🚀 Waydroid Advanced Manager

The ultimate all-in-one terminal toolkit for Waydroid power users.

Start, stop, manage apps, transfer files, capture screenshots, record screens, view logs — and much more — all from a beautiful, organized CLI with safety checks and graphical dialog support.

Getting Started · Features · CLI Flags · FAQ · Contributing

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📋 Table of Contents

• Features at a Glance
• Requirements
• Quick Start
• Menu Overview
• CLI Flags (Non-Interactive)
• Logging
• Copy/Paste to Android
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Changelog & Releases
• Contributing
• License

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✨ Features at a Glance

🆕 What's New in 0.8.1

• File Transfer GUI (Option 13): Added a graphical file/folder picker for both host and device paths using zenity so you no longer need to type full Android paths. Falls back to manual input if zenity isn't available.
• remote_browse() helper: New helper to browse the Android filesystem over ADB; used by push/pull flows.
• Fix: Resolved a scoping bug where remote_browse() was accidentally defined nested; moved it to top-level.

🆕 What's New in 0.8.0

🟢 Core

Feature	Description
Start / Restart	Launch Waydroid stack + Weston with automatic Wayland socket detection
Stop	Gracefully stop Waydroid and Weston compositor
ADB Shell Access	Drop into an interactive ADB shell with auto-reconnect if device is offline
Auto-detect Sessions	On launch, detects running Waydroid / ADB devices and offers to connect
APK Install	Install from local files, URLs (curl/wget), or batch from a directory
Waydroid Script	One-click access to GApps, Magisk, and more via casualsnek/waydroid_script

🔵 ADB & Connectivity

Feature	Description
ADB Auto-Handshake	Automatic connection and reconnect logic for reliable operations
List Devices	View all connected ADB devices
Reconnect ADB	Quick re-establish connection if it drops

⚙️ Settings & Apps

Feature	Description
Display Settings	Change resolution & density; tablet/ultra-wide presets; restore defaults
App Management	Search, uninstall, batch uninstall, export installed app lists
Copy / Paste	Send terminal text into Android input fields — special characters supported
Theme Toggle	Light/dark terminal theme with persistence to config file

🛠️ Tools

Feature	Description
📸 Screenshot	Capture Android screen → ~/Pictures/Waydroid/
🎬 Screen Recording	Record up to 180s → ~/Videos/Waydroid/
📂 File Transfer	Push/pull files and folders between host ↔ Android
📋 Logcat Viewer	Live logcat, filter by tag, errors-only, save to file
❄️ Freeze / Disable Apps	Disable bloatware without uninstalling; re-enable anytime
🗑 Clear App Data	Wipe all data or just cache for any app
🚀 Quick Launch	Launch any installed app by package name
ℹ️ Device Info	Android version, display, storage, memory, network, uptime
� APK Downloader	Search APKMirror by name or download from direct URL; optional instant install
🎨 Theme Customization	6 color schemes: Light, Dark, Ocean, Forest, Sunset, Neon — persisted
♿ Accessibility Tools	Large Text mode, Text-to-Speech status, High-Contrast mode
🟢 Realtime Resource Monitor	Live CPU/RAM/Disk usage updates in-place every second

🔒 Safety & Automation

Feature	Description
Zenity Dialogs	Optional graphical prompts (always-on-top with --modal)
Weston Focus	APK install dialogs auto-focus the compositor window via xdotool
Confirmations	Destructive actions require confirmation; bypass with --yes
Batch Operations	Batch APK install/uninstall from files or directories
Logging	Separate install/uninstall logs with auto-rotation at 1 MB
Update Check	Compares local version against GitHub; offers to open release page

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🔧 Requirements

Dependency	Purpose	Required
waydroid	Android container	✅
weston	Wayland compositor	✅
adb	Android Debug Bridge	✅
git	Version control / self-update	✅
curl or wget	APK downloads & update checks	✅
python3	Waydroid script support	✅
zenity	Graphical dialogs (file picker, app selector)	Optional
wl-clipboard	Wayland clipboard (wl-copy / wl-paste)	Optional
xdotool	Window focus for modal dialogs	Optional
espeak-ng or spd-say	Text-to-Speech for accessibility	Optional

