In its 2025 holiday survey, the Consumer Technology Association found that smartphones top the wish list, with 55% of consumers considering giving one. A new phone is also the easiest time to lose track of a cash-game account.
The games don't always come across, the app can open under a stranger's username, and the old phone stays signed in. Atay's cash matches run on Skillz, operated by Firy Inc (NYSE: FIRY, formerly SKLZ), so Skillz's rules decide what moves with you.
Your balance belongs to your account, not your phone. Skillz says the same username and password work "to log into any Skillz-enabled game, on any device." So save an email and password first, install each game from the official source, and log in before you play or deposit. A fresh install can start you in a brand-new account.
Disclosure: Atay Games makes games that run on Skillz, which runs accounts, sign-in and player support for cash play.
What moves to your new phone, and what doesn't?
Skillz says your cash balance "syncs across any Skillz games you are logged into" and that your "entire Balance History will be available from any game." The phone doesn't hold your money; your account does. What you can't count on moving by itself: the Android games, each game's location permission and, on Android, Apple Pay as a deposit option.
New phone showing a zero balance? You may just be in the wrong account (see the log-in steps below). Here's what travels with you, in Skillz's, Apple's and Google's own words.
| Item | Moves with your account? | Source (last updated as published) | Retrieved | Exact words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash balance | Yes, once you log in | Skillz help 203685909 (text last edited Apr 2, 2020; page updated Aug 19, 2023) | Sep 23, 2026 | "Your cash balance syncs across any Skillz games you are logged into." |
| Balance history | Yes | Skillz help 203685909 | Sep 23, 2026 | "your entire Balance History will be available from any game." |
| Your login | Only if you saved an email and password | Skillz help 204372925 (text last edited Aug 1, 2024; page updated May 13, 2026) | Sep 23, 2026 | "As long as you’ve saved your account with an email address and password, you can access your account from any Skillz game on any device." |
| Ticketz | Yes | Skillz help 203685909 | Sep 23, 2026 | "Your Ticketz balance also syncs across games." |
| 🅩 (free-play currency) | Tied to each game; Skillz doesn't say how a new phone affects it | Skillz help 203685909 | Sep 23, 2026 | "Your 🅩 balance is game-specific and earned within each game." |
| The games themselves | iPhone to iPhone: Apple's Quick Start can bring App Store apps across. Android and cross-platform: no, reinstall them | Android Help 13761358 and 13626960; Apple Support 118670 (May 11, 2026) | Sep 23, 2026 | Google lists "Apps that aren’t from the Google Play Store" under what won't copy during setup. |
| Location permission | Don't assume it did: check it for each game | Skillz help 31144805510164 (text last edited Oct 10, 2024; page updated May 25, 2026) | Sep 23, 2026 | "we require players to enable location services on their devices before participating in cash-based games." |
| Apple Pay deposits | iPhone only | Skillz help 50570134891924, the deposit article for Skillz's separate Skillz Arena app (July 5, 2026) | Sep 23, 2026 | "Apple Pay (on iOS)" |
| The account itself, to another person | Never | Skillz User Terms, section 1.5 (Updated as of May 22, 2025) | Sep 23, 2026 | "Neither your Account nor Winnings nor any Digital Assets (defined in Section 10.3) are transferable to any other person or account." |
How we checked. On September 23, 2026, we pulled all 119 English articles in Skillz's help center through its public API. None covers switching phones, and none says a new phone triggers a new ID check. So this guide pieces the rules together from 18 of those articles and Skillz's User Terms.
Skillz's terms already cover data "from any Device that logs onto the Service using your Account" (section 6.3). A new phone is normal. A second account is the problem.
What should you do before you switch phones?
Before switching, make sure you can log in anywhere. Skillz says you can reach your account from any device "As long as you’ve saved your account with an email address and password." Verify that email, screenshot your username and balance, and finish any match in progress. You don't need to withdraw: a withdrawal forfeits all Bonus Cash.
Do these on the old phone while it still works. Menu names differ by game version, so look for your profile or account menu.
- Save and verify your login. Never added an email and password? Do it now. A first open can leave you with "a random username, and occasionally your email address will not be linked" (Skillz help 204372885). Verify the email too, because password resets go to your "verified email address" (help 204373235).
- Store the login and screenshot your balance. Apple's Passwords app or Google Password Manager keeps the login handy. A screenshot of your username and balance lets you check the new phone.
