Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer priced below $50. The physical look is just a board with few basic connectors. To use it, we plug it into a TV or monitor using HDMI (or RCA video). It has 2 USB ports that we can use to attach keyboard and mouse. It has network connection using RJ45 socket or optionally we can purchase additional USB WiFi module. All the files and operating system is stored inside an SD card. Many people use it to install Raspbian (a desktop operating system, making it a limited-but-capable desktop computer) and some others use it as their home multimedia player using Raspbmc or OpenELEC. There are many possible use of this excellent tiny device.
How about installing something different into our Raspberry Pi?
On the basic level, an operating system for Raspberry Pi is usually downloaded in the form of IMG file. Whether we want to install Raspbian, Raspbmc, OpenELEC or other interesting stuff, all we need to do is finding the correct IMG file for it.
When I write this blog post, the latest version of Android IMG file for Raspberry Pi that I can find is Android 2.3 Gingerbread. This article talked about Android 4.0 porting since mid 2012, but there is no actual IMG file being published so far.
Download: Android 2.3 custom ROM for Raspberry Pi
Now, what should we do after the IMG file is downloaded? Copying the file into SD card will NOT make it readable by Raspberry Pi. Instead, we need to write the data inside the IMG file into our SD card. Windows users can use simple tools like Win32DiskImager or Flashnul. Mac users can choose to use PiWriter or MacPiWrite tool, or use command line. Linux users use command line to write the content directly into the SD card.
Command line for Mac / Linux :
sudo dd bs=1m if=~/Downloads/MyFile.img of=/dev/disk_id
The SD card to receive the installation must be empty and formatted in FAT32. Next, change MyFile.img with the file name of your IMG file. Change bs=1m to bs=1M if an error occurs. Replace disk_id with the disk identifier of your SD card. Remove all other external storage (externak HDD, USB disk, other SD cards) from your computer except your SD card (installation target) before starting. Be very careful with disk_id, putting wrong id can risk to lose all data in your computer.
For Mac users, you can get this disk_id from opening Disk Utility app, choose the SD card you want to “receive” the IMG content, then click Info button. Find something called Disk Identifier there, if it says disk3 (this is just an example), then put rdisk3 as disk_id. It’s important to add r in front of it. Alternatively you can type df -h in Terminal (if you know how to interpret the results). If you’re not 100% sure, don’t continue. Keep re-checking or ask help from an expert to make sure you have the disk id number right.
Linux users are usually more familiar with the concept of disk_id, so it should not be too difficult to find read the results of df -h. It usually comes in sdd3 format instead of rdisk3 (number 3 here is just an example) The format of disk_id might be different for your Linux distro.
Again, use this guide at your own risk. This guide is provided to help you, with no guarantee in any form.
The writing process can take few minutes to few hours. It depends on the size of your IMG file, the speed of your SD card and the speed of your SD card reader (having USB 3 instead of USB 2 will also help increasing the speed). After the writing process is finished, you can try it in your Raspberry Pi.
Did you expect more complicated steps? Sorry to disappoint. Enjoy your new Android device !
Also read: my other posts about Raspberry Pi
Give any link to download the android 2.3 os for supporting raspberry pi b+.
Android 2.3 custom ROM for Raspberry Pi in that android os is support on raspberry pi B+. i install that os in my raspberry pi is not working. Give them another way to install the android os. which android os version is suitable for raspberry pi b+ model. give me any suggestions
will this work with b+
The link for custom rom is not working
I just tested it, still works fine from here.
iS THERE ANY OTHE LOCATION FOR THIS image?
Dear Mr Ivan, where can i get the “bootcode.bin, start.elf and fixup.dat” ? so it working correctly.
would you like to share to us? Thank you.
Mine boots too, but the image is very distorted, I am using the hdmi conector.
the link for custom rom is not working
I just tested it, the link works fine from here.
please tell me the procedure to install android os in raspberry pi class b board..even tell me if it is not possible…because i will throw it out instead of wasting time.
linux is working well but android not working and no clear guide in site…cheaters….please help me anyone who spend their useful time and make it work
Installing Android in RPi is just as easy as installing other RPi ROM.
What you need to do is getting the right RPi ROM.
Just as reminder, this ROM is not the default Android iso coming from Google. You need to get a custom ROM specifically prepared for RPi.
Be warned that the only ROM available is for Android 2.3 (which is quite an old version of Android).
And even if you manage to install it, this ROM is NOT stable. So you won’t get a stable Android installation.
So it’s certainly doable, but the result might not as pretty as you imagine :)
Mine boots up but the android logo is distorted so much that I can’t make out what is on the screen. Any suggestions?
Your guide helps us to install Android 2.3 and you said that there is no image available for Android 4.0. But what about live android iso files available in code.google.com? Is not possible to install it on a raspberry pie? What do you say?
Android image for RPi is not the default Android from Google, it’s a custom, specifically prepared for RPi. As far as I know, you can’t use iso files from Google. But you are free to try, if it works, please do let me know.
I tried but it didn’t work .. the ACT flashed once and nothing showed up.. I did everything written but no luck.. Any idea.. Please help!!
reem, the process of creating SD card for RPi is a pretty straightforward yet tricky process. If it doesn’t work, usually it’s the process of copying the content of IMG file into SD card didn’t go well. You might want to try with a different “copying” tool (there are alternatives in my blog post) or use different SD card. (please keep in mind, the IMG file is not supposed to be copied using Windows Explorer or Mac’s Finder into the SD card, this is the most common mistake many people are doing)
the original img file works only for the Rev A of the Pi with 256 RAM. To have it working on 512 you need to overwrite some files on the SD card after you flash the image. There files are : bootcode.bin, start.elf and fixup.dat. You need to get them from another image. the ones that worked for me were the ones from Raspbian Os for the Pi.