One-Line Install (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \
  waydroid weston adb zenity curl wget git \
  python3 python3-pip wl-clipboard xdotool espeak-ng

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S waydroid weston android-tools zenity curl wget git python wl-clipboard xdotool espeak-ng

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🚀 Quick Start

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Nigel1992/Waydroid-Advanced-Manager.git

# 2. Enter the directory
cd Waydroid-Advanced-Manager

# 3. Make executable
chmod +x waydroid-manager.sh

# 4. Launch!
./waydroid-manager.sh

💡 Tip: Run ./waydroid-manager.sh --version to check the installed version and release date.

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🖥️ Menu Overview

The interactive menu is organized into 5 sections with 25 options:

── CORE ──
 1)  START/RESTART Waydroid
 2)  STOP Waydroid & Weston
 3)  ADB SHELL ACCESS (Direct)
 4)  INSTALL APK File
 5)  WAYDROID SCRIPT (GApps, Magisk, etc.)

── ADB ──
 6)  LIST ADB Devices
 7)  RECONNECT ADB

── SETTINGS & APPS ──
 8)  DISPLAY SETTINGS (Resolution, Density)
 9)  APP MANAGEMENT (Install/Uninstall)
 10)  COPY/PASTE to Android

── TOOLS ──
 11) 📸 SCREENSHOT
 12) 🎬 SCREEN RECORDING
 13) 📂 FILE TRANSFER (Push/Pull)
 14) 📋 LOGCAT VIEWER
 15) ❄️  FREEZE/DISABLE Apps
 16) 🗑  CLEAR APP DATA/Cache
 17) 🚀 QUICK LAUNCH App
 18) ℹ️  DEVICE INFO
 19) 📦 APK DOWNLOADER
 20) 🎨 THEME CUSTOMIZATION
 21) ♿ ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS

── SYSTEM ──
 22) STATUS
 23) RESOURCE MONITOR (CPU/RAM/Disk)
 24) CHECK FOR UPDATES
 25) EXIT

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⚙️ CLI Flags (Non-Interactive)

Run any action directly from the command line without entering the interactive menu:

Flag	Description
--version, -v	Show version and exit
--help, -h	Show help and exit
--debug	Enable debug logging
--restart	Restart Waydroid stack
--stop	Stop Waydroid and Weston
--status	Show system status
--install-apk <path|url>	Install APK from file or URL
--install-apks-dir <dir>	Batch install all APKs from a directory
--uninstall-list <file>	Uninstall packages from a newline-delimited file
--yes, -y	Auto-confirm destructive actions (scripting)
--set-dpi <dpi>	Set display density
--set-res <WxH>	Set display resolution
--list-apps-export [file]	Export installed apps list
--theme <dark|light>	Set and persist terminal theme
--self-update	Update script from git

Examples:

# Install an APK from URL
./waydroid-manager.sh --install-apk https://example.com/app.apk

# Batch install a folder of APKs, auto-confirm
./waydroid-manager.sh --install-apks-dir ~/apks/ --yes

# Set resolution to tablet mode
./waydroid-manager.sh --set-res 1200x1920 --set-dpi 240

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📝 Logging

All actions are logged to ~/.cache/waydroid-manager/:

Log File	Contents
waydroid-manager.log	General operations, errors, session events
install.log	Per-APK install results and batch summaries
uninstall.log	Per-app uninstall results

Log files are automatically rotated when they exceed 1 MB.

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📋 Copy/Paste to Android (Option 9)

	Details
How to use	Focus an input field in Waydroid → select Option 9 → type or paste text → press Enter
Supported	All plain text including special characters: & | ; < > $ \ `
Not supported	Multi-line text, files, or binary data
How it works	Uses adb shell input text with proper escaping for shell metacharacters

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🔹 How do I install Waydroid in the first place?

Waydroid requires a Wayland-based desktop session (GNOME on Wayland, Sway, etc.) and a compatible Linux kernel.

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install waydroid

# Initialize Waydroid (first-time only)
sudo waydroid init

For detailed instructions, see the official Waydroid documentation.

