images that include a specific store pre-installed . This way, you avoid having to install F-Droid or any other store each time, and you can deploy an Android environment tailored to your needs on Ubuntu Touch.
Uninstall Android apps from Waydroid
If you ever stop needing an Android app, it's a good idea to uninstall it to free up space and reduce potential conflicts . On Ubuntu Touch with Waydroid, this operation is also managed from the command line.
The first step is to open a shell on the Ubuntu Touch device (again, using ADB, SSH, or the terminal app). From there, you can use different commands to remove applications from the Android environment.
One option is to use `adb uninstall` with the application identifier (APP_ID) , provided you have ADB configured. Another alternative, more in line with Waydroid, is to use Waydroid's own command to remove apps:
waydroid app remove
To find the correct APP_ID, you can use the command “waydroid app list” to list all installed applications and locate the identifier of the one you want to uninstall. Once you've done this, you may need to refresh the Ubuntu Touch app view by scrolling down the list to remove the old icon.
Accessing Android storage within Ubuntu Touch
In some situations it can be very useful to directly access the internal files of the Waydroid Android environment , for example to move data, make manual backups or check downloads.
The main Android storage managed by Waydroid is usually located in a path like:
/home/phablet/.local/share/waydroid/data/media/0
From Ubuntu Touch, you can navigate this path using a file manager or from the terminal to copy files, check contents, or integrate this storage with other tools. It's essentially the equivalent of the internal storage of a conventional Android device, but viewed from the Linux perspective.
Troubleshooting common problems with APK installation
One of the most common errors when installing applications is encountering a message like “Invalid APK file” when using the installation command . Although it may seem like a serious problem, in many cases it's simply because the system can't find the specified file.
To avoid this problem, it is advisable Check that the APK file name is spelled correctly and that the path is correct.If, for example, you're in a different folder than the one containing the APK, and you only enter the filename without the full path, Waydroid won't be able to locate it. In that case, it's always best to specify the absolute path, like this: /home/phablet/Downloads/mi-aplicacion.apk instead of just mi-aplicacion.apk.
If the problem persists, the APK file may be corrupted, incomplete, or incompatible with your device's architecture . In that case, it's recommended to download it again from a reliable source or try a different version of the application adapted to your device's hardware.
Google Play Store, Google services and alternatives
A critical issue in environments like Waydroid is the absence of the Google Play Store and Google's proprietary services . Google maintains a list of devices certified to access its store, and when a system is not on that list or does not meet its requirements, it directly blocks access to the Play Store.
In Ubuntu Touch with Waydroid, this means that even though you have a functional Android environment, you won't be able to officially use the Play Store . This limits access to certain applications that are only distributed through that store, such as some controller mappers, very specific banking apps, and other proprietary tools.
It's possible to find some of these apps in alternative app stores or APK repositories , but they don't always perform as well as when running on a certified Android device. Furthermore, without services like SafetyNet or Play Integrity, many apps that require them will refuse to work or will display errors.
For those who need functionalities similar to those provided by Google Play Services, there is the microG project, a free and alternative implementation of those services . In some scenarios, microG can be integrated within Waydroid to gain compatibility with certain applications, although it doesn't guarantee the functionality of all of them, especially those requiring strict integrity checks or certification.
If your goal is to use apps like controller mappers for Android games within Waydroid , you'll typically have to find them in alternative app stores or APK repositories and test how they perform. Sometimes apps install but don't work correctly due to missing Google services or incompatibilities with the container environment.
Error management and reporting in Waydroid
Waydroid is an active project and, as such, is constantly evolving and improving . It's quite normal to encounter minor integration issues, compatibility problems with certain applications, or unusual behavior depending on the specific device and its version of Ubuntu Touch.
If you detect a bug, it's advisable to determine whether the problem lies with Ubuntu Touch itself or with Waydroid . Ubuntu Touch system bugs are reported in the regular Ubuntu Touch project issue tracker, while Waydroid-specific issues (Android container bugs, Waydroid command errors, etc.) should be reported in Waydroid's own issue tracker.
Reporting bugs with good information (device, Ubuntu Touch version, steps to reproduce the problem, specific error messages) helps developers diagnose and fix issues faster . The community is usually quite active, so it's worth contributing if you want Waydroid support on Ubuntu Touch to keep improving.
Combining all of the above, Waydroid establishes itself as a very powerful solution for bringing the Android app ecosystem to the world of Ubuntu Touch , allowing you to run many apps seamlessly, manage APKs and alternative app stores, and get the most out of your device, always keeping in mind Google's certification limitations, increased battery consumption, and occasional conflicts with particularly demanding hardware or apps. Share this information so more users can learn about it.