Offline games with no sign-in are games you open and play straight away, with no account, no email and no network. Many games say "offline" but ask you to sign in at the first launch, or later. This guide shows how to tell before you install, how an airplane-mode test reveals it, and how Zertyzzle, our crystal-merge puzzle game handles it.
Three kinds of "sign-in"
The word covers very different things:
- An account to play. The game won't start without signing in. This is what you want to avoid when you look for "no sign-in".
- An account to save. You can play immediately, and the account is only needed to take your progress to another device. This is the good version.
- An account for online features. Leaderboards, duels or teams ask for a profile, and the rest of the game doesn't.
So the real question is: do I need to sign in to play, or only to save or share something?
How to tell before you install
- Read the description. Phrases such as "no sign-in needed", "play as a guest" or "no account" are a good sign. A description that talks only about online modes, friends and leaderboards points to an account.
- Look at the "Data safety" section. It shows what data a game collects. A game that collects little and mentions no account is usually simpler.
- Search the recent reviews for "sign in", "account" and "offline".
- Test it in airplane mode. This is the most reliable way.
The airplane-mode test
- Install the game and open it once with a network so it can load its data.
- Switch on airplane mode and reopen the game.
- Watch what comes first: a game screen or a sign-in window.
- Play a full level, close the game and reopen it: is your progress still there?
If the game asks you to sign in to continue, it isn't really offline. Our guide to offline mobile games describes the full test.
The flip side: no account, no transfer
A game with no account has one downside: your progress lives only on the device. If you change phones or uninstall the game, it may be gone. That is why the best version is a game that starts without an account and offers to save your progress later. How that works when you change phones is in our guide to transferring game progress to a new phone.
How Zertyzzle starts
In Zertyzzle you don't have to create an account to play: you open the game and start. Your progress is kept on the phone, and the 120 levels in 12 nebulae play offline. The game creates a technical guest identifier automatically for that, and you don't enter an email or a password.
If you want to find your progress on another device, you can save it later with your email, your Google account or your Apple account. That is optional and needs internet, as do duels, teams, the weekly Rift, leaderboards and the shop. What works without a network is on our offline puzzle game page.
A short checklist
- The game starts without a sign-in window: good.
- It offers to save your progress later: good.
- It asks for an account before the first level: not really offline.
- It asks for a connection to continue in airplane mode: not really offline.
Frequently asked questions
Are there offline games that don't ask for an account?
Yes. Many puzzle, card and logic games start without an account and keep your progress on the phone. Test it in airplane mode.
Do I need a Google account to install a game?
A Google account on the phone is the usual way to download from the Play Store. Whether the game itself asks for an account is a separate question, answered in the description or at first launch.
Do I have to create an account in Zertyzzle?
No. You can play right away, and your progress is kept on the phone. You only need an account to restore it on another device.
What happens to my progress if I have no account?
It lives only on the device. Save it before changing phones or uninstalling, if the game offers that.
Is Zertyzzle available on Android?
Yes, on Google Play, from the Zertyzzle page. The iPhone version is coming soon.