How to Move Your Game Progress From Phone to PC (Account Linking Explained)

To move game progress from your phone to a PC emulator, link the game to an account on your phone first (Google, the game's own ID, or a transfer code), then install the game on the emulator and sign in with that same account. Games that save on their servers restore everything; games that only save locally usually cannot be moved.

Where is your game progress stored?

Before you switch, find out where the game keeps your data. Mobile games fall into three groups:

Server-side saves tied to an account (most online games): progress lives on the developer's servers and is linked to a login such as Google, Facebook, Apple, or the developer's own account. Sign in anywhere and the save follows you.

Google Play Games cloud saves: a Google service developers can add to their games. Android's documentation on cloud save describes it as saving players' progress to Google's servers so they can continue "from any device" signed in to the same Google Play Games account.

Local saves only: some offline or older games keep progress only on the phone. This is the hard case, covered below.

The game's settings screen usually tells you which one applies: look for "Account", "Link account", "Cloud save" or "Data transfer".

Method 1: Sign in with the same account (works for most games)

1. On your phone, open the game and go to its account or settings screen (names vary).
2. Check which login your progress is linked to. If it is only a guest account, link it to Google or the developer's account now, while you still have the phone.
3. On your PC, open the emulator and sign in to the same Google account in its Play Store.
4. Install the game from the Play Store inside the emulator.
5. Open the game and log in with the same method you checked in step 2.
6. The game downloads your progress from its servers.

Many large online games work this way. Supercell games use Supercell ID, which the developer says lets you continue where you left off on any of your devices. Genshin Impact uses a HoYoverse account, and many other gacha and shooter games use their own account system or a Google/Facebook link.

Coming from iPhone: if your progress is linked only to Game Center or Apple, add a login that also works on Android (the developer's account, Google or Facebook) from your iPhone before you switch. Not every game allows moving purchases between iOS and Android; check the developer's support page.

Method 2: Google Play Games cloud saves

When a game uses Google Play Games cloud saves, the save is stored with your Google account. To restore it on the emulator:

1. Sign in to the emulator's Play Store with the Google account you use on your phone.
2. Install the game and open it.
3. If the game asks you to sign in with Google Play Games, accept.
4. Look for a restore prompt on first launch, or for a "Cloud save" or "Load" option in the game's settings.

Before switching, open the game on your phone once while online so the latest progress is uploaded. Each game decides when it saves to the cloud, so a very recent session may not be there yet.

Method 3: In-game transfer codes

Some games, especially many published in Japan, use a transfer ID or code plus a password instead of a login. Fate/Grand Order is a well-known example.

1. On your phone, open the game's data transfer option (the name varies) and issue a transfer code, usually with a password you choose.
2. Write the code and password somewhere safe outside the phone.
3. Install the game on the emulator.
4. On the title screen, pick the data transfer option and enter the code and password.

Read the game's own instructions before you start: codes are often single-use, some games set an expiry, and after a transfer the old device usually loses access to the account. Plan on the emulator becoming your main device for that game.

Method 4: Games with local saves only

If a game has no account, no cloud save and no transfer code, moving the save is usually not practical:

• adb backup no longer copies app data for most games. Since Android 12, for apps targeting Android 12 or later, adb backup excludes the app's data, according to Android's Android 12 behavior changes. Current Play Store games target recent Android versions, so a backup made this way usually contains no save.
• Copying the save folder by hand requires root access on the phone and on the emulator to reach the app's private data. NovaPlay does not offer root, and rooting a phone can void warranties and break games that check device integrity.

Realistic options for these games:

• Keep playing that game on your phone.
• Start again on the emulator if the game progresses quickly.
• Check whether the developer added account sync in a later update; some games add it after launch.

Roblox: nothing to transfer

Roblox progress, Robux, inventory and avatar are all on your Roblox account, and each experience saves its own data on Roblox's servers. Log in with the same account, whether in the official Windows client or in an emulator, and everything is there. Our guide on playing Roblox on PC compares both options.

Why doesn't my save show up?

The game starts the tutorial as if it were new. You are probably signed in to a different Google account in the emulator, or you tapped through as a guest. Close the game, check the account in the emulator's Settings → Accounts, then open the game and use the account login or restore option instead of starting a new game.

The restore option is not there. Some games only offer restore or transfer on the title screen before you start a new game. Clear the game's data or reinstall it, and look for "Log in", "Restore" or "Data transfer" before tapping "Start".

The game is not in your Play Store region. You may be able to install it from the developer's official APK. Use a version that is the same or newer than the one on your phone, so the save format matches. See how to install an APK on an emulator.

The login asks for a code or approval. Google, Facebook and game accounts often ask for extra confirmation on a new device. Keep your phone nearby to approve the sign-in or read the code.

Quick summary by save type

Save type	How to move it	Difficulty
Server-side account	Log in with the same account on the emulator	Easy
Google Play Games cloud save	Same Google account, restore in game	Easy
In-game transfer code	Issue on phone, enter on PC	Easy, but usually one-way
Local save only	Usually not possible without root	Hard or not possible

Most online games fall into the first two rows: link your account on the phone, sign in on the PC, and your progress loads.

Moving your progress: FAQ

Can you keep playing on both your phone and the PC? Yes, when the progress lives on the game's servers: log in on whichever device you want to use. Most online games allow only one active session per account, so logging in on the PC usually disconnects the phone.

Do in-app purchases carry over to the emulator? Items and currency stored in your game account come with it when you log in. Purchases made through Google Play are tied to your Google account, so sign in to the emulator's Play Store with the same account to restore them in games that offer a restore option.

Can you move your progress back from the PC to the phone? Yes, with the same method in reverse: log in on the phone with the same account. If the game uses transfer codes, issue a new code on the emulator, since codes are often single-use.

After the move

Once your account is on the PC, controls are the next thing to set up: our keyboard and mouse controls guide explains keymapping, and the guide to playing mobile games on PC covers the rest of the setup. If you still need an emulator, NovaPlay runs on Windows 10 and 11 with the Play Store preinstalled.