How to Use Your Pixel's Hidden Linux Terminal (and Should You?)

Linux terminal on Pixel phone: Powerful command line tool

Pixel phones now offer optional Linux terminals, giving you powerful command-line capabilities in your palm. This article will guide you to enable and use this terminal and explore its applicable population.

Enable Linux terminal

Google has integrated Linux terminals into Android systems. You can easily enable it on Pixel phones with the March 2025 update and later installed.

This terminal is located in the Developer Options for Android. First, you need to enable the developer options (see the relevant tutorial for specific methods). Then, go to Settings > System > Developer Options and search for Terminal or Linux Development Environment.

After enabling this setting, you will be prompted to download and install the Linux terminal (the size is more than 500MB, it is recommended to connect to Wi-Fi). After installation is complete, the terminal icon will appear in the app drawer.

Disabling the "Linux Development Environment" setting will clear all terminal data and uninstall the application.

Terminal function

The Linux terminal application uses the Debian system, a long-standing and widely used version of Linux that many other Linux distributions are based on.

If you are familiar with Debian or Debian-based Linux system terminals, you already know many of its features. Many commonly used bash commands (such as ls ) can be used in this terminal.

I tried using the nano command, a terminal-based text editor that creates, reads and edits text files.

When using a terminal, an additional set of keys will be displayed above the keyboard, including arrow keys, Ctrl, Alt, Tab, Esc, Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn, which are essential for the use of many terminal programs (for example, quitting nano requires holding down Ctrl X).

Linux terminal applications have access to the Debian repository, so you can use the APT tool to check for updates and install applications.

Terminal restrictions

Linux terminal applications run in virtual machines, which is different from native third-party terminals such as Termux. This means it doesn't load immediately like other applications, and requires waiting for the virtual machine to start, which can take several seconds on older devices.

Also, the terminal application is isolated from your phone files, so you cannot view your home folder using the ls command.

Currently, the terminal is unable to run the graphics desktop application, but this may change soon. It is reported that running graphical applications may be supported in Android 16.

Applicable groups

Currently, this terminal is suitable for people who like to explore and try new things. Many terminal commands are useful without the need for a graphical environment or access to local files, such as network administrators can use it to test network connections and manage remote servers.

If you need these features, you may have installed applications such as Termux. However, it is also a different kind of fun to use a virtual terminal that can clear data at any time.

Summarize

Although Android is based on Linux, there has always been a gap between the two. Linux terminals on Pixel phones close this gap. As Google continues to integrate desktop functionality into Android, we are expected to run more Linux applications on Android devices.

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