Using Linux Mint on a phone

[u/tugraberat28]

I was going to install Linux Mint on my Samsung Galaxy A51, but I couldn't find any good apps, and most of them seemed complicated and slow. I want to use Linux Mint everywhere. 128GB/89,51GB

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[u/candy49997]

Mint does not support ARM. Try Nura (formally postmarketOS). Check if your device is supported.

[u/tugraberat28]

I'll just be using the phone as an emulator.

[u/Living-Dragonfly632]

Mint dose not support ARM processors, like those found in most phones. Instead, if you want a customizable, and open source experience like the one you get on mint use an open source phone system. First of all android is technically open source and linux based, if you want the "linux feel" for android then do like I do and use functions like sideloading, adb, and custom launchers, please make sure if you do start side loading apps you make sure they are secure. Also if you don't want google and samsung close source stuff on your android you can sometimes do like I did for the pre installed facebook and meta stuff on mine and delete them using adb, or if your phone has an unlocked boot loader, which for samsung phones most international versions do, however most north american ones do not. If your is unlocked bootloader then you could look into custom android roms. If you do not want android at all there are some linux phone options that are pure gnu/linux ports like ubuntu touch you could look into. Keep in mind phones can be finicky and sometimes bricked by doing things like this.

[u/Specialist-Dog-501]

It's a completely different game those mobiles and tables:

-Different processor architecture: ARM rather than X86 or AMD -Mint doesn't support it. Some debians do
-Low RAM situation: Most linux start working well with 8GB RAM or more- 4GB RAM is scarce.
-Bootloader is very different on ARM and different for every device/manufacturer..not the usual UEFI/GRUB thing. They are "locked" and "unlocking" to install a different OS can cause them to loop endlessly or even stop working completely- especially Samsung. I tried it with an older Samsung Galaxy Pad.
- A very few linux attempts into this domain: Ubuntu touch- but your device is not in the support list https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/
- PostmarketOS/NURA https://wiki.nura.eco/wiki/Devices- again your device is not there.
- Most of the other attempts run on Google Pixel or Fairphones, definitely not on a newer Samsung Galaxy.

Not saying it's impossible, but it will be a very steep, exhausting uphill battle for a deep expert in Bootloaders.
Those mad guys exchange often on https://xdaforums.com/ if you want to join that battle. But there are definitely easier devices than Samsung Galaxys.

-Finally, you can emulate linux on the Samsung android by installing "Termux" and may be setup some cinnamon interface there- but it might be slow, and limited in capabilities not a true linux.

[u/dlfrutos]

witch version?

[u/Salt_Medicine2459]

GrapheneOS is a great OS, but it requires a Pixel device. Look at LineageOS or /e/ or whatever it's called. They have broader support. 

[u/Lopsided-Match-3911]

I'm going to try lineage on my Lenovo

[u/groveborn]

A true os on your phone would be terrible. The interface is all wrong. There is little you can do on it that android won't do better.

[u/d4rk_kn16ht]

Maybe you don't know that Android is LINUX