Install Termux

Termux is a terminal emulator for Android that gives you a Linux environment on your phone. In this step, you will install Termux from F-Droid.

⚠️Do Not Use Google Play Store

The Play Store version of Termux is outdated and no longer maintained. It will not work correctly with ADL. Always install Termux from F-Droid to get the latest version with all required features.

Step 1: Download F-Droid

1. Go to https://f-droid.org in your phone's browser.
2. Tap "Download F-Droid" to get the APK.
3. You may need to allow installs from unknown sources in Android settings.

Step 2: Install F-Droid

1. Open the downloaded APK.
2. Follow Android's install prompts.
3. Open F-Droid and let it update its repository list (this takes a minute on first launch).

Step 3: Install Termux from F-Droid

1. Search "Termux" in F-Droid.
2. Install Termux (by Fredrik Fornwall).
3. Open Termux.

🚫Installing Termux from Play Store

If you already have Termux from the Play Store, uninstall it first, then install the F-Droid version. The two versions are not compatible and cannot be used side by side.

Step 4: Grant Storage Permission

Run the following command to grant Termux access to your device storage:

$termux-setup-storage

🎯Expected Result

Android will show a permission dialog asking to allow Termux to access your files. Tap "Allow". You should then see a ~/storage directory appear in Termux.

Step 5: Update Packages

Update all installed packages to their latest versions:

$pkg update && pkg upgrade -y

🎯Expected Result

Termux will download and install the latest package lists and upgrades. This may take 2-3 minutes depending on your connection. When finished, you'll see the Termux prompt again with no errors.

✅💡 Tip

If you see prompts asking about configuration file changes during the upgrade, press Y and Enter to accept the new versions.

ℹ️Note

Want to understand what Termux is and how it works? See What is Termux? in the Learn track.

Troubleshooting

🔧Troubleshooting

"App not installed" error when installing F-Droid

Your phone may be blocking installs from unknown sources. Go to Settings > Security (or Settings > Apps > Special access) and enable 'Install unknown apps' for your browser. On newer Android versions, you'll be prompted automatically when opening the APK.

Storage permission denied or ~/storage not created

Go to your Android Settings > Apps > Termux > Permissions and manually enable Storage permission. Then run termux-setup-storage again. If the ~/storage directory still doesn't appear, try closing Termux completely and reopening it.

pkg update fails with repository errors

Run termux-change-repo to switch to a different mirror. Select the default repositories, then choose a mirror geographically close to you. After changing the mirror, run pkg update && pkg upgrade -y again.

Next Step

With Termux installed and updated, you're ready for a full Linux environment.