Questions about Drion

Your Android apps, on Linux.

Drion runs regular Android apps and games on Linux without a virtual machine or a separate Android operating system. Apps run as Linux processes and integrate with your system.

Desktop computers, Steam Deck, and Ubuntu Touch phones are different ways to use the same platform.

Linux with Wayland.

Drion is currently tested on Linux desktops with NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, on SteamOS and Ubuntu Touch, and in headless server deployments.

On desktop, apps open in their own windows alongside your other programs. On SteamOS, the interface is designed for Gaming Mode and controller navigation. On Ubuntu Touch, it is adapted for touchscreens and the mobile environment.

All versions share the same core technology, with interfaces and system integrations tailored to each platform.

No. Drion works with regular Android APKs. Developers do not need to create a separate version of their app for Drion.

Split-APK packages in APKS, XAPK, and APKM formats are also supported. You can install apps through the graphical interface or the command line.

For local use, Drion runs under your regular user account. It does not require a virtual machine, Docker, or Android-specific kernel modules such as Binder.

Drion uses standard Linux isolation features. Any platform-specific dependencies are covered in the installation instructions.

Drion is currently closed source. We plan to fund its continued development through commercial editions and licensing, supporting long-term work on app compatibility, performance, and new platforms.

We are considering open-sourcing individual components, but we have not announced plans to open-source the entire project.

Drion is a compatibility layer, not an Android device emulator.

It uses the Android Runtime and genuine Android Open Source Project components, while providing its own implementation of the system services apps need. This gives apps a familiar Android environment while running directly on Linux, without booting a second operating system.

Waydroid runs a full Android system inside a container. Drion takes a different approach: it runs apps as individual Linux processes and provides the Android services they need through its own system server.

Our focus is fast startup, efficient resource use, and integration with your existing Linux environment.

In normal use, apps run on your own device. You do not need a cloud server or a connected Android phone.

An internet connection is needed to download apps and use their online features. Offline apps can work without a connection.

Install APKs directly or use an app store. Drion includes an App Stores section for installing F-Droid, Aurora Store, Obtainium, Accrescent, and GrapheneOS App Store.

Stores are downloaded from their official sources and can install and update apps within Drion. You choose which sources to use.

Most popular Android apps work. Drion runs regular APKs without modification, from messengers and browsers to media players and demanding 3D games.

Apps running in our test builds include Signal, Firefox for Android, VLC, NewPipe, Mindustry, CSR Racing 2, and Genshin Impact.

The main exceptions are apps that require a certified device, DRM-protected streaming, and apps with only 32-bit native code.

We will launch a public compatibility list later. Until then, if an app you need is not mentioned here, tell us about it.

Google services are optional.

Drion does not ship Google Play or Google Play services in any form. If you need them, you can install them from GrapheneOS App Store, as an experimental feature.

Support for microG is not planned.

Yes. Drion supports GPU-accelerated Android graphics, touch input, and controllers.

On compatible graphics stacks, frames can be passed to the display without copying their pixels through the CPU, making effective use of the device’s hardware for both app interfaces and 3D games. Compatibility with an individual game also depends on its graphics requirements and protection mechanisms.

When an app includes native libraries for your device’s architecture, Drion runs them directly. For ARM64 libraries on x86_64, an optional NativeBridge translation layer is available.

Java and Kotlin bytecode still runs through the Android Runtime built for the host architecture. Only the ARM64 native code needs translation.

Drion is a 64-bit platform. Apps whose native libraries are exclusively 32-bit are not supported.

Drion does not boot a full Android system or require memory to be reserved for a virtual machine. Fast startup and low overhead are key priorities.

For example, internal paired tests on the same Ubuntu Touch phone on October 8–9, 2026 measured the following startup times:

These figures are averages of two launches after installation and a data reset, measured to the first submitted frame. Performance and memory use depend on the device, app, and workload.

Each Android app runs in its own isolated environment. Drion separates private app data, restricts access to the host’s filesystem and processes, and controls access to the camera, microphone, and other protected resources through its permission system.

Protection uses Linux mechanisms, including namespaces and system-call filtering. How Drion works describes the security model in detail.

Pricing depends on the platform and edition. Drion will be free for Ubuntu Touch users.

For other platforms, we plan commercial editions and licensing to help fund continued development of the shared technology.

