What is avf-notes?

avf-notes is a collection of practical notes about running Linux virtual machines on Android devices using AVF (Android Virtualization Framework), a feature introduced in Android 14 that allows real virtualization on compatible hardware. The notes are written by someone who has experimented with this on multiple device types and documented what works, what doesn't, and what settings to use. AVF uses a virtualization backend called crosvm, written in Rust, and the notes cover how to launch Linux VMs using crosvm command-line arguments, including how much memory to allocate, how many CPU cores to assign, how to set up networking via a TAP interface, and how to share files between the Android host and the Linux guest. The document covers three hardware families separately: Google Tensor chips (Pixel devices), MediaTek GenieZone (such as Dimensity 9400+), and Snapdragon Gunyah. Each has different quirks, for example, Snapdragon Gunyah is described as the most unstable of the three with the crosvm binary from the official AVF package, and MediaTek requires a large SWIOTLB buffer (a memory translation region) to avoid crashes during heavy disk writes. Tensor devices on Pixel phones are noted as the most well-supported option. Using AVF requires a rooted Android device with a pvmfw partition. The notes are based on Android 16 and were last updated in May 2026, so some details may change as AVF continues to evolve. The full README is longer than what was provided.