- Finish any match in progress, then stop. A match that goes to the background or disconnects is marked "Aborted." Then "The opposing player is automatically awarded with winning the match" (help 8778934866580; here's why a half-finished match counts as a loss). Pending matches are different: Skillz cancels and refunds one if no opponent turns up "within 7 days" (what happens to pending matches).
- Don't withdraw just because you're switching. Your balance follows your account, and withdrawing costs you. Section 8.4 of Skillz's User Terms says you "will forfeit all Bonus Funds currently in your Account" (how Bonus Cash works). The help center lists "a $1.50 charge for any withdrawals under $10" (help 203685739), and section 8.5 allows up to $2.00.
- Moving house too? Update your address first: "Withdrawal checks will be sent to the mailing address that you have submitted through the Skillz app" (help 115001117486).
- New phone number? Ask support to update it before the old number goes: Skillz says to "reach out to our support team for assistance" (help 204373175). Phone sign-in uses a texted code, so a dead number can lock you out. Signed up for Skillz texts? The terms ask you to "text STOP" or notify support first.
- Deposited with a prepaid card? Keep it. Withdrawals "first return to your deposit method," and "If you don't have this card, your withdrawal may be forfeit" (help 115001140043).
- Don't let the switch drag on. Bonus Cash is forfeited if you don't enter a cash match "within a continuous 60 day time period" (section 8.4).
Still want to cash out? Withdrawals up to what you deposited go back to how you deposited, oldest first. US winnings above that go by paper check (Skillz says to "expect their withdrawals in 4-6 weeks") or to an Aeropay-linked bank, usually in under 24 business hours. Here are the cash-out steps.
How do you get your games onto the new phone?
Google's own transfer tool doesn't copy "Apps that aren’t from the Google Play Store," and Apple's Move to iOS matches only free apps available on both Google Play and the App Store. Atay's Android cash games install from our website, not Google Play, so expect to reinstall them yourself from each game's official page.
Our Android versions aren't on Google Play (here's why they install from our site), so switch day is when Android players reinstall by hand. It's also when people grab a copy from the wrong website.
| Path | What the phone's own tool does with our games | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone to iPhone | With Quick Start, "If you download from iCloud, your apps and data download in the background" (Apple Support 102659, Sep 14, 2026) | Let it finish, open each game and check the username before playing. Don't assume you're still signed in. |
| Android to Android | Google's copy tool won't copy "Apps that aren’t from the Google Play Store" or "Data from apps that don't use Android backup" (Android Help 13761358). Phone makers' own transfer apps may differ; we haven't tested them. | Check each game. Reinstall any that's missing from its official game page, never from a mirror site. |
| iPhone to Android | Google: "Apps available at no charge available on Google Play will transfer" (Android Help 13626960). Ours aren't on Google Play. | Download each game's Android version from its page on our site, then log in. Apple Pay won't be a deposit option. |
| Android to iPhone | Apple: "If they're available on both Google Play and the App Store and they support the transfer feature, some of your free apps will also transfer" (Apple Support 118670, May 11, 2026) | Install each game from the App Store, then log in. |
On Android, go straight to the source. Open each game's page on ataygames.com (start from our games list) and tap its Android download. The file is hosted on cdn.skillz.com, and Android asks once to allow installs from your browser. If any other site offers the file, skip it: here's how to spot a fake download.
Check each game before your first paid match. Accept any update the game offers. If a game won't open or won't log in, tell us before you deposit.
Google plans to extend Android developer verification to every install source in 2027, with no month announced (what that means for cash-game APKs). Skillz's own tip suits a new phone: "If you have multiple devices, we recommend playing Skillz games on the newest device available" (help 8778934866580). For which games run where, see cash games for Android and cash games on iPhone.
Switch Day in Four Phases
Based on Skillz help articles 204372885, 204372925 and 203685909, Apple Support and Android Help, checked September 23, 2026. Button labels can differ by game version.
How do you log in on the new phone without making a second account?
On a first open, Skillz says "you are automatically signed in with a random username." Don't play or deposit in that account. Skillz lists a deposit placed "before being logged into your main Skillz account" as one of the two likeliest reasons money seems to vanish. Log in first, then check your username and balance.
- Open the game and read the username. A random one means you're not in your account yet (help 204372885). Stop there: no matches, no deposits.