🔹 Waydroid won't start — "Session is already running"

This happens when a previous Waydroid session wasn't cleanly shut down. Fix it with:

# Stop the container
sudo waydroid container stop

# Kill any leftover sessions
waydroid session stop

# Now start fresh with the manager
./waydroid-manager.sh

The manager's auto-detect feature (on launch) will also notice an existing session and offer to reconnect.

🔹 ADB won't connect — "Connection refused" or device not found

1. Make sure Waydroid is running — use Option 1 to start it first.
2. Check the IP — Waydroid typically uses 192.168.240.112. The manager auto-detects this.
3. Restart ADB — try Option 6 (Reconnect ADB) or manually:

   adb kill-server && adb start-server
   adb connect 192.168.240.112:5555

4. Firewall — ensure your firewall isn't blocking local connections on port 5555.

🔹 APK installation fails — "INSTALL_FAILED_..."

Error	Cause	Fix
INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK	APK requires a newer Android version	Find a compatible APK version
INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS	APK is built for wrong architecture (e.g., ARM on x86)	Use an x86/x86_64 build or enable ARM translation via Waydroid Script (Option 4)
INSTALL_FAILED_ALREADY_EXISTS	App already installed	Uninstall first via Option 8, then retry
INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE	Not enough space in the container	Clear app caches (Option 15) or resize the Waydroid image

🔹 How do I get Google Play Store / GApps?

Use Option 4 (Waydroid Script) which integrates casualsnek/waydroid_script:

1. Start Waydroid (Option 1)
2. Select Option 4
3. Choose "Install GApps"

After installation, reboot Waydroid. You'll need to sign in with your Google account. Some apps may require device certification — the Waydroid Script can register your device ID with Google.

🔹 How do I install Magisk / root Waydroid?

Also via Option 4 (Waydroid Script):

1. Start Waydroid (Option 1)
2. Select Option 4
3. Choose "Install Magisk"

This patches the Waydroid system image with Magisk for root access. Useful for apps that need superuser privileges.

🔹 Screenshot / screen recording doesn't work

• Ensure ADB is connected — the "ACTIVE" indicator at the bottom of the menu should show a device.
• Screenshots use adb shell screencap — if this fails, it typically means the container's display isn't rendering properly. Try restarting Waydroid.
• Screen recording uses adb shell screenrecord — some Waydroid builds may have limited support for this. Make sure the container is fully booted (wait 10-15 seconds after start).
• Output folders are auto-created:
  • Screenshots: ~/Pictures/Waydroid/
  • Recordings: ~/Videos/Waydroid/

🔹 File transfer fails — "Permission denied"

Android's /sdcard/ is the safest target for file operations:

# Push to Android
adb push myfile.txt /sdcard/

# Pull from Android
adb pull /sdcard/myfile.txt ~/Downloads/

If pushing to system paths (e.g., /system/), you'll need root (Magisk). For most use cases, stick to /sdcard/ — this is what the File Transfer tool (Option 12) uses by default.

🔹 How do I change the screen resolution / DPI?

Interactive: Use Option 7 (Display Settings) — choose from presets or enter custom values:

Preset	Resolution	Use Case
Phone	720×1280	Mobile apps
Tablet	1200×1920	Tablet-optimized apps
Desktop	1920×1080	Landscape / productivity
Ultra-wide	3440×1440	Ultra-wide monitors

CLI:

./waydroid-manager.sh --set-res 1920x1080 --set-dpi 160

Changes take effect immediately. Use the "Reset to defaults" option to revert.

🔹 Can I disable bloatware / pre-installed apps?

Yes! Use Option 14 (Freeze/Disable Apps):

1. Select "Disable (freeze) an app"
2. Pick the app from the list (uses zenity picker if available)
3. The app is disabled without being uninstalled — no data is lost

To re-enable: select "Enable (unfreeze) an app" and pick from the disabled list.

This is the safest way to deal with bloatware since you can always re-enable the app if needed.

🔹 The zenity dialog appears behind other windows

All zenity dialogs should use --modal to stay on top. If you're still experiencing issues:

1. Make sure xdotool is installed: sudo apt install xdotool
2. The manager uses xdotool to focus the Weston compositor before opening dialogs
3. If a dialog still hides, click the taskbar/panel to bring it forward

🔹 Logcat shows too much output — how do I filter?

