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A Termux package change—not a setting every user had to apply—was the fix I proposed for Proton Pass CLI failing to initialize its default keyring on Android. I opened Termux PR #31137 after seeing the CLI return NoDefaultStore; the account below describes my diagnosis and the reported change, rather than an independently reproduced test.

Why Proton Pass CLI failed in my Termux setup

Proton’s documentation says the CLI uses Linux kernel-based secret storage by default, through the linux_keyutils crate. It generates a key on first run, stores it in the keyring, and retrieves it on later runs. If that keyring is unavailable while a session exists, the CLI forces a logout for security reasons. Proton’s configuration documentation describes this Linux behavior; it does not establish how every Android kernel or device behaves.

In my Termux case, I found that the default provider did not initialize and the CLI reported NoDefaultStore. I treated that as a mismatch between the default key-storage provider and the Termux environment, not as a bad login credential or a user configuration mistake. The Android-specific failure and diagnosis are my account of the issue.

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What I changed in the Termux package

I opened Termux PR #31137, “fix(main/proton-pass-cli): disable keyring provider on Android”. My first approach used an environment-variable shim, but that did not survive review. I then proposed a package patch that disables the keyring provider by default on Android and gives a clearer error if someone explicitly selects the unsupported provider.

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The important distinction is where the change lives: as I described it, the package adapts the Android default, rather than requiring each user to set an environment variable before login. I reported that a fresh Termux install could then log in without manually setting one. Reviewer Robertkirkman’s response, quoted in my account, was: “Thank you for fixing it!”

The PR details and reported result here are attributed to my account. I did not independently verify its review state or the current Termux package recipe. Proton’s upstream CLI changelog lists versions 2.4.0 and 2.4.1 on 2026-09-21, but its displayed recent entries do not mention this Termux packaging change; that upstream changelog alone cannot establish whether the separate package patch is present now. Proton Pass CLI changelog

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What to do if your Android install still cannot access a keyring

First, distinguish a package-level default from a setting you can change locally. My reported fix was a Termux package change, so its availability depends on the package version you have. If your install still reports a keyring error, Proton documents a filesystem-storage workaround for an inaccessible keyring:

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  1. Force a logout with pass-cli logout --force.
  2. Set PROTON_PASS_KEY_PROVIDER=fs in the environment used to run the CLI.
  3. Log in again.

These are Proton’s documented troubleshooting steps, not a recommendation that every Android user switch to filesystem storage. Proton warns that this option keeps the encryption key alongside encrypted data, making it easier for an attacker with filesystem access to obtain both.

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How the available storage approaches differ

Approach Setup and availability Key exposure and trade-off
Termux Android default, as reported in my account The package patch disables the unsupported keyring provider by default on Android; users need not manually set an environment variable to log in, according to my report. The account describes a clearer error if a user explicitly chooses the unsupported provider. It does not specify the replacement provider’s implementation or security properties.
Linux kernel keyring Proton documents this as the Linux default. The key is generated at first run and retrieved from the keyring on later runs. If a keyring is unavailable while a session exists, Proton says the CLI forces logout. Android compatibility is not established by the Linux documentation.
D-Bus Secret Service On Linux, set PROTON_PASS_LINUX_KEYRING=dbus to opt in. Proton says the CLI errors if the service is unavailable or locked; it does not silently fall back. Requires a working, unlocked D-Bus Secret Service. Proton documents this as a Linux option, not as an Android-specific fix.
Filesystem storage Set PROTON_PASS_KEY_PROVIDER=fs; Proton documents it as a workaround when the keyring cannot be reached. The encryption key is stored alongside encrypted data. Proton warns this is insecure if someone can access the filesystem.
Environment-variable storage Set PROTON_PASS_KEY_PROVIDER=env and provide a non-empty PROTON_PASS_ENCRYPTION_KEY. Proton warns that environment variables may be visible to other processes in the same session or container.

The Linux keyring and D-Bus details come from Proton’s configuration guide; its filesystem warning and workaround appear in the troubleshooting guide. Proton also documents the same filesystem fallback for Docker, where a keyring may be unreachable, and calls it unsafe. Proton Pass CLI FAQ

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This is about the CLI in Termux, not the Android app

The failure I described concerns Proton Pass CLI’s key-storage provider when run inside Termux. It should not be conflated with the Proton Pass Android app or assumptions about that app’s use of Android Keystore. The package change described here addresses the CLI’s Android environment; the available documentation does not make those two storage paths interchangeable.

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