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Yes—usually, but “installing the game,” “restoring the purchase,” and “recovering your save” are separate steps. Windows and Mac purchases are re-downloaded through your Big Fish account and Game Manager. Android and iPhone/iPad apps are reinstalled through Google Play or the App Store, while progress normally returns only after you sign in to the same supported in-game account. A PC or Mac purchase should not be assumed to transfer to mobile.

Start by identifying the platform

Original platform Recovery path
Windows PC Big Fish website or Big Fish Games app/Game Manager
Mac Big Fish website or Game Manager, if a Mac version exists
Android Google Play with the same Google Account, plus the same in-game login for progress
iPhone or iPad App Store with the same Apple Account, plus the same in-game login for progress
PC/Mac to mobile Usually a separate store entitlement; verify the individual game
One mobile device to another Reinstall the app, then authenticate with the same supported account

Big Fish uses different delivery and identity systems for desktop and mobile. Compatibility, store availability, and menus can vary by title and app version.

Reinstall a purchased Windows or Mac game

Big Fish’s current support instructions use both Big Fish Games app and Game Manager for the desktop download path. Sign in with the account that made the purchase.

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From Game Manager

  1. Open the Big Fish Games app/Game Manager and sign in.
  2. Select Purchase History in the left menu.
  3. Find the game and click the blue Download button.
  4. Open the downloaded installer (normally an .exe file on Windows) and complete setup.
  5. Launch the game. Previously activated games should reactivate automatically. If not, open My Games and activate it there.

Use the current Big Fish recovery instructions if your interface uses slightly different labels.

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From the Big Fish website

  1. Sign in to your Big Fish account.
  2. Open the account menu labeled Welcome, username.
  3. Choose My Game Library.
  4. Locate the title, select Download, and run the installer.

A Windows purchase may have no Mac build, and a Mac purchase may not have a Windows build. Check the title’s platform compatibility before troubleshooting an apparently missing download.

Change the desktop installation drive

To install on another internal or external drive, open Game Manager and go to Options → Downloads. Under Game Installation Location, select Browse, choose the folder, and click OK. A game already installed in the old location generally must be uninstalled and then reinstalled.

An external drive can be the installation location, but it is not a license bypass. On an additional computer, Big Fish says to sign in and download the full version from Purchase History; copying a game folder or trying to run it solely from USB may not activate it. See Big Fish’s new-location guidance.

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Move a mobile game and its progress

Mobile recovery has two account layers:

  • Store account: Google Play or Apple controls whether you can reinstall the app and, in many cases, access store purchases.
  • Game account: Big Fish or a linked social login identifies the player and can synchronize progress when the title supports it.

Before replacing or wiping the old device

  1. Open the game’s profile, settings, or account screen.
  2. Sign in with a supported option actually shown by that game: Big Fish account, Facebook, Google on Android, or Sign in with Apple on iOS.
  3. Confirm that the account is connected or authenticated.
  4. Allow cloud save or synchronization to finish, if offered.
  5. Record your player ID, order details, and account email where the game displays them.

Big Fish’s identity documentation says a new device can initially receive an anonymous identity. Guest progress may not be recoverable after a reinstall or device change unless it was linked first.

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On the new device

  1. Install the same game from the official store.
  2. Open it and use the same Big Fish or social-login method used on the old device.
  3. Wait for synchronization.
  4. If the game reports competing saves, choose the save containing your wanted progress. Do not overwrite it until you have checked the result.

Authenticated players can retrieve associated save data in games using Big Fish’s supported identity and Rave services, but not every title offers identical menus or cross-device saves. An email address alone is not proof that two guest or social identities are linked.

Android: reinstall the app and restore purchases

On the replacement Android device, use the same Google Account. In Google Play, tap your profile icon, select Manage apps & device → Manage, filter to apps that are not installed if needed, select the game, and tap Install or Enable. Google notes that availability can depend on device compatibility; see its reinstall guidance.

Reinstalling the app is not the same as restoring progress. Use the same in-game login. For paid in-game items, use the game’s Restore Purchases control if it provides one. Big Fish’s SDK supports purchase restoration, but the button and behavior differ by title.

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iPhone and iPad

  1. Sign in to the same Apple Account used to obtain the app.
  2. Re-download the game from the App Store’s purchased or download history.
  3. Open the game and sign in with the same supported Big Fish, Facebook, Google, or Apple identity used previously.
  4. Use Restore Purchases if the game provides it.
  5. Verify the correct save before deleting or resetting the old device.

