Did you know you can run a full Linux distribution on your Android phone without rooting it? Thanks to Termux and proot-distro, you can set up Ubuntu, Debian, or other Linux distros right on your Android device and access a complete Linux terminal environment.

This guide walks you through installing a Linux distro on Android using Termux — completely free and without root access.

What is Termux?

Termux is a free and open-source terminal emulator for Android that provides a Linux-like environment. It comes with its own package manager and lets you install hundreds of Linux packages directly on your Android device — no root required.

Using a tool called proot-distro, you can go a step further and install full Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Alpine, Arch Linux, and more inside Termux.

Prerequisites

• Android device running Android 7.0 or higher
• At least 2 GB of free storage (4 GB recommended)
• Stable internet connection

Step 1: Install Termux from F-Droid

Important: Do not install Termux from the Google Play Store. The Play Store version is outdated and no longer maintained. Always use the F-Droid version.

1. Open your browser and go to f-droid.org
2. Download and install the F-Droid APK
3. Open F-Droid, search for Termux, and install it
4. Make sure to allow installation from unknown sources when prompted

Step 2: Update Termux Packages

Once Termux is installed, open it and run the following commands to update all packages:

pkg update && pkg upgrade

Press Y and hit Enter when prompted. This may take a few minutes.

Step 3: Install proot-distro

proot-distro is a Termux package that manages Linux distribution installations using proot (a user-space implementation of chroot). Install it with:

pkg install proot-distro

Step 4: List Available Distros

To see all supported Linux distributions, run:

proot-distro list

You will see a list that includes popular distros like Ubuntu, Debian, Alpine, Arch Linux, Fedora, and more.

Step 5: Install a Linux Distro

Let's install Ubuntu as an example. Run:

proot-distro install ubuntu

The installation downloads and sets up the Ubuntu root filesystem. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet speed.

To install Debian instead, use:

proot-distro install debian

Step 6: Log into the Linux Distro

Once installation is complete, log into Ubuntu with:

proot-distro login ubuntu

You will now be inside a full Ubuntu shell. The prompt changes to show you are inside the Linux environment.

Step 7: Update the Distro and Install Packages

Inside Ubuntu, update the package lists and install any software you need:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

For example, to install Python:

apt install python3 -y

Or to install the nano text editor:

apt install nano -y

Useful proot-distro Commands

Command	Description
proot-distro list	List available distros
proot-distro install <distro>	Install a distro
proot-distro login <distro>	Log into the distro
proot-distro remove <distro>	Uninstall a distro
proot-distro backup <distro>	Backup a distro
proot-distro restore <distro> backup.tar.gz	Restore a backup

Tips and Tricks

• Multiple sessions: Swipe from the left edge in Termux to open a new session. You can run multiple sessions simultaneously.
• External keyboard: For a better experience, connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your Android device.
• Storage access: Run termux-setup-storage in Termux to access your Android storage from within the Linux environment.
• Running a GUI: You can even run a desktop environment inside Termux using VNC, but that requires additional setup.

Limitations

While proot-distro is very powerful, there are a few limitations to be aware of:

• No kernel-level features — some system calls are unavailable
• Cannot run systemd or services that require it
• Performance depends on your device hardware
• Some architecture-specific packages may not work on ARM devices

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That's it! You now have a full Linux distro running on your Android device. Termux with proot-distro is a great way to learn Linux, run scripts, or set up a lightweight development environment right from your phone.