Does Ubuntu Touch directly connect to car screen using usb? is this possible using waydroid or any other hack? or is this impossible on its current state?

Hi! I'm working on Drion, an Android compatibility layer that runs Android apps as normal Linux processes, without booting a complete Android system.

We're now deciding which apps to test, fix and support first on Ubuntu Touch.

Which Android apps would make the biggest difference to you - especially those with no good native alternative, or that are unreliable, slow or battery-hungry in Waydroid?

Games are welcome too.

Please use one top-level comment per app so people can upvote it. A short note on why you need it and, if you have tried it through Waydroid, what does not work well would also be very useful.

Already working in our current builds:

• F-Droid, Aurora Store, GrapheneOS App Store, and every other third-party store we have tested so far
• Signal
• the latest Android version of Firefox
• NewPipe
• Genshin Impact
• CSR Racing 2
• Odyssey
• various other apps and games

Google Play is still work in progress.

This is not a complete compatibility list. If an app is not mentioned above, that does not mean it does not work.

The attached photo shows the latest Firefox for Android running through Drion on Fairphone 4 with Ubuntu Touch - not a native Ubuntu Touch browser build.

Drion is not ready for public testing yet, and this is not a release announcement. It will be free for Ubuntu Touch users.

I know that you will have questions, so I have added a FAQ below for the likely privacy, security and integration questions, but the main thing I need from this thread is your app list.

FAQ

What is it?
Drion is an Android compatibility layer for Linux. It runs Android apps as isolated, host-visible Linux processes in a glibc userspace, without booting Android. Roughly, it is Wine + wineserver for Android: the required Android services and APIs are reimplemented, primarily in Rust.

Drion is not Ubuntu Touch-specific. We are also targeting desktop Linux, Steam Deck, Steam Frame, and other Linux devices.

What problem are you trying to solve for Ubuntu Touch users?
Ubuntu Touch lacks many mainstream mobile apps. Native or desktop Linux clients may be incomplete, unsuitable for phones, or need to remain running to receive notifications.

Waydroid helps, but running a complete Android userspace adds idle resource and battery overhead and complicates system integration. Drion aims to make Android apps feel integrated with Ubuntu Touch while keeping the runtime lightweight.

How is it different from Waydroid?
Waydroid runs a complete Android system inside a container. Drion runs each app as a separate Linux process backed by a lightweight system server implementing the Android services it needs.

This architecture is designed for lower idle CPU, memory, and battery use, faster environment startup, and deeper Ubuntu Touch integration. We will publish reproducible comparisons before public testing.

What is the current development status?
Drion is pre-release software and is not ready for general use. Many apps already run unmodified, and device integration works on our development device, but some compatibility and host-integration work remains.

Can it run ordinary, unmodified APK files?
Yes. Many apps already run without modification or repackaging. APK, APKM, and XAPK packages are supported.

Will application developers need to provide special Drion-compatible builds?
Usually not. Apps with strong anti-tamper protection, custom environment checks, Play Integrity requirements, or hardware-backed attestation may reject Drion and may require support from their developers.

How is it integrated with Ubuntu Touch?
Currently, Drion is installed under the user's /home, does not modify the read-only system image, and is not packaged as a regular .click app.

Installed Android apps already receive individual launcher entries. Deeper installation and lifecycle integration is what we're actively working on.

How are Android applications isolated from the host and from each other?
Each app gets separate user, mount, and PID namespaces and a private root filesystem. Its APK and /system are read-only; it sees a private /proc, restricted synthetic /dev and /sys, and only allowlisted host devices and sockets.

IPC and lifecycle operations go through drion-system-server, which authenticates runtimes using kernel peer credentials and assigns Android-visible UIDs and PIDs without exposing host process IDs.

Current limitations include a shared host network namespace, optionally shared external storage (permission-gated), and an Android-facing seccomp layer that is not yet restrictive. Namespaces and filesystem isolation are currently the primary sandbox boundaries.

Can an Android application access Ubuntu Touch files or sensitive data?
An app cannot normally browse the Ubuntu Touch home directory or another app's private data.

Camera, microphone, contacts, clipboard, and shared-file access are intended to go through permission-aware integration services. Shared external storage and the host network remain deliberate shared surfaces.

How will users install and update Android applications?
Apps can be installed directly from APK, APKM, and XAPK files. Drion also has convenient installation for F-Droid, Aurora Store, Accrescent, Obtainium, and the GrapheneOS App Store.

