Running Android On LattePanda Using Waydroid

Running Android On  LattePanda Using Waydroid

There are several methods for installing Android on an x86 device. One method is running a Linux software called Waydroid. Waydroid sets up a Linux container that runs Android OS. This article will focus on installing and setting up Waydroid in Ubuntu 22.04. Make sure to read Waydroid documentation here about installing Waydroid on your favorite Linux distribution.

Step 1: Installing Waydroid

Open Terminal and run the following commands:

Update Linux to make sure you have all the dependencies:

    sudo apt-get update

Install curl certificates

    sudo apt install curl ca-certificates -y

Register Waydroid repo

    curl https://repo.waydro.id | sudo bash

Install Waydroid

    sudo apt install waydroid -y

Once that it complete, you can open Waydroid from the menu.

Step 2: Download Android OS Image

When Waydroid opens, a popup asks which Android image you would like to download. There are two options:

- VANILLA: Basic Android OS, no Google Play Store, can sideload android apps by installing APK

- GAPPS: Android OS with Google Play Store, requires some setup to make Google Play Store work

Select the Android Type and click download.

Once the download is complete, click the Done button.

Open Waydroid from the menu again. This time it will boot into the Android OS. The first time may take a few minutes.

Step 3: Change Android Images

If you want to change the Android image installed, you need to remove Waydroid. Then you need to install Waydroid again.

Follow the instructions in the Remove Waydroid section to remove Waydroid.

Restart your computer.

Open Terminal and enter the command:

    sudo apt install waydroid -y

Open Waydroid from the menu. You can now select a different image.

Step 4: Remove Waydroid

This section will show you how to remove Waydroid from Linux.

> Complete these steps first if you want to switch the Android image installed.

Make sure to close Waydroid before removing Waydroid. You can close it using the user interface or using Terminal command

    waydroid session stop

Open Terminal and run the following commands:

    sudo apt remove waydroid

Press the Y key then Enter when prompted

Restart the computer.

Next the Waydroid folders need to be removed. Open Terminal and run the following commands:

    sudo rm -rf /var/lib/waydroid /home/.waydroid ~/waydroid ~/.share/waydroid

Enter your password to remove these folders.

Run one more command:

    sudo rm -rf ~/.local/share/applications/*aydroid* ~/.local/share/waydroid

Waydroid has been removed.

Step 5: Setup Google Play Store On GAPPS Image

The Android image GAPPS allows access to the Google Play Store, but you need to register your device with your Google account first.

If you did not register your device, you will get this error message:

Get your device's Android ID. Open Terminal and enter the command:

    sudo waydroid shell

A new line appears in the Terminal. Enter this command:

    ANDROID_RUNTIME_ROOT=/apex/com.android.runtime ANDROID_DATA=/data ANDROID_TZDATA_ROOT=/apex/com.android.tzdata ANDROID_I18N_ROOT=/apex/com.android.i18n sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db "select * from main where name = \"android_id\";"

Copy the numeric ID from the Terminal window.

Go to the Google Device Registration website here, login and enter your Android ID and click Register.

Registration can take a few minutes or a couple hours. Close Waydroid and wait for registration to complete.

Open Waydroid after waiting. You should not see any error message on the Google Play Store app.

Now you can browse the Google Play Store app.

Considerations

Here are some considerations when installing Waydroid:

-  Dependency errors may be caused because Linux has not been updated. Make sure to update Linux to have the required dependencies.

-  Waydroid may not work on portable installations.

-  Make sure you are connected to the internet.

Not all Android apps will work on Waydroid.

-  Portrait apps will display sideways.

-  Some apps are not available such as Pokemon Go.

-  Some apps do not have keyboard support and are difficult to navigate or play.

Hill Climb Racing 2 supported keyboard inputs and was easy to play on Waydroid.

CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars worked very well with mouse input.

Other games like Asphalt 8 are not playable. The game would not respond to keyboard or mouse input during the actual race, but mouse input would work during the menus.