To transfer game progress to a new phone, the safest way is to link your progress to an account (Google, Apple or email) before you switch, then sign in with the same account on the new phone. Progress that lives only on the old phone does not move by itself, and wiping the phone first can lose it for good. This guide covers the three ways that exist, what to check before you reset anything, and how it works in Zertyzzle, our crystal-merge puzzle game.
Why progress doesn't always follow you
A game can keep your progress in two places: on the phone itself, or on an online account. A save kept only on the phone works perfectly in airplane mode, which is why it suits offline games, but it stays on that phone. An online save needs a connection to update, and it is what lets another phone pick up where you left off.
So the question to ask before changing phones is simple: does this game keep my progress on an account, or only on the device?
The three ways to move progress
1. Sign in with the game's own account
Many games let you save your progress with an account: Google, Apple, email or the publisher's own login. On the new phone you install the game, choose the sign-in option and use the same method. This is the easiest route, and the one to prefer whenever the game offers it.
2. Use a cloud save
Some games rely on a cloud save tied to your Google account. If that is the case, signing in with the same Google account on the new phone restores it once there is a connection. Not every game supports it, and a successful sign-in does not always mean the progress came back, so check the game's settings before relying on it.
3. Copy the save by hand
For games with no account or cloud save, the progress sits in a folder on the phone. Copying it to a new phone is possible but fiddly, and recent Android versions restrict access to other apps' data. It is a last resort, and it can fail if the game versions differ. If you can avoid it, do.
Before you reset the old phone
Take two minutes to be sure:
- Open the game and look for a profile or settings screen with a "save progress" or "sign in" option.
- Link an account, then check that the screen confirms the save.
- Install the game on the new phone and sign in before wiping the old one.
- Check the progress is there: your level, your collection, your name.
- Only then reset or sell the old phone.
If a game offers no account at all, don't wipe the old phone until you have confirmed the progress on the new one.
How it works in Zertyzzle
Zertyzzle lets you start without an account: your progress is kept on the phone, and that is enough to play offline, including all 120 levels in the 12 nebulae. When you want your progress to survive a phone change, open your profile and choose to save it; you can use your email, your Google account or your Apple account.
On the new phone, install the game and choose the option for people who already have an account, then sign in with the same method you used on the old phone. Saving and signing in need an internet connection. Your profile name appears in the leaderboards, and saving your progress also keeps your place there.
If you made purchases, the game has a "restore my purchases" option on the new phone. The details of what needs internet in the game are in our page on the offline puzzle game, and the guide to the game modes explains which modes need a connection.
A few traps to avoid
- Uninstalling the game on a phone with a local-only save usually erases the progress. Save it first.
- Signing out of the game's account can leave the phone with a fresh game. Your progress stays on the account, but check which sign-in method you used.
- Using a different sign-in method on the new phone (email on one, Google on the other) creates a separate profile. Use the same one.
- Waiting until the phone breaks leaves you no chance to link anything. Link your account early.
The same habits apply to any game: whenever you have a minute with a connection, link the account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer game progress to a new phone without an account?
Sometimes, by copying the save folder by hand, but it is fiddly on recent Android versions and can fail. If the game offers an account or cloud save, use that instead.
Does my progress move automatically with a Google backup?
Not reliably. A phone backup may include some app data, but it depends on the phone, your settings and the game. Don't count on it: link an account in the game.
Will I lose my Zertyzzle progress if I change phones?
Not if you save it first. Link your progress with your email, Google account or Apple account, then sign in with the same method on the new phone.
Do I need internet to play after transferring?
No. Once the progress is on the new phone, the levels play offline. Internet is only needed for the online save, duels, teams, the weekly Rift and the shop.
Is Zertyzzle available on Android?
Yes, on Google Play, from the Zertyzzle page. The iPhone version is coming soon.