How to Download PUBG Mobile Safely on Android and iPhone

The short version of how to download PUBG Mobile: open Google Play on an Android phone or the App Store on an iPhone, search for PUBG MOBILE and install the official listing. The game is free. The store download is only the first part, because the game fetches more files on its first start, so connect to Wi-Fi and keep several gigabytes of storage free before you begin.

How to download PUBG Mobile on Android

1. Open Google Play and make sure you are signed in to your Google account.
2. Search for PUBG MOBILE.
3. Check the listing before you tap. The real one carries the game's name without extra words, the familiar logo, and a very large number of downloads and reviews. Copies with words like "mod" or "unlimited" in the name are not the game.
4. Tap Install and wait for the download to finish.
5. Open the game and let it download the extra files it asks for.

If your phone has no Google Play, go to the game's official website instead. Its download page links to the stores and offers the Android install file itself. Type the address yourself. Do not follow a link from an ad, a video description or a chat message.

How to download it on iPhone and iPad

1. Open the App Store.
2. Search for PUBG MOBILE and open the game's page.
3. Tap Get, then confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple account password.
4. When the icon appears on the home screen, open the game and allow the extra download.

If the game does not appear in your store at all, it is not offered in your account's country. There is no safe shortcut around that. Files from download sites are exactly the risk described further down.

The first start: resource packs and storage

The store page shows the size of the app alone. When you open the game for the first time it downloads more data, then asks which resource pack you want: a lighter one for phones with less power, or a higher quality one for strong phones. If you are not sure, take the lighter pack. You can add more later from the download menu inside the game.

Maps come separately too. You do not need all of them on the first day. Download the map you want to play first and add the others when you have the time and the space.

What this means in practice:

• Storage. Plan for several gigabytes, and more with every extra map. Free up space first, because a download that runs out of room stops halfway.
• Connection. Use Wi-Fi. A PUBG Mobile download over mobile data can use up a large part of a monthly data plan.
• Patience. Keep the game open and the phone awake until the files finish.
• Updates. New versions arrive through the same store, and the game tells you when one is required. Update there, never through a file someone sends you.

Sign in before your first match

The game lets you start as a guest, but guest progress is tied to that one phone. Sign in with a social account, or link one as soon as you can, so the account survives a lost or reset phone. Our guest account guide shows the steps.

Then spend two minutes in the settings. Set the graphics to a level your phone handles, arrange the buttons the way your thumbs like them, and visit the training ground before a real match.

PUBG Mobile on PC, and PUBG Mobile Lite

The mobile game has no Windows version of its own. On a computer you play it through GameLoop, Tencent's official emulator. The steps are in PUBG Mobile on PC with GameLoop.

Many players with older phones search for PUBG Mobile Lite. It is a separate, smaller app that was built for low-end devices, with its own progress and its own currency, and it is not listed in every country's store. If your store shows it, it installs like any other app. If it does not, do not go looking for it on file sites. Choose the lighter resource pack and the Smooth graphics level in the main game instead.

Why modified APK files are a risk

Search results for a PUBG Mobile APK are full of "mod" versions that promise unlimited UC, unlocked skins or aim help. Leave them alone, for two reasons.

First, nobody checks those files. An app from an unknown site can carry malware, and a fake game can simply record the login you type into it. Many stolen accounts start exactly there.

Second, the game detects modified versions, and the penalty is a ban. UC and skins are stored on the game's servers, not on your phone, so no file can add them.

If a download promises free UC, it is after your account. The only safe sources are Google Play, the App Store and the game's own website.

Frequent questions

Is PUBG Mobile free to download?

Yes. Downloading and playing cost nothing. Spending is optional and buys things like the Royale Pass and cosmetic items.

How big is the PUBG Mobile download?

The size changes with each version and differs between Android and iPhone, so read it on the store page. Then allow for the resource packs and maps on top, which brings the total to several gigabytes.

Can I download PUBG Mobile on a laptop?

Yes, through GameLoop, Tencent's official emulator for Windows. The app from the phone stores does not run on a laptop by itself.

Is it safe to download the PUBG Mobile APK?

Only from the game's official website, for phones without Google Play. An APK from any other site, and every modified one, is a risk to your phone and your account.

After the download: UC for your account

UC is the game's paid currency. It pays for the Royale Pass, outfits and weapon skins, and you can play without ever buying it. When you do want some, Mas4Games loads PUBG Mobile UC to global accounts by player ID, and also has UC codes that you redeem yourself. For a top-up the store asks only for the player ID shown on your profile, never for your password. A code appears on the order's page in your account and is also sent by e-mail.