SimpleBoot is now a product of RedHead Industries, a non-profit organization that I have founded -- By the people, for the people. This does not mean SimpleBoot is now proprietary, this is simply a change of ownership (and where SimpleBoot's repository will be at).
Check the new repository here: https://github.com/redhead-industries/SimpleBoot
SimpleBoot is a powerful, root-required Android app that transforms your phone into a fully bootable USB device. Mount ISO/IMG files via ConfigFS, Legacy mass_storage, or raw Loopback mode and boot directly into live systems on any PC.
Successor to DriveDroid and PhoneStick, built for Android 11+ with full modern kernel and ConfigFS support.
- 🔍 Automatic ISO/IMG discovery from
/storage/emulated/0/SimpleBootISOs - 📦 Three mount methods:
ConfigFS: For most modern kernelsLegacy: For older Android USB stacksLoopback: For direct mount w/o USB gadget (testing or chaining)
- 💿 CD-ROM boot mode with forced descriptors for BIOS/UEFI compatibility (Deprecated. To be removed in later builds.)
- 🔐 Root shell integration using
libsu - 🧠 Complete logging of all mount/unmount operations (
SimpleBootLogs) - 🌓 Light/Dark mode Jetpack Compose UI
- 🛠️ Per-ISO selection of mount method
- 🧲 Toggle USB Charging + ADB from within the UI
- ⚙️ Persistent preferences for read-only mounting
- 📤 Export logs and diagnostics for debugging
- 📱 Android 11+ (API 30 or later)
- 📲 Root access (Magisk recommended)
- 🔌 OTG-capable USB port
- 📦 Kernel support for ConfigFS (most modern AOSP-based ROMs)
- 🧪 Optional: Legacy USB gadget stack for older devices
/storage/emulated/0/SimpleBootISOs/
Drop your.isoor.imgfiles here/storage/emulated/0/SimpleBootLogs/
Verbose mount/unmount logs/storage/emulated/0/SimpleBootLogs/mount_log_YYYYMMDD.txt
Daily logs for boot diagnostics/dev/block/loopX
Loop device usage vialosetup(automatic)
- You select an ISO from the UI
- You choose the desired mount method
- SimpleBoot sets up the USB gadget using ConfigFS or legacy nodes
- It attaches the loop device and configures the gadget as a bootable CD-ROM
- Your PC sees it as a USB boot drive — boot away!
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
ConfigFS |
Modern gadget system. Uses /config/usb_gadget/.... Required for Android 11+ |
Legacy |
Uses /sys/class/android_usb/android0/ and f_mass_storage. Older devices |
Loopback |
Mounts ISO to /dev/block/loop7 only (no USB exposure). For dev/testing |
- 📛 This app requires root and full filesystem access
- 🧱 Misconfiguration or unsupported kernels may cause boot failures or USB stack issues
- ⚡ SimpleBoot tries to restore ADB/charging state on every unmount and mount failure
GNU GPLv3 – see LICENSE
Pull requests welcome for:
- Additional mount backends (e.g. FFS + userspace)
- USB mode presets (keyboard, HID)
- Multi-ISO boot chains (Ventoy-style)
- USB detection callback API (notify when PC sees device)
- Lead Dev: @matthewdaluz
- AI Assistants: ChatGPT + DeepSeek
- Special Thanks: The open-source Android root community
SimpleBoot gives Android users full control over USB boot from their pocket. Whether you're an IT tech, a Linux user, or just want to carry live systems on your phone — this tool is the bootloader companion you've been missing.
✨ Mount. Boot. Reboot. Simple. ✨