Andy Walker / Android Authority TL;DR The next quarterly Android 16 update will significantly improve file access for the Linux Terminal app. Currently, the Linux virtual machine is limited to accessing only the phone’s Downloads folder. The update will expand this to nearly all shared storage, making file sharing much easier. The Linux Terminal app can transform your Android phone into a full-fledged mobile PC by giving you access to powerful tools not natively available on the platform. With it, you can use readily available Linux programs to turn your device into a web server, convert media files, run AI models locally, and much more. Many of these tools work with local files, but sharing them between the Android host and the Linux virtual machine is currently a hassle. Fortunately, the next version of Android will significantly improve the Linux Terminal’s access to your phone’s files. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below. Currently, when the Terminal app creates the Linux virtual machine, it configures the VM to only have access to Android’s Downloads folder, which can be accessed from within the Linux VM through the /mnt/shared directory. With a few exceptions, any file additions, edits, or deletions you make are immediately reflected in both the Android host and the Linux VM. This allows you to work on the same files using either an Android app or a Linux tool. While it’s nice that the Downloads folder is shared between the host and VM, this limitation makes some workflows a hassle. Many Android apps don’t save files to the Downloads folder, requiring you to manually copy them there to make them accessible to the Linux VM. Alternatively, you can redownload those files from within the VM, but that can involve several extra steps. Even then, many Linux tools won’t output files to the /mnt/shared directory unless you explicitly tell them to, requiring yet another operation if you want to make your files available to Android. With the second quarterly release of Android 16, however, the Linux Terminal can access much more of your phone’s files — in fact, nearly all of its shared storage. “Shared storage” refers to the file directories available to Android apps with the right permissions, or to PCs when you connect your phone and enable file transfer. This access excludes system data directories and apps’ private data directories. Consequently, if an app doesn’t explicitly make its files available to other apps, they can’t be accessed from the Linux VM. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority As noted by Reddit user TheWheez, this update is live in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2. Given its presence in the second beta, we expect this change will be available in the stable release, which is anticipated to roll out in early December. While it’s possible Google could rescind this change, we see no reason for the company to do so but will let you know if that happens. Follow