- Find the log-in option. Open your profile or account menu and look for the log-in option; labels differ by game version. Skillz says you can use "either your phone number or email." A phone number gets a texted code. An email uses your password, with a Forgot Username/Password option (help 204372925).
- Use the same sign-in method as before. Skillz's help page for its separate Skillz Arena app says it well: "sign in with the same phone number / email / username each time, so your balance and history follow you" (help 50569026796308).
- Check the username and balance against your screenshot, then play.
Four things not to do on day one
- Don't sign up again. Some online setup guides tell new players to create a profile. You're not new.
- Don't deposit before you're logged in. That's one of the two causes Skillz names when a deposit seems to vanish (help 34523388866708).
- Don't open a Skillz game you've never played until you're logged in. Skillz says: "Sometimes, opening a new game will automatically log you in as a new user."
- Don't let anyone else play on your account. Section 1.5 of the terms says "You may not allow any other person to (i) access your Account."
Already played or deposited in the wrong account? Don't open another one. Skillz says it's "happy to move the cash over to your real account" when you deposited into one you can't log in to (help 115001140243). Our guide to accidental duplicate accounts covers the rest.
What do you need to set up again: location, ID checks and payments?
Skillz requires location services "before participating in cash-based games," so turn location on for each game on the new phone. No Skillz article says a new phone triggers a fresh ID check. But its terms say you may be asked for your Social Security number or other identifying information when you withdraw.
Location. Skillz is blunt: "Without verifying your location, we cannot allow you to enter cash games" (help 31144805510164). Its developer documentation adds that "Skillz uses the built-in GPS in a player’s smartphone in order to determine location and eligibility to play for real prizes."
On iPhone, Skillz says to set each game to "While Using the App" under Location Services (Apple's current steps). On Android, Skillz says to turn Location on and make sure the game's location permission is set to "Allow" (Android Help has the current menus). VPNs are out: Skillz "does not permit the use of VPNs or any services that may alter or obscure your true geographic location."
ID checks. We found nothing in Skillz's help center or terms saying a new phone triggers a new identity check. The terms do require cash players to "submit and maintain at all times" current details, including a "permanent residential address" and phone number (section 8.3).
They add: "When you withdraw funds from your account, you may be required to submit your social security number or other identifying information." A withdrawal can also be delayed pending "verification of eligibility" (section 8.5). If the app asks for details, follow its prompts. Stuck? See why your app won't let you cash out.
Payments. Skillz's deposit article lists "credit card, PayPal, and Apple Pay" (help 203685729). Apple Pay is Apple's wallet, so it won't be there on an Android phone. Withdrawals up to your deposits still go back to how you deposited.
Linked a bank through Aeropay? Skillz says you may need to reconnect if "You updated your bank login credentials," "You revoked access in your bank settings" or "Your bank updated its security protocols" (help 37471978518676). A new phone isn't on that list, but follow any in-app prompt. Aeropay needs "a personal checking account in your name."
What should you do with your old phone?
Don't hand over a phone that's still signed in. Skillz's terms say "you are responsible for all activity in your Account" and bar anyone else from using it. Apple and the FTC say to erase a phone before you sell, trade in or give it away. Google notes a reset means "all apps and their data will be uninstalled."
Order matters: get the new phone working and logged in first, then erase the old one. Many old phones go to trade-in. In 2025, US consumers got more than $6.4 billion in value from trade-in programs (Assurant, March 2026). The fourth quarter alone brought $2.2 billion, "the highest fourth quarter total on record."
- iPhone. Apple says to sign out of your Apple account, deregister iMessage "If you're switching to a non-Apple phone," then choose Erase All Content and Settings (Apple Support 109511).
- Android. Google says a factory data reset "erases your data from the phone" and "all apps and their data will be uninstalled" (Android Help 6088915). Back up first.
- Any phone. The FTC's four steps: back up, remove SIM and SD cards, unlink accounts ("remove your phone from the list of trusted devices"), then erase (FTC consumer alert, January 3, 2025).
Why does a game account belong on that list? Skillz's terms say "you are responsible for all activity in your Account," and a saved password "makes it possible for third parties to access your Account" (section 1.4). Spot activity that isn't yours? Section 1.5 says to "immediately notify us."
Why not just log out of each game? We haven't confirmed what a Skillz game does if it's reopened after a logout, and a fresh random-username account is possible (our multiple-accounts guide explains why that matters). Erasing is simpler, and it removes the games anyway.
