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iGBA

How to transfer your GBA saves between iPhone and Android

iGBA exists on iPhone and on Android, and the two apps read each other's backup file. Make a backup on the old phone, move that one .igbabackup file to the new one, import your games there and restore it: your saves, save states and game clocks come across.

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-26

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What you need before you start

  • iGBA 2.15.0 or later on the iPhone and iGBA 1.0.2 or later on Android; keep both up to date. Older versions read the file, but only match games by file name and leave the clock behind.
  • Your own game files (.gba, .gbc, .gb) on the new phone. A backup never contains them.
  • A way to move one file between the phones: a cloud storage app you use on both, email to yourself, or a computer.

What moves and what doesn't

An iGBA backup moved between iPhone and Android
ItemMoves across
Battery saves (.sav), the game's own progressYes
Game clocks (.rtc) for games with a real-time clockYes
Save states, with their thumbnailsYes
Autosaves, so the game continues where you left itYes
Cheat listsNo, each app stores them its own way
App settings and control layoutsNo, each app has its own
Purchases (Pro, no ads)No, they belong to each store account
The game files themselvesNo

From iPhone to Android

  1. On the iPhone, open iGBA, tap Settings, then Saving.
  2. Tap Back up everything. The share sheet opens with one .igbabackup file: send it to the cloud storage app, email or computer you will use.
  3. On Android, install iGBA and import your games first.
  4. Open Settings, the Backups tab, and tap Restore backup. Pick the .igbabackup file.
  5. The app shows how many saves and save states it restored. Open a game: your progress is there.

From Android to iPhone

  1. On Android, open iGBA, Settings, the Backups tab, and tap Export backup. Choose where to save the file: a cloud storage app you can also open on the iPhone is the easiest.
  2. On the iPhone, install iGBA and add your games with Import ROMs.
  3. Open Settings, then Saving, and tap Restore from a backup. Pick the file.
  4. When Backup restored appears, open the game and continue.

Common problems

  • Restoring before importing the games: the saves have nowhere to go. On Android the app tells you how many games it did not find; import them and restore again.
  • A different region or revision of the game: the battery save usually still works, but save states only load in the exact version that made them.
  • Playing on the new phone first and restoring later: saves with the same game are replaced. The previous battery save is kept so you can undo it, but restore before you play.
  • Expecting cheats or settings to come along: turn your cheats on again and adjust the controls on the new phone.

Read the guide: How to back up GBA save files before a reinstall or new phone

Questions and answers

Can I transfer GBA game data from Android to iPhone?
Yes. iGBA on Android exports a backup file that iGBA on iPhone restores, and the other way round. Battery saves, save states, autosaves and game clocks move across; cheat lists, settings and purchases do not.
Do save states work on the other phone?
Yes, as long as it is exactly the same game file version. Both apps use the same emulation engine, so a state made on one loads on the other.
Do I have to rename my game files to match?
No. iGBA matches games by their data, not their file name. Import the game first, then restore the backup.
Can I play on both phones and keep them in sync?
Not automatically. There is no cloud sync: each transfer is a backup you make and restore yourself, and restoring replaces the progress on the receiving phone.
Can an iPhone and an Android phone play together?
Yes, through the link cable's Online section, with iGBA 2.17.0 or later on iPhone and 1.0.5 or later on Android. That links two games live; it does not copy saves between the phones.

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