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• To install Linux on Android, UserLAnd is your best bet.
• UserLAnd is free, but the Pro version is the only way to go.
• It's not without its faults, but it's certainly worth a try.

In the name of science and experimentation, I decided to try running a full-blown Linux desktop on an Android tablet. Turns out it's not only possible but also easy -- thanks to an app called UserLAnd.

Before I continue, note that there are two versions of UserLAnd: free and paid. I spent most of the weekend working with the free version, and getting a Linux desktop running on that was an interminable headache. Eventually, I broke down and paid the $4.99 for the Pro version, so I could get this done. 

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To be fair, the free version does allow you to run an X server with a terminal app, from which you can install all sorts of applications. Or, you can even run a handful of apps, such as Firefox and GIMP. But if your goal is a full-blown Linux desktop (such as Xfce), your best bet is to pony up for the Pro version.

If you're not interested in running a full-blown Linux desktop on your Android phone, you can always run single Linux apps instead. Or, you can run Android apps on Linux, with Waydroid.

That said, let's continue with UserLAnd.

UserLAnd is widely touted as the easiest way to run a Linux distribution on Android, and I agree wholeheartedly. There are other solutions, but most of them end with an Xorg session and a terminal window, after which you have to install the desktop environment. Although the same holds true with the UserLAnd free version, with the UserLAnd Pro version, a Linux desktop is just a few taps away on Android.

The best thing about UserLAnd is that it doesn't require root access to install Linux. If you've ever tried to gain root access on an Android device, you know how much of a pain that can be.  

Also: 5 surprisingly productive things you can do with the Linux terminal

UserLAnd is a GUI app that can be installed from the Google Play Store. Open the Google Play Store app on your device, search for UserLAnd, tap the entry, then tap Install. This installs the free version of the app. To access the Pro version, do so within the app (when you go to run an instance of a distribution).

When prompted about the Pro version, tap Yes, then continue the payment process via Google Play. Once installed, you're ready to go.

Here's where the fun begins.

Open UserLand from your Android App Drawer. You'll first be prompted to enable the necessary permissions for the app to run properly. Go ahead and enable them.

Once you've enabled the permissions, you'll be back at the main window, where you'll see there are five distributions to choose from (Alpine, Arch, Debian, Kali, or Ubuntu). Let's run an Ubuntu session, so tap that entry.

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You can also start in the Filesystem section, where you can add a new filesystem and create a username, password, and VNC Password. The VNC password is necessary if you choose to connect to the desktop via VNC. If you don't add a filesystem, your choice of distro will add one for you and won't require a username/password to log in or handle sudo tasks.

You will then be asked what type of desktop you want (Xfce, Lxde, or minimal). Tap Xfce.

Tap Continue, and then, in the resulting pop-up, tap Graphical and then tap Continue.

In the next window, I would recommend you configure the scaling factor to 2, so the text isn't so tiny. This, of course, will be determined by the size of the device you're using.

After making your selection, tap Continue and, after a moment, your desktop will appear, ready for use.

You'll be greeted by a terminal window automatically opening on the desktop.

Next, you can upgrade the OS. To do that, however, you need to open the virtual keyboard, by tapping any blank spot on the screen and then tapping the keyboard button.

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With the keyboard open, make sure to tap the terminal window (to give it focus) and then type the commands to upgrade. For example, with Ubuntu, those commands would be:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade -y

You won't be prompted for a sudo password, which is normal.

You can install whatever apps you want, and customize the desktop to make it your own.

On several occasions, UserLAnd lost its connection to my tablet. When that happens, I have to stop the session. (Go to Sessions, long-press the current session, and tap Stop Session.) 

Once you've stopped the session, you can tap it again to restart it.

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I also noticed that (on Ubuntu/Xfce sessions), there is no web browser installed, nor is there a GUI app for installing software. You can always install a GUI (such as Synaptic), but that will depend on the desktop environment you are using. I also found that sometimes, out of nowhere, apps will start and then randomly crash.

All in all, UserLAnd is a handy way to run a Linux desktop on an Android device; it's not perfect, but it's certainly easier than finding a Linux distribution that can be installed directly on your specific hardware.

Give UserLAnd a try and see if it doesn't bring new life to an old Android tablet.