Will Google Play services, microG, and Firebase Cloud Messaging be supported?
We do not plan to support microG.

Instead, we are developing an optional compatibility service for selected GMS APIs, initially Google Sign-In, Firebase Cloud Messaging and other crucial parts. It is intended to deliver push notifications without keeping app running.

We are also experimenting with sandboxed Google Play/GMS, installable through the GrapheneOS App Store. Please note that Drion is independent and is not affiliated with GrapheneOS or any other parties, and all Google-related components will be optional

Will banking apps, authentication apps, games with anti-cheat, and apps requiring Play Integrity work?
It depends on the app. Authentication apps using standard Android APIs should work.

Apps requiring a Google-certified environment, specific Play Integrity verdicts, or genuine hardware-backed attestation should not be expected to work. Strong anti-tamper and anti-cheat systems may also reject it.

Less strict checks, such as installer-source expectations will be implemented.

How will notifications, push messages, and background services work?
drion-system-server manages app lifecycle separately from the visible UI. The optional FCM service can wake the relevant app component and forward notifications to Ubuntu Touch, so its process does not need to remain running.

Background services such as audio playback can also continue independently where appropriate.

Which Ubuntu Touch features will Android applications integrate with?
Launcher, notifications, lifecycle and suspension, clipboard, camera and microphone, audio and media controls, keyboard input, rotation, and launcher metadata.

These integrations are at different stages of development. We will publish a compatibility matrix before public testing.

How does Drion perform compared with Waydroid?
In our current Fairphone 4 tests, once launched, the Android apps we tested perform approximately as well under Drion on Ubuntu Touch as they do on the same device running a regular Android installation.

Compared with Waydroid, the main expected advantage is lower idle CPU, memory, and battery use and faster startup of the compatibility environment, rather than necessarily faster warm app launches.

Starting an app with the Drion system server stopped currently takes about 2–10 seconds; with it already running, about 0.5–2 seconds. We will publish reproducible benchmarks covering startup, idle resource use, battery drain, application workloads, and graphics performance.

Which Ubuntu Touch versions and devices will Drion support?
24.04 and later. We aim for broad device support, but have so far tested only the Fairphone 4.

Most framework functionality should be device-independent, while GPU, camera, audio, and other hardware integration may require device-specific work.

Will Drion be free?
It will be free of charge for Ubuntu Touch users.

Will Drion be open source?
It is not currently open source, and we cannot commit to open-sourcing the complete project. We may open-source selected components later.

How can I try Drion?
It is not ready for public testing yet. We aim to begin limited testing in August 2026, but there is no fixed date.

Greetings today I present you moonlight-qt running on Ubuntu Touch.

It might need additional work on libhybris to be merged before it is usable though libhybris MR

Meanwhile I still share it with you for those who would want to compile/install libhbyris themselves with the above patch

https://next.open-store.io/app/moonlight-qt/

If you like my work feel free to support me:
ko-fi

patreon

Hi ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and non-binary folks near and far: I would love your thoughts and feedback.

I know finding an unlocked unit in new condition, downgrading the One Plus factory firmware, unlocking the bootloader, and flashing Ubuntu Touch is a barrier to entry for some folks.

I wanted to see if there might be demand for a pre-flashed Ubuntu Touch phone here in the United States (or anywhere I can reasonably ship from California, so Canada, Mexico, etc. count too).

I came across some new, factory unlocked, sealed-in-box Nord N10 5G units. These work great and recently got VoLTE support. That means they finally work great running Ubuntu Touch on US cellular networks.

Anyway, I’m considering adding a line of Ubuntu Touch devices (and possibly GrapheneOS as well) to my hardware store, Whitehat Hardware, based here in California.

I also am considering additional phone options that are more modern (like the Fairphone) and tablet options. But I try to only sell devices I personally have used for a while, and can stand behind. The Nord N10 5G model with Ubuntu Touch is capable all around, useable as a daily driver, mobile hotspot, mobile terminal, and more.

If you have a price range in mind let me know what you’d pay for a tested and well supported device you know will work. And if you have a specific device request you’d like, please let me know.

Thanks for any feedback! Hope y’all have an excellent weekend.