Passing it to family? Each adult needs their own account. Skillz's terms require you to be at least 18 to register, compete "and/or to download Software" (section 1.3.1). So a hand-me-down phone for a teenager gets no Skillz-powered games at all, free or cash. Two adults' accounts on one phone isn't addressed in the terms, so ask support first.
When should you contact support, and what can't anyone promise?
Contact Skillz Player Support if you can't reach your old account, you played or deposited in a new one by mistake, or your phone number changed. Skillz says it's "happy to move the cash over to your real account" when you deposited into an account you can't reach. Nobody can promise how a specific case will turn out.
Skillz lists two routes (help 203685879): Contact Support in the game's menu, or email support@skillz.com. There's no phone line. Give the account name or, if you don't remember it, "the PayPal email address used, or the last 4 digits of the card used and the type of card" (help 115001140243).
Copy this ticket template
Subject: New phone, need my original account, [username] My original account: [username], [email], [phone number] Username the new phone gave me (if any): [ ] What happened: switched from [old phone and OS] to [new phone and OS] on [date] Did I play or deposit under the new username? [no / yes, details] How I deposited: PayPal [email] OR [card type] ending [last 4] Phone number changed? [no / yes: old number, new number] Attached: screenshot of my old username and balance Request: Please help me back into my original account (or move the balance to it).
Fields follow Skillz's contact form (help 203685879) and the details that "will help us locate that account" (help 115001140243). Never send a full card number.
What no one can promise. No one, including us, can promise how support resolves a specific account or how long it takes.
Not sure where to start? Our contact page can point you the right way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my Skillz balance transfer to a new phone?
Yes, because it lives in your account, not on the phone. Skillz says your cash balance "syncs across any Skillz games you are logged into" and that you can log in "on any device." Log in to the same account on the new phone before you play, then check your username and balance.
Should I withdraw my money before switching phones?
You don't need to. Your balance stays with your account, and a withdrawal has costs. Skillz's terms say you "will forfeit all Bonus Funds currently in your Account" when you withdraw. Its help center also lists a $1.50 charge on withdrawals under $10. Take a screenshot of your username and balance instead.
Will my games move from iPhone to Android?
Not by themselves. Google says its iPhone-to-Android transfer moves free apps that are "available on Google Play," and Atay's Android cash games aren't on Google Play. Install each game from its official page on our site, then log in to your existing account. Apple Pay deposits won't be an option on Android.
Why does the app show a different username on my new phone?
You're probably in a new, auto-created account. Skillz says that on a first open "you are automatically signed in with a random username." Don't play or deposit in it. Open your profile or account menu, look for the log-in option, and sign in with the same phone number or email as before.
Do I have to verify my identity again on a new phone?
Skillz doesn't publish that a new phone triggers a new ID check. Its terms say you may be asked for your Social Security number or other identifying information when you withdraw. A withdrawal can also be delayed pending "verification of eligibility." If the app asks for details, follow its prompts.
What should I do with my old phone?
Erase it before you sell, trade in or pass it on. Apple says to sign out and choose Erase All Content and Settings; Google says a factory reset means "all apps and their data will be uninstalled." Skillz's terms make you "responsible for all activity in your Account," so never hand over a phone that's still signed in.