Diagnostic settings depend on the build. External crash reporting is disabled in the current Ubuntu Touch build profile. The Desktop Flatpak build includes crash reporting to help diagnose errors.

Support diagnostic archives are created locally. Generating an archive does not automatically upload it to the developers.

Compatibility depends on the individual app’s requirements. The main limitations are mandatory checks for a certified Android device, certain Play Integrity verdicts, and hardware-backed attestation.

Apps that require those capabilities are not supported. Banking apps and authenticators without those requirements are evaluated like other Android apps.

Yes. Drion supports audio and video playback, including hardware-accelerated decoding where the platform provides it.

DRM-protected playback is not currently supported. Compatibility with streaming services depends on the content protection they use.

Yes. Drion supports Android background services and manages an app’s lifecycle separately from its visible interface. For example, background audio playback can continue without an open window.

On Linux desktops, notifications appear through the system’s notification service. Push delivery also depends on the mechanism used by the app and any required services. Notification presentation and behavior during system sleep vary by platform.

Yes. Drion passes keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, and controller input to Android apps.

On desktop, apps run in regular resizable windows. On Steam Deck, you can navigate Drion’s interface with a controller. Touch-focused platforms use a mobile interface and an on-screen keyboard.

Drion brings Android apps into your existing environment, with app-menu entries, system audio and input, notifications, and link handling.

On Linux desktops, apps can exchange text through the system clipboard. On Ubuntu Touch, file sharing is integrated through Content Hub. The available integrations are tailored to each platform.

Drion connects Android APIs to your device’s capabilities through platform-specific adapters.

Camera and microphone access are supported on Linux desktops and Ubuntu Touch with compatible hardware. Ubuntu Touch also provides integrations for location, contacts, calendars, vibration, and motion sensors.

Bluetooth/BLE, NFC, and USB support is partial and depends on the platform and use case.

Current desktop builds target x86_64 Linux with Wayland. Your system needs working unprivileged user namespaces, the required sandbox and storage components, and graphics and audio drivers.

Archive and Flatpak packages are supported. Using a prebuilt package does not require building Android or setting up an Android container.

Drion has a dedicated Steam Deck profile designed for Gaming Mode and controller navigation.

Apps open fullscreen, use the device’s GPU, and receive input from its controls. You can switch between an app and the Drion interface without closing the app. An Android on-screen keyboard is available for text input.

Drion installs as a regular click package, without root access, reflashing, or changes to the read-only system image. The current build targets 64-bit Ubuntu Touch 24.04, with Fairphone 4 as the reference device. Other models are tested individually.

Android apps get their own entries in Ubuntu Touch’s app drawer, and Content Hub handles file sharing. Text copy and paste works between Drion apps; clipboard sharing with native Ubuntu Touch apps is not yet supported.

Contactless payments and Android Auto are not currently supported. Support for individual NFC or USB features does not extend to these use cases.

Not yet. Drion can deliver alarms while the device is awake, but it cannot wake a phone that has already suspended. In that case, the alarm is processed after the phone wakes.

For wake-up alarms, use Ubuntu Touch’s native alarm app.

Drion Capsule lets you distribute an Android app as a standalone Linux application.

The app ships with the Drion components it needs and launches directly, without a separate launcher or requiring users to install Drion beforehand.

Capsule uses the same compatibility core as regular Drion. It supports archive and Flatpak packaging for Linux desktops, and Steam depot packaging for Steam Deck.

Yes. Drion provides a command-line interface, ADB connectivity, logs, and support for Android instrumentation tests.

You can install and launch apps from scripts, collect diagnostics, and connect automation tools. Headless modes are also available for workflows that do not need a regular desktop window.

Yes. The compatibility core is separate from platform integrations. Display, input, audio, camera access, and other capabilities connect through adapters.

This architecture allows support for new Linux devices without building a separate Android compatibility implementation for each one. Commercial licensing is part of our plans for device manufacturers and product developers.

Testing the apps you need and sharing specific results is one of the most useful ways to help.

Include the app name and version, your device, operating system, and Drion build. Describe what you did and what you expected to happen. For a reproducible problem, attach a diagnostic archive: Drion can collect system information and logs into a single ZIP file.

App suggestions are welcome too. Tell us what you use the app for and what is missing from the available Linux alternatives. This helps us prioritize compatibility work.

Send reports and suggestions to drion@actinis.io.