Use Option 13 (Logcat Viewer) which offers four modes:

Mode	What it shows
Live logcat	Everything (Ctrl+C to stop)
Save to file	Dumps last 500 lines for offline analysis
Filter by tag	Only messages from a specific Android component (e.g., ActivityManager)
Errors only	Only ERROR-level messages (*:E filter)

From CLI (outside the manager):

# Filter by tag
adb logcat -s ActivityManager

# Errors only
adb logcat *:E

# Save to file
adb logcat -d -t 1000 > ~/logcat_dump.txt

🔹 How do I update the manager?

Option A — From the menu: Select Option 25 (Check for Updates). If a new version is available, the manager shows the GitHub URL and offers to open it in your browser.

Option B — CLI:

./waydroid-manager.sh --self-update

Option C — Manual:

cd Waydroid-Advanced-Manager
git pull origin main

🔹 Can I run this on X11 instead of Wayland?

Waydroid requires Wayland. The manager uses Weston as a nested Wayland compositor, which means it works even if your desktop session is X11. Weston creates a Wayland environment inside an X11 window.

If you're on X11, the manager handles Weston for you automatically — just use Option 1 to start.

🔹 How do I use CLI flags for scripting / automation?

Combine flags for headless operation:

# Install APK without prompts
./waydroid-manager.sh --install-apk ~/Downloads/app.apk --yes

# Batch install + auto-confirm
./waydroid-manager.sh --install-apks-dir ~/apks/ --yes

# Set display and exit
./waydroid-manager.sh --set-res 1920x1080 --set-dpi 240

# Export app list to file
./waydroid-manager.sh --list-apps-export ~/apps.txt

Use --yes / -y to skip all confirmation prompts — ideal for scripts and CI pipelines.

🔹 Where are config and cache files stored?

Path	Contents
~/.config/waydroid-manager.conf	Theme preference and settings
~/.cache/waydroid-manager/	Logs directory
~/.cache/waydroid-manager/waydroid-manager.log	General log
~/.cache/waydroid-manager/install.log	APK install history
~/.cache/waydroid-manager/uninstall.log	Uninstall history
~/Pictures/Waydroid/	Saved screenshots
~/Videos/Waydroid/	Saved screen recordings

🔹 The "Quick Launch" feature doesn't work for my app

Quick Launch (Option 16) uses am start to resolve and launch an app's main activity. If it fails:

1. App may not have a launcher activity — some background services or system apps can't be launched this way.
2. Try the full package name — make sure you're using the complete package (e.g., com.example.app, not just app).
3. App might be disabled — check Option 14 to see if it's in the disabled list.
4. Check logcat — use Option 13 to see what error Android reports when trying to launch.

🔹 How do I completely reset Waydroid?

If Waydroid is in a broken state:

# 1. Stop everything
waydroid session stop
sudo waydroid container stop

# 2. Reset the Waydroid data (WARNING: deletes all Android apps and data!)
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/waydroid /home/$USER/.local/share/waydroid

# 3. Re-initialize
sudo waydroid init

# 4. Start fresh
./waydroid-manager.sh

⚠️ Warning: This removes ALL Android apps, data, and settings. Back up important files first using the File Transfer tool (Option 12).

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🧾 Changelog & Releases

See CHANGELOG.md for the full release history.

Latest release: v0.8.1 (2026-03-13)

💖 Support the Project

All donations go towards your chosen charity. You can pick any charity you'd like, and 5% is retained due to Ko-Fi fees. As a thank you, your name will be listed as a supporter/donor in a GitHub project. Feel free to email me at thedjskywalker@gmail.com for proof! :)

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📣 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here's how you can help:

1. 🐛 Report bugs — Open an issue with details and reproduction steps
2. 💡 Suggest features — Describe your idea in an issue or start a discussion
3. 🔧 Submit a PR — Fork the repo, make your changes, and open a pull request
4. ⭐ Star the repo — It helps others discover the project!

Please join our for discussions, support, and updates.

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for the full text.

Copyright © 2026 Nigel Hagen

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Built with care for the Waydroid community 💙

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