Sources
- Skillz help center, Can I use my Skillz account for multiple games?, article 203685909 (balance, Balance History and Ticketz sync; 🅩 is game-specific; text last edited April 2, 2020, page updated August 19, 2023), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, I accidentally logged out of my account. How do I get back in?, article 204372925 (saved email and password; new game can log you in as a new user; phone or email sign-in; text last edited August 1, 2024, page updated May 13, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How do I create a Skillz account?, article 204372885 (random username on first open; text last edited September 16, 2024, page updated June 27, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How can I change my password?, article 204373235 (resets go to your verified email; updated November 14, 2024), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, I deposited to my account but I am not seeing the money in my balance., article 34523388866708 (deposit placed before logging in; text last edited February 4, 2025, page updated September 22, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, I deposited money into an account before I created a password and can't get back in. What should I do?, article 115001140243 (text last edited September 23, 2020, page updated September 7, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center (Skillz Arena app), same title, article 50569026796308 ("sign in with the same phone number / email / username each time"; updated July 5, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How can I change my account information?, article 204373175 (phone-number changes through support; updated August 17, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Location Services / VPN Usage, article 31144805510164 (text last edited October 10, 2024, page updated May 25, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How do withdrawals work?, article 203685739 (routing, 4-6 weeks, $1.50 charge under $10, Bonus Cash forfeited on withdrawal; text last edited February 2, 2026, page updated August 5, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, I got an email saying that I will receive a check. What address will that go to?, article 115001117486 (text last edited February 4, 2025, page updated May 14, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Can I deposit with a prepaid gift card?, article 115001140043 (text last edited February 4, 2025, page updated May 14, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How can I deposit? Can I change my method of deposit?, article 203685729 (credit card, PayPal and Apple Pay; text last edited October 10, 2024, page updated May 14, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center (Skillz Arena app), same title, article 50570134891924 ("Apple Pay (on iOS)"; updated July 5, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Skillz + Aeropay: Secure Bank Transfers Made Easy, article 37471978518676 (reconnect reasons; personal checking account; standard ACH usually under 24 business hours; text last edited June 18, 2025, page updated September 22, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, What is an Aborted match?, article 8778934866580 (aborted matches; newest-device tip; text last edited August 23, 2022, page updated August 1, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Why are some of my games pending or canceled?, article 204372915 (7-day cancellation; text last edited July 2, 2022, page updated January 25, 2023), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How can I contact you?, article 203685879 (Contact Support, form fields, no phone support; text last edited October 4, 2024, page updated October 18, 2024), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.skillz.com
- Skillz, User Terms and Conditions of Service (Updated as of May 22, 2025), sections 1.3.1, 1.4, 1.5, 6.3, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 and the Texting Program's Duty to Notify, retrieved 2026-09-23, skillz.com/legal
- Skillz developer documentation, The Legality of Skill Gaming (GPS and eligibility; docs version 2025.0.50), retrieved 2026-09-23, docs.skillz.com
- Apple Support, Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone or iPad, article 102659 (published September 14, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.apple.com
- Apple Support, Move from Android to iPhone or iPad, article 118670 (published May 11, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.apple.com
- Apple Support, What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad, article 109511 (published May 29, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.apple.com
- Apple Support, Turn Location Services and GPS on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, article 102647 (published January 14, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.apple.com
- Apple Support, Use the Passwords app, article 120758, retrieved 2026-09-23, support.apple.com
- Android Help, Copy apps & data from an Android to a new Android device, answer 13761358, retrieved 2026-09-23, support.google.com
- Android Help, Copy data from an iPhone to a new Android device, answer 13626960, retrieved 2026-09-23, support.google.com
- Android Help, Reset your Android device to factory settings, answer 6088915, retrieved 2026-09-23, support.google.com
- Android Help, Manage your Android device's location settings, answer 3467281 (location mode listed for Android 4.4 to 8.1), retrieved 2026-09-23, support.google.com
- Google Account Help, Get started with Google Password Manager, retrieved 2026-09-23, support.google.com
- Federal Trade Commission, consumer alert What to know before you upgrade your phone. And how to protect your new one (Alvaro Puig, January 3, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-23, consumer.ftc.gov
- Consumer Technology Association, press release Tech Remains a Top Holiday Gift Category as Shoppers Focus on High-Impact Purchases (November 3, 2025; smartphones top the wish list, 55% considering giving one), retrieved 2026-09-23, cta.tech
- Assurant, news release Assurant Reports Record $6.4 Billion Returned to Consumers Through Device Innovation and Trade-In Programs in 2025 (March 17, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-23, assurant.com
- Atay Games first-party check: all 119 English articles in the Skillz help center, pulled through the public help-center API and searched for new-device, switching, identity-check and location language, September 23, 2026 (no article covers switching phones; none says a new phone triggers an ID check).
About this guide. This is general information based on Skillz's public help center, terms and developer documentation, plus Apple Support, Android Help and the FTC, as retrieved on September 23, 2026. Any of them can change. It is not legal or financial advice. We haven't run our own device-switch test, so we don't show screenshots or exact button names, and labels can differ by game version. Skillz decides account questions under its terms. Cash play is optional, 18+ and depends on where you live. If gaming stops being fun, help is available from the National Council on Problem Gambling at ncpgambling.org or 1-800-522-4700.
Moving to a New Phone?
Find your game's page for the official iPhone and Android downloads, then log in before your first match. Cash play is optional, 18+ and depends on where you live.
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