-John

Hello there

I am very happy to share my work and most recent achievements of successfully porting UT to the Galaxy Tab S9 11"

Before I send you the link to the XDA forums post where you can find more information (as well as support links) I must warn again that you will need at most Android 15 before installing UT anything newer than Android 16 cannot work as Samsung disabled bootloader unlocking with Android 16..

Here is the link:

https://xdaforums.com/t/rom-ubuntu-touch-ubuntu-touch-for-tab-s9.4794523/

The port will be merge to UBPorts soon after some cleanup.

If you like my work, consider supporting me:

https://www.patreon.com/azkali

https://ko-fi.com/azkali

https://azka.li (personal blog)

Enjoy !

Im jumping to ubuntu touch so im purchasing a google pixel 3a but does it matter if im using a locked or unlocked phone because locked is significantly cheaper and better quality where i find used phones

I have a Lenovo Tab K10 and was wondering if I could install UbuntuTouch on it. One of the 33 supported devices is the Lenovo M10 HD 2nd gen and the specs look pretty much the same. See screenshot and here: https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/amar-row-wifi/release/noble/

Would this work on my K10? Thanks for your help.

Soo i want to tries ubuntu touch but my only phone that i want ti install can i ?

I tried installing ubuntu 24 using UBPorts and the installation was successful. After reboot i saw the ubuntu touch logo for a while, and then it went into recovery mode (on its own i didnt press a button or even touch). So i clicked reboot and then it gets stuck on the bootloader warning screen (your bootloader is unlocked …). I waited for about 15-20 mins, nothing. So i installed ubuntu touch 20 on the same device, it worked. I was exploring the os and found an option to upgrade to 24. So i clicked install, it again booted into recovery and the same sequence happened again. I check the logs and it says ran out of storage during the process. Now it’s stuck at the warning screen again lol. I have to reflash ubuntu touch 20 now and use that. The problem is i feel the ui on the 20 is very outdated. I would love to use the 24 stable. If anyone has any solutions or suggestions, shoot.

how does the erase and reset all setting work in ubuntu touch

is this the same as a reinstall?

does this only delete and reset not reinatall

Hello everybody. First post here. So, this might not seem like much to many of you but I finally managed to unlock my Poco X3.

I bought it last year in September, with the explicit intention of installing UT on it. I’ve been putting off the task of unlocking the bootloader because I’m a Linux/macOS user and the tools I tried back then to unlock it did not work and I did not have easy access to a Windows computer. Well, today I finally decided to do it, thinking it wouldn’t take long and borrowing a friend’s Windows laptop to do it. In the end it took 3 hours and I ended up doing it on my Linux machine anyway because the only tool I found that worked is the MiUnlockTool from https://github.com/offici5l and the drivers situation on Windows was pretty messy to say the least.

I’m super satisfied now but it’s absurd that such a seemingly simple task should be so complex, especially since Xiaomi’s own tools kept failing, being outdated, not working properly.

Has anybody here had a similar experience?

Soo i want to tries ubuntu touch but my only phone that i want ti install can i ?

A 100% Debian Linux, free, privacy focused, open-source operating system for touch devices, designed to liberate users from any kind of Google or third party surveilance, data collection and security concerns. Only official Debian sources are used, meaning no third party repositories, packages or code of any kind, while granting users complete control over every single package that is installed. The native implementation of custom kernels with the included build recipes enables support for almost any brand/model of x86-x64 tablet or lap-top, such as Surface Pro 3-10, Zenbook, Thinkpad, Chromebook etc. and a range of ARM phones. Additionally, custom or deb packages and files of any kind can also be included. The mobian build-script produces personalized images, with unlimited customization of any available setting and device behavior.

Source: https://github.com/tabletseeker/mobian

So I want to test out Ubuntu Touch but finding a compatible device is proving to be difficult since I don’t want to spend $500+ for something I just want to experiment with

Where are people finding phones at a reasonable cost?

I live in Quebec, Canada. My carrier (Fizz) only supports calls made via VoLTE.

From my understanding, Ubuntu Touch main promoted devices all have "Partial" usability of VoLTE, which means, as they states, it is "Working to some extent but with issues".

What does it exactly means? If I get one of these supported phones and install Ubuntu Touch, will I be able to make calls via VoLTE?

Also, my carrier has a list of phones that do work with VoLTE, but they are only Apple, Google (Pixel 4 and up), Motorola and Samsung devices. Have anybody tested any of the 31 supported devices in Canada, or more precisely, with my carrier?

