How to Install Waydroid on Ubuntu and Debian (Step by Step)

Requirements checklist

• Ubuntu 22.04 or newer, or a current Debian release (also Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, Zorin and other derivatives)
• A Wayland session. Ubuntu's default GNOME session on Intel/AMD graphics is Wayland
• An Intel or AMD GPU for hardware acceleration (NVIDIA needs software rendering)
• sudo access and several GB of free disk space

Check your session type with:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

It should print wayland.

Step 1: Add the official Waydroid repository

Install the tools the setup script needs, then run the official script. It detects your release and adds the signed repo:

sudo apt install curl ca-certificates -y
curl -s https://repo.waydro.id | sudo bash

If detection fails on a brand-new release, pass the codename yourself. For Ubuntu 26.04, that's resolute:

curl -s https://repo.waydro.id | sudo bash -s resolute

Debian users can also install Waydroid straight from Debian's own archive (testing, unstable or trixie-backports), and newer Ubuntu releases carry it in universe.

Step 2: Install Waydroid

sudo apt install waydroid -y

This installs the waydroid tool, LXC and its helpers, and the waydroid-container service.

Step 3: Download the Android image

Choose a Google-free image or one with Google Play:

# Google-free (VANILLA)
sudo waydroid init

# With Google Play (GAPPS)
sudo waydroid init -s GAPPS

Waydroid downloads the LineageOS 20 (Android 13) system and vendor images. You can also open Waydroid from the app menu and use the graphical setup, where you pick VANILLA or GAPPS and click Download.

Step 4: Start Waydroid

sudo systemctl enable --now waydroid-container
waydroid session start
waydroid show-full-ui

The last command opens the full Android interface. Since 1.6.0, running waydroid with no arguments does the same. Android apps you install also get their own icons in your Ubuntu app grid.

Step 5: Install apps

• Play Store (GAPPS image): sign in after certifying the device (next step).
• F-Droid: download its APK and install it.
• APK files: waydroid app install ~/Downloads/app.apk

Step 6: Certify the GAPPS image for Google Play

Google blocks sign-in on uncertified devices. Get your Android ID:

sudo waydroid shell
ANDROID_RUNTIME_ROOT=/apex/com.android.runtime ANDROID_DATA=/data ANDROID_TZDATA_ROOT=/apex/com.android.tzdata ANDROID_I18N_ROOT=/apex/com.android.i18n sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db "select * from main where name = \"android_id\";"

Then register the number on Google's uncertified-device registration page, as the official Waydroid docs describe. Restart the session afterwards with waydroid session stop and waydroid session start.

Useful everyday commands

Optional: add ARM translation

Most Android apps include ARM code. On an Intel or AMD PC, apps that are ARM-only won't install until you add a translation layer. The common route is a community helper script (often called waydroid_script) that installs libndk (recommended for AMD CPUs) or libhoudini (often better on Intel). Follow that project's README, stop the session first, and restart Waydroid afterwards. These components aren't part of Waydroid itself.

Window modes: multi-window or full UI

By default, Waydroid can show the whole Android interface in one window, or run each app in its own window. To switch on multi-window mode:

waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.multi_windows true
waydroid session stop
waydroid session start

Set it back to false if you prefer the full Android desktop.

How to uninstall Waydroid completely

waydroid session stop
sudo systemctl disable --now waydroid-container
sudo apt remove --purge waydroid
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/waydroid ~/.local/share/waydroid

The last line deletes all Android data and images, so back up anything you need first. Using Arch instead? See Waydroid Arch.