21-04-2025
Google Lifts Storage Limit for Linux Terminal on Pixel Phones: 16 GB to Infinity Minus 1GB
Google Pixel users will soon be able to run a full Debian Linux environment using the Linux Terminal app. The Android 16 Beta 4 update removes the previous 16GB storage cap for the Linux virtual machine, which was first introduced in the March 2025 update. Now, it lets users allocate nearly all of their phone's available storage to the VM—except for 1GB, which is kept free for system stability.
In Android 16 Beta 4, this adjustment is managed through a disk resize slider in the app's settings. Google says that in a future release, the slider will be replaced by a storage ballooning system, letting the Linux VM's storage grow or shrink automatically based on the phone's available space.
The Linux Terminal app is made to let users run Linux apps alongside Android apps and not to replace Android's native desktop mode. Google says that the main purpose is to give users access to Linux tools and software within Android. However, users can still install full desktop environments like GNOME or KDE Plasma inside the VM if they choose, as reported by Android Authority.
However, the app does not yet support graphical applications with hardware acceleration or audio output, and graphical environments rely on software rendering, which may affect performance for tasks that need more resources.
This update is currently available on Pixel devices running Android 16 Beta 4. The process to expand the Linux VM's storage is pretty straightforward, and users have reported that the increased storage is recognized immediately after restarting the VM.