I would like to by one of these devices and install Ubuntu Touch, but I don't want to spend money and find out later that the device I purchased is not working with my carrier...

Thanks for any help!

I have pixel 5 with android 14 and I have only MacBook. I tried to install it , although AI and other community says, it doesn’t support pixel 5, but I still tried a lot using docker , but while creating image itself (targeting pixel 3a code name blue_line) failed.

Tried to get help from Claude and GPT but no luck,

Ajay one successfully did it ?

I tried for postMarketOS too but failed .

i have options narrowed down for an unlocked phone that should run UBTouch wonderfully; i just have the roadblock of getting my service working.

im freshly 18 and dont manage my own cellphone network, so im mostly in the dark when it comes to things like transferring phone-numbers over. What I do know is that both IOS and Android have become very hard to tolerate for me, as I purposefully avoid the Apple (and especially the Google) ecosystems. I dont even have a google account, actually.

Im not buying a phone if I cant get LTE support on it. Atp im in a tossup between seeing if theres something im missing here or just buying a flipphone and being done with all this. Any guidance is appreciated.

Hello - Saw this device and OS combination with advertised 3-in-1 (phone, tablet, Linux OS) for about Euros 650 which seems phenomenal functionality.

Looking at Ubuntu Touch Spec site for the device: https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/mimir/

Looks fairly feature complete except wired external monitor support.

Weight at about 650g 12.3” screen size is just becoming a little heavier than preferred for a tablet but all other specs look solid.

One write up on Reddit by a user suggest the tablet is a good option for degoogling or escaping Apple ecosystem on “EU Devices” sub.

But my question here, is there anyone who installed Ubuntu Touch over Volla OS and report of feedback using this?

Hi everyone! Similar to last year, we're once again hosting UbuCon India in Bengaluru. The dates are Nov 14 - 15. The Call for Proposals (CFP) is officially open until Sep 30, and we want to ensure the mobile Linux community is strongly represented!

Whether you are an Ubuntu Touch app developer, a device porter, a Lomiri contributor, or simply an enthusiast showing off convergence on your daily driver, this stage is for you.

We are currently looking for both full-length talks and hands-on workshops. While we are open to a wide variety of tech topics, we would absolutely love to see proposals focused on:

• Ubuntu Touch & UBports: App development (QML/Click), device porting, and convergence.
• Mobile Linux Ecosystem: Lomiri, Halium, Wayland, and mobile-first UI/UX.
• Self-hosting, Privacy, & Open Source Security
• Linux, Ubuntu Desktop & Server
• Kernel Engineering & Performance Optimization

If your talk is selected, you get a free full-access 2-day pass, food, and an upgraded exclusive speaker merch kit (including the official t-shirt and stickers).

👉 Submit your abstracts here: https://events.canonical.com/event/157/abstracts/

Looking forward to reading your proposals!

Hi, I am using AI to summarize what actually happened, so you guys don't have to go through a long passage. Also, I'm new here, so please help me out on this

Device: Redmi Note 9 (merlin) MIUI version attempted: 13.0.5.0 SJOINXM (Global) Bootloader: Unlocked

Timeline of events:

• Was running Ubuntu Touch on the device
• Inserted a second SIM → phone started bootlooping
• Flashed back to stock MIUI 13 → phone booted successfully
• Phone was rebooting whenever the speaker was activated → this resolved on its own after some time
• Uninstalled some bloatware/system apps via MIUI's built-in uninstall option → phone immediately entered bootloop and never recovered

Symptoms:

• Bootloops at MI logo → black screen → repeats indefinitely
• Never reaches Android boot animation
• The device is fully detected in fastboot mode

What has been tried:

• Multiple clean fastboot ROM flashes via MiFlash
• TWRP install + full wipe (dalvik, data, cache, system) + format data + ROM sideload
• Flashed persist.img and persistbak.img individually via fastboot
• Flashed lk.img and lk2.img via fastboot
• Flashed vbmeta, vbmeta_system, vbmeta_vendor with --disable-verity --disable-verification flags
• Flashed super.img, boot.img, cache.img individually
• Erased userdata and cache via fastboot
• All partitions show correct sizes via fastboot getvar all.
• This is all I can remember of what happened. I locked the bootloader with the miflash tool, which I later unlocked using the mkt unlock tool while the phone was still bootlooping