Transferring your favorite farm from Township to a new Android smartphone is a task that worries millions of players. Even with cloud saves, the process does not always go smoothly: progress is not synchronized, purchases disappear, or the city appears in the “before update” state. In this article we will analyze all current transfer methods from official (via Google Play Games) to alternative (manual copying of files), taking into account the nuances for different versions of the game and phone models.

We will pay special attention to typical errors that cause players to lose months (and sometimes years!) development of your city. For example, transferring via Titanium Backup without first disabling cloud synchronization will lead to a conflict between save versions and possible loss data. We will also figure out why on some devices (especially from Xiaomi and Huawei) the standard method via Google Account is unstable, and what to do about it.

If you have already tried to transfer the game and encountered problems, at the end of the article there is a section with solutions for 90% of typical situations, from “the city does not load” to “diamonds disappeared after the transition.” And for those who are planning to change their smartphone, we have prepared a preparation checklist that will protect you from most mistakes.

1. Official method: synchronization via Google Play Games

The most reliable and recommended method by developers is using built-in synchronization with Google Play Games. It works on 95% of devices, but there are important nuances that are not written about in the official instructions.

For the transfer to be successful, you need: an old phone necessary:

  • 🔗 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi (mobile data can interrupt loading cloud save).
  • 🎮 Go to Township, open the menu (gear in the upper right corner) and select Settings → Google Play Games → Login.
  • ☁️ Wait until the green light appears checkmarks next to the account - this means that the last save was uploaded to the cloud.
  • 📱 Make sure that in the settings Google Account (in the system settings of the phone) synchronization is enabled for Play Games.

On new phone:

  1. Install Township from Google Play (not via APK!).
  2. Login in the same Google Accountas on the old device.
  3. Start the game and wait for the offer to download the cloud save (usually appears 10-30 seconds after start).
  4. Confirm the download - the city will appear in the state it was in on the old phone.
⚠️ Attention: If on the new one phone you have already launched Township and started playing without synchronization, cloud saving can overwrite local progress. In this case, it will be impossible to restore the old city!

Make sure that both phones have the same version of Township|Check free space in Google Drive (saves weigh up to 50 MB)|Disable battery optimization for Play Games in Android settings|Do not launch the game on the new phone until synchronization is complete-->

2. Alternative method: manually copying save files

If synchronization via Google Play Games does not work (for example, because Google services are blocked on Huawei), you can transfer saves manually. This method requires root access or use ADB, but gives 100% control over the process.

Save files Township are stored along the path:

/data/data/com.playrix.township/files/saves/

In this folder you need the following files:

  • 📄 game.save — main save with progress.
  • 📄 game.save.bak — backup copy (sometimes more relevant than the main file).
  • 📄 settings.xml — game settings (not critical, but useful for transferring).

Instructions for transferring without root:

  1. Connect your old phone to the PC and enable USB debugging in the developer settings.
  2. Use the command ADBto copy the files: 
    adb pull /data/data/com.playrix.township/files/saves/ C:\Township_Backup\
  3. Install Township on a new phone and run at least until the tutorials (training).
  4. Connect the new phone to the PC and send the files back: 
    adb push C:\Township_Backup\game.save /data/data/com.playrix.township/files/saves/
  5. Restart the game - progress should load.
⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example MIUI 14+), the path to the files may differ. If the command adb pull returns an error, try using /sdcard/Android/data/com.playrix.township/files/ - sometimes developers duplicate saves there.
What to do if ADB does not see files?

If when executing a command adb pull you receive the error "No such file or directory", this means that:

1. You do not have permission to read the folder (you need root).

2. The game stores saves in another location (try paths: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.playrix.township/ or /data/media/0/Android/data/com.playrix.township/).

3. Data protection is enabled on the device (for example, on Samsung Knox).

In this case, try using Titanium Backup (requires root) or refer to the method with Helium (section 4).

3. Transfer via Titanium Backup (for root users)

If you have root access, Titanium Backup - one of the most reliable methods of transfer. The app creates a complete copy of application data, including saves, cache and settings.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Install Titanium Backup on your old phone and provide root access.
  2. Find in the application list Township (com.playrix.township) and click on it.
  3. Select Create a backup (Backup). Wait for the process to complete.
  4. Copy the backup file (it will be in folder /sdcard/TitaniumBackup/) to the new phone.
  5. On the new phone, install Titanium Backup, find the backup copy Township and select Restore.
  6. Reboot your device and start the game.

Advantages of the method:

  • ✅ Saves all data, including graphics and sound settings.
  • ✅ Works even if cloud synchronization is disabled.
  • ✅ You can create several backups and choose between them.

Disadvantages:

  • ❌ Requires root access to both devices.
  • ❌ May not work on new versions of Android (12+) due to limitations Scoped Storage.
  • ❌ When restoring on another version of the game, errors may occur (for example, the disappearance of some buildings).

Synchronization via Google Play Games|Manual copying files|Titanium Backup|Helium or other backup managers|Never transferred -->

4. Using Helium (without root, but with limitations)

Helium (previously Carbon Backup) is one of the few solutions for backing up applications without root. However, with the release of Android 10+, its capabilities were greatly limited, and Township the method does not always work.

To try this method:

  1. Install Helium on both phones from Google Play.
  2. On the old phone run Helium, connect to the PC via USB and follow the instructions to set up an ADB connection.
  3. Select Township in the list of applications and create a backup copy.
  4. Transfer the backup file (with the extension .carbon) to a new phone.
  5. On the new phone, restore data from the file via Helium.

