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How to Run Inkscape on Android


Install Inky from Google Play. Inky runs the desktop edition of Inkscape on Android, so you can draw and edit SVG vector graphics with the real Inkscape tools, using touch gestures as a mouse.

How to do it

  1. Install the app from Google Play. Search Google Play for Inky by UserLAnd Technologies. It is a one-time purchase.
  2. Open it and let it set up. The first launch downloads and sets up the Linux files the app needs. Stay on Wi-Fi; this only happens once.
  3. Open Inky and draw. Inkscape opens in a desktop window. Create a new drawing, or open an SVG from your Documents folder.
  4. Use touch as a mouse. Tap with one finger to click, two-finger tap to right-click, pinch to zoom, slide two fingers to scroll, and hold and slide to pan. Tap the screen and choose the keyboard icon to type.

What you get

  • The Inkscape desktop vector editor, working natively in SVG
  • Import and export of other vector and bitmap formats
  • Paths, shapes, text and node editing, as on a PC
  • Adjustable desktop scaling for phones and tablets
  • Direct access to Android folders such as Documents and Pictures

What you need

  • An Android phone or tablet with Google Play
  • Free storage for the Linux files (a tablet or a phone with a large screen is most comfortable)
  • Internet for the first-time setup
  • Optional: a Bluetooth or USB keyboard and mouse

Prefer free?

UserLAnd is free, and you can install Inkscape in it yourself: in UserLAnd, set up Debian, choose Graphical, open a terminal and run sudo apt install inkscape. Inky does all of that for you in one tap, and buying it supports UserLAnd development.

Inky is not Inkscape™. It is an unofficial compatibility layer that runs the Inkscape desktop edition on Android.

Get Inky on Google Play ($1.99) · Full guide and FAQ on userland.tech

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