YouTuber ports Android to reMarkable Paper Pro and it brings huge benefits

The reMarkable Paper Pro is an ePaper tablet with a color display that was released in 2024. It runs a custom Linux-based operating system which is fine for its use case as a distraction-free digital notebook. However, there are rival devices that can do more than just take down notes thanks to running full-featured operating systems like Android.

Now, one YouTuber has decided to see how that experience is on the reMarkable Paper Pro by installing Android on it. The result is quite interesting as what started as an experiment turned into a great experience.

According to YouTuber, Chalid Raqami, he was able to port Android 13 to reMarkable's flagship device. Initially, the UI was painfully slow, which is understandable considering the tablet has just 2GB of RAM and a processor with four Cortex-A53 cores.

However, after several optimizations, the experience significantly improved and core functions such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections also worked. He was also able to fix battery optimizations such that the device can last up to 300 hours in standby on a single charge.

The installation of Android on the reMarkable Paper Pro (available on Amazon for $679 with stylus and keyboard folio) allowed him to install third-party apps such as the Kindle Android app and Microsoft OneNote. Android also allowed him to install a web browser and connect Bluetooth devices such as a keyboard. This is a big deal considering reMarkable sells the official keyboard folio for the Paper Pro for $229.

Raqami was also able to create a low-latency pen mode that allowed the stylus to work with any Android app that supports stylus input. Raqami credits Boox's stylus solution for its Android-powered e-Readers and tablets as the inspiration for his fix. The low-latency pen mode can be easily turned on by tapping a button in the navigation bar.

The highlight of the experiment is that Raqami didn't have to wipe the default operating system. According to him, he can easily switch from Android to the default operating system and back in under a minute.

While we don't expect reMarkable to launch a device with Android as there are already several devices that cater to that segment, owners of the reMarkable Paper Pro who wish to get more out of their device can do so. Unfortunately, Raqami says he hasn't released the process to install Android as there are still some issues to be ironed out. For example, the Android portion gets wiped when you install an update released for the original OS. However, when these issues are resolved, it will be easier to share the process with the public.