Apple’s labels and navigation can change, and the available account options are title-specific. A desktop purchase is not automatically an iPhone or iPad entitlement.

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What does not automatically transfer?

  • PC/Mac to mobile purchases: Treat them as separate entitlements unless the specific game explicitly documents cross-platform ownership.
  • Copied folders: File copying does not replace account authentication, installation, or activation.
  • Local saves: Reinstalling the software does not guarantee recovery of an unlinked local save.
  • Guest identities: A new anonymous profile can create a save conflict or leave the old progress inaccessible.
  • Availability: A game may be unavailable in your country, store, operating-system version, or device.

If a purchase is missing

  1. Check the email and account currently shown in Big Fish Game Manager.
  2. Try every Big Fish account you may have used, including an older email address.
  3. Remember that free-to-play games do not necessarily appear in desktop Purchase History like purchased titles.
  4. Use password recovery for the likely account.
  5. Contact Big Fish support with the order number, receipt, purchase email, title, and exact platform.

Big Fish lists a different account and free-to-play status among common reasons a title is absent from Purchase History.

Fix download, installation, or activation errors

  1. Confirm that the correct Big Fish account is signed in.
  2. Retry from Purchase History inside Game Manager rather than only from a browser.
  3. Accept browser download prompts and operating-system permission requests.
  4. Check available storage and confirm the installation drive is connected.
  5. Check whether firewall or security software is blocking the installer; do not permanently disable protection.
  6. In Game Manager, try Options → Advanced → Default. If that fails, try Alternate Method.
  7. Restart Game Manager and retry.
  8. Escalate to Big Fish support with the exact error code.

Big Fish’s troubleshooting page includes examples such as 599, 703, 760, 771, 772, 801, 805, and 998; the list is not necessarily exhaustive. See its download and installation guide.

Do not wipe the old device too soon

Keep the old device until the new one shows the correct save and any restored purchases. Save screenshots of player IDs and receipts, and avoid spending significant time in a new guest profile before signing in. Big Fish states that deleting an account removes purchases, progress, and profiles across Big Fish games, and deleted progress cannot be recovered; this is different from merely uninstalling an app.

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Quick decision guide

  • Purchased on Windows or Mac? Sign in to Big Fish, open Purchase History or My Game Library, download, and activate through My Games if needed.
  • Played on Android? Use the same Google Account for the app and the same in-game identity for progress.
  • Played on iPhone/iPad? Use the same Apple Account for the app and the same in-game identity for progress.
  • Want a PC purchase on mobile? Do not assume it transfers; check that game’s explicit entitlement rules.
  • Played as a guest? Link the old profile before changing devices if possible; recovery may otherwise be impossible.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install a Big Fish game on two computers?

A purchased Windows or Mac game can generally be downloaded again on another compatible computer by signing in to the purchasing Big Fish account and using Purchase History or My Game Library. The account-based installer and activation flow still apply.

Will reinstalling a Big Fish game restore my progress?

Only when the game saved progress to an authenticated account or supported cloud service. Reinstalling software alone cannot guarantee recovery of an unlinked local or guest save.

Can I use my PC Big Fish purchase on an iPad or Android device?

Do not assume so. Desktop and mobile stores usually manage separate entitlements; only the individual game’s documented cross-platform policy can confirm transfer.

Why is my game missing from Purchase History?

You may be signed in to a different account, or the title may be free-to-play and not listed like a purchased desktop game. Check other account emails and contact Big Fish with proof of purchase.

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Can I transfer a game with a USB drive?

A drive can hold the installation location, but Big Fish says an additional computer should download and activate the purchased full version through the account. Copying files alone may fail.

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What if I played without signing in?

Guest or anonymous progress may not be recoverable after a device change. If the old device still works, link the game to a supported Big Fish or social account before reinstalling.

How do I restore mobile purchases?

Use the same Google Account or Apple Account used for the purchase, then use the game’s Restore Purchases option if available. Menus and support vary by title.

What if the game is no longer in the app store?

Re-download availability depends on the store account, country, device compatibility, and whether the publisher still distributes the app. Check your purchase history and contact Big Fish support if the title cannot be restored.

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The Bottom Line

Recover the software from the platform that sold it, and recover progress through the game account that stored it. Use the same Big Fish identity on desktop, the same store account for mobile installation, and verify the new device before deleting the old one.

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