I Lost My Progress / Data Reset

 

If your fish's progress seems to have reset:

**Important:** Pixel Fish Tank stores all data locally on your device.

**Possible causes:**
1. **App was uninstalled** - Uninstalling removes all local data
2. **App data was cleared** - Clearing app data in Android settings removes progress
3. **Device storage issue** - Low storage can cause data loss
4. **App update issue** - Rare, but updates can sometimes cause issues

**Prevention:**
- **Don't uninstall** the app if you want to keep progress
- **Don't clear app data** in Android settings
- **Keep device storage free** - Ensure you have enough space
- **Regular backups** - Use the built-in backup feature (see below)

**Recovery:**
If you have a backup file, you can restore your progress:

1. **Open Settings** - Tap the Settings button (⚙️) in the top right
2. **Go to Backup & Restore** - Scroll to the "Backup & Restore" section
3. **Tap "📥 Import Backup"** - Select your backup JSON file
4. **Confirm** - The app will ask you to confirm (this will overwrite current progress)
5. **Wait for restore** - Your progress will be restored

**How to Create Backups:**
1. **Open Settings** - Tap the Settings button (⚙️) in the top right
2. **Go to Backup & Restore** - Scroll to the "Backup & Restore" section
3. **Tap "📤 Export Backup"** - Choose where to save the backup file
4. **Save the file** - The backup will be saved as a JSON file (e.g., `pixelfishtank-backup-2024-01-15-1430.json`)
5. **Store safely** - Save the backup file to Google Drive, email it to yourself, or keep it on your device

**Backup includes:**
- Fish stats (hunger, cleanliness, happiness, level, XP)
- Coins and inventory items
- Placed decorations
- Daily tasks and streaks
- Settings and preferences
- Mini-game high scores

**Best practices:**
- Create backups regularly (weekly or monthly)
- Store backups in multiple places (device + cloud)
- Create a backup before major app updates
- Create a backup before uninstalling or clearing data