If you switched from PUBG Mobile to BGMI after regional availability shifts, you’ve probably wondered how to transfer PUBG data to BGMI without losing all the skins, rank progress, and in-game purchases you spent years collecting. I’ve gone through this process myself when BGMI launched officially, and I made a few silly mistakes first that cost me a couple of rare outfits, so I’m breaking down exactly what works and what doesn’t to save you the headache. You don’t have to start from scratch if you follow the official steps, and we’ll cover all the edge cases you might run into, like cross-platform transfers and restricted content that won’t carry over.
Pre-Requisites Before You Transfer PUBG Data to BGMI
Before you start the migration process, there are a few non-negotiable boxes you need to tick to avoid failed transfers or lost data. Skip any of these, and you might end up stuck with a blank new BGMI account no matter what you try. The good news is most of these take less than 2 minutes to check off:
- Linked, active social account for your old PUBG Mobile profile: Guest accounts cannot be transferred, so if you only used a guest login, you’ll need to link it to a social platform first through the old PUBG Mobile app if you still have it installed.
- Same region settings for both accounts: Your PUBG Mobile account must be registered to the region BGMI is available in, primarily India. If you used a VPN to play PUBG Mobile on a different regional server, your transfer will fail.
- Latest version of BGMI installed: Old versions of BGMI don’t have the data transfer tool built in, so head to your app store to update it before you start.
- No active bans on your PUBG Mobile account: If your old account was restricted for cheating, toxic behavior, or terms of service violations, none of your data will carry over to BGMI.
You don’t need to delete your old PUBG Mobile app before starting the transfer, but make sure it’s not running in the background when you launch BGMI, as this can cause login conflicts for linked social accounts.
Step-by-Step Data Transfer Process for Android and iOS
The transfer process is almost identical for both Android and iOS users, with only small differences for Apple ID vs Google Play Games authentication. Open BGMI on your device, and tap on the Account Transfer pop-up that appears when you first launch the app after a fresh update. If the pop-up doesn’t show up, head to the Settings menu, then look for the “Transfer Account” option under the User Center tab.
Next, select the same social platform you used to link your old PUBG Mobile account, and log in with the exact same credentials. You’ll see a confirmation screen showing your old PUBG profile name, level, and total in-game purchases to verify you’re transferring the right account. Tap confirm, and wait 2 to 5 minutes for the transfer to complete. Don’t close the app or turn off your internet during this process, or you might corrupt the migration.
For iOS users, make sure you’re signed into the same Apple ID you used for PUBG Mobile, and you’ve given BGMI permission to access your account details in your device settings. Android users don’t need to do anything extra beyond logging into the same Google Play Games account if that’s what you used for your old profile. I’ve seen people accidentally log into a secondary social account here and panic that their data is gone, so double check your login details before you tap confirm.
What Content Can and Can’t Be Transferred to BGMI
Most of your PUBG Mobile content will carry over to BGMI, but there are a few exceptions you should be aware of before you start. All your rank progress from past seasons, unlocked character skins, weapon skins, emotes, vehicle skins, and unused UC you purchased will carry over, as long as it’s compliant with BGMI’s terms of service. Any in-game purchases you made with real money are guaranteed to transfer, as Krafton is required to honor those purchases under regional consumer protection rules.
Content that won’t transfer includes items that violate BGMI’s content policies, like outfits or emotes that feature religiously sensitive imagery, political references, or content that breaks local government guidelines. Some rare collaboration skins from PUBG Mobile might also not transfer if the licensing deal for that collaboration doesn’t extend to BGMI. For example, some old movie and celebrity collaboration skins didn’t carry over during the first wave of transfers when BGMI first launched, so don’t be surprised if one or two rare skins are missing.
Custom rooms you created, clan leadership roles, and friend lists won’t carry over automatically, so you’ll have to re-add your friends and create a new clan if you were a leader before. Cross-platform transfers between Android and iOS are not supported right now. If you played PUBG Mobile on Android and switched to iOS for BGMI, you can’t transfer your data, and vice versa. Krafton hasn’t announced any plans to add this feature, so you’ll have to stick to the same OS if you want to keep your progress.
Common Transfer Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
Most failed transfers happen because of small, avoidable mistakes, not issues with Krafton’s servers. First, don’t use a VPN during the transfer process. Even if you’re traveling outside of India when you do the transfer, using a VPN will make the system think you’re in an unsupported region, and it will block the migration entirely. I tried this once when I was traveling abroad for work, and I had to wait until I got back to India to finish the transfer, so save yourself the hassle and turn off all VPNs before you start.
Second, don’t create a new BGMI profile before you do the transfer. If you already played a few matches on a new BGMI account linked to the same social media you used for PUBG Mobile, the system won’t let you overwrite the new profile with your old PUBG data. You’ll have to contact customer support to delete the new BGMI profile first, which can take up to 7 days to process.
Third, don’t try to transfer accounts that aren’t yours. The system uses IP address and device history checks to prevent account theft, so if you’re trying to transfer a friend’s account to your device, it will get flagged, and both accounts might get banned temporarily. Never share your account login details with anyone offering to transfer your data for you, as these are almost always scams designed to steal your account and sell your rare skins.
Fourth, don’t panic if some content is missing right after the transfer. It can take up to 24 hours for all your skins and purchases to show up in your BGMI account, especially if you have a lot of rare content. Wait 24 hours before you contact customer support, as most missing items resolve on their own during that window.
Figuring out how to transfer PUBG data to BGMI doesn’t have to be a stressful process, as long as you follow the official steps and avoid the common pitfalls we covered. I’ve helped more than a dozen friends go through this process over the last couple of years, and 90% of the issues they ran into were from skipping pre-requisites or using VPNs during the transfer. Once your data is moved over, you can pick up right where you left off, with all your favorite skins and rank progress intact, so you don’t have to grind for months to get back to where you were on PUBG Mobile. If you do run into a persistent issue that doesn’t resolve on its own, you can reach out to BGMI’s in-game customer support, which usually responds to transfer requests within 3 working days.