Important nuances:

  • 🔧 On Android 11+ Helium may not see the data Township due to folder access restrictions.
  • 🔄 If the game crashes after restoring, delete it and install it again, then repeat the restoration.
  • 📱 On some devices (Xiaomi Redmi, Realme) you need to disable MIUI Optimization developer settings.
⚠️ Attention: Helium does not always transfer cloud bindings correctly. If after recovery the game offers to download a cloud save - do not agreeotherwise the local data will be overwritten!

5. Transfer via a shared Facebook account (for older versions of the game)

Previously, Township it was possible to synchronize via Facebook, but since 2022 the developers This function has been removed due to policy changes Meta. However, on some older versions of the game (up to 9.0.0), this method may still work.

If you have an old version installed Township:

  1. On your old phone, go to the game settings and link your account Facebook.
  2. Make sure the progress saved (a notification about successful synchronization should appear).
  3. On the new phone, install the same version of the gameas on the old one.
  4. Login through Facebook —the city should load.

Method limitations:

Problem Solution
Game requires updating Disable auto-update in Google Play and download APK of the old version with APKMirror.
After synchronization, the city does not load Check that both phones have the same version of the game. If necessary, make a backup via Titanium.
Facebook asks for login confirmation Use the same account Facebookas on your old phone. If the account is deleted, the method will not work.
Purchases disappeared after the transfer Purchases are linked to Google Account, and not to Facebook. Restore them via Google Play.
💡

If you are using an old version Township to transfer via Facebook, after successfully downloading the city, update the game to the latest version via Google Play. This will eliminate possible bugs and restore access to new functions.

6. Troubleshooting after migration

Even with correct transfer, errors may occur. Here are the most common and ways to fix them:

Problem 1: The city does not load, the game crashes

  • 🔹 Delete the game and install it again (do not restore from a backup!).
  • 🔹 Check that the new phone has enough free memory (at least 1 GB).
  • 🔹 If you used Titanium Backup, try to restore only the data (Data only).

Problem 2: Progress loaded, but purchases disappeared

  • 💎 Go to Settings → Restore purchases (in the main menu games).
  • 💎 Make sure you are logged in to the same Google Accountfrom which you bought diamonds.
  • 💎 If the purchases are not restored, contact support Playrix with a receipt from the mail.

Problem 3: The city loaded in the old state (before the update)

  • ☁️ Check the date of the last cloud save in Google Play Games.
  • ☁️ If the date is old - on On your old phone, save your progress again to the cloud.
  • ☁️ On the new phone, delete the game data (Settings → Applications → Township → Storage → Clear data) and repeat synchronization.
💡

If after the transfer the game behaves unstable (crashes, freezes), most likely the problem is a conflict of save versions. In this case, only a clean installation of the game with re-synchronization will help. data-i="227">purchasing a new phone: Google Play Games.

7. How to avoid data loss when changing phones

To ensure the transfer goes without surprises, follow this checklist before buying a new phone:

Back up your save via Google Play Games (even if you plan to use a different method)|Save the game version (Settings → About) on your old phone|Check that you have enough space on your new phone (Township takes up ~500 MB)|Disable battery optimization for Township and Google Play Games|Download the APK of the current version of the game in case of problems with Google Play-->

Additional precautions:

  • 📅 1-2 days before the transfer do not update the game - this will reduce the risk of version conflicts.
  • 📱 If you buy a phone on Huawei without Google services, install in advance Google Play Games via Petal Search.
  • 💾 Create double backup: through the cloud and manually (by copying files to your PC).
  • 📧 Save purchase receipts from the mail - they will be needed if the diamonds are not restored.

If you play on Android emulator (for example, BlueStacks), the transfer process will be different. In this case:

  1. Copy the save folder from the virtual machine to the PC.
  2. Install the same version on the new emulator Township.
  3. Replace the save files in the new virtual machine.
⚠️ Attention: On some emulators (for example MuMu Player), the path to saves is different. Look for the folder com.playrix.township in the emulator directory, usually this is C:\MuMu\emulator\data\.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring Township

Can I transfer a city to iPhone if I played on Android?

Yes, but only through Google Play Games or Facebook (if the game is old). Direct file transfer between iOS and Android is not possible due to different save formats. On iPhone, after installing the game, log in to the same Google/Facebook account, and the city will load.

Why did some buildings or resources disappear after the transfer?

This happens if the versions of the game on the old and new phones are very different. For example, if your old phone was version 8.0 and your new phone is version 10.0, some items may not be supported. Solution: update the game on your old phone to the latest version, save your progress to the cloud, and then transfer it to the new phone.

How to transfer a city if the old phone is broken and won’t turn on?

If synchronization with Google Play Gameswas enabled on your phone, just log in to the same account on the new device - city will load. If synchronization has not been configured, but the phone is still detected by the PC (for example, the charging indicator is on), try extracting save files through ADB in mode fastboot or contact the service center to extract data.

Is it possible to merge two cities into one?

No, Township there is no function for merging cities. If you have two accounts in different cities, you will have to choose one to transfer. However, you can save screenshots or recordings from the old city (for example, a farm design) and reproduce them in the new one.

What should you do if, after transferring, the game says "Error loading save"?

This error occurs due to corruption of save files. Try:

  1. Delete the game and install it again.
  2. Restore the save from the cloud (Google Play Games).
  3. If you used a manual transfer, copy the files again, making sure they are not damaged.
  4. Contact support Playrix indicating the ID of your city (can be found in the game settings).