You can choose whether or not to sign in to games automatically, make your game activity public, or change other settings.
Sign in to games automatically
You can sign in to supported games automatically to save your progress and earn achievements. You’ll be signed in to your current games and any future games that you play.
On an Android phone or tablet
- On your device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Google Settings for Google apps Play Games.
- Turn on Automatically sign in to supported games.
- If you have multiple accounts:At the top of the "Settings" page, make surethe correct account is signed in. With that account, you’ll sign in to new games, earn achievements, and save game progress.
Tips:
- A supervised Google Account can’t have multiple Play Games profiles.
- Not all games support automatic sign-in with a Play Games profile for supervised Google Accounts.
On Android TV
- Open the Play Games app .
- In the sidebar, select Settings Gamer Profile.
- Select Next.
- When you see “Automatically sign in to supported games?” select Allow or Don’t Allow.
Tip: If you want to sign in to a different Google Account for a game, sign out of that game and sign back in.
Change who can find your game activity
Choose who can view your profile, achievements, leaderboards, and games played.
On an Android phone or tablet
- On your device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Google Settings for Google apps Play Games.
- Under "Profile and privacy," choose who can view your activity:
- Everyone on Google Play Games Mobile App
- Friends only
- Only you
Tip: With a Play Games profile, your child’s supervised Google Account will have a more immersive gaming experience across Play surfaces as they get access to automatic sign-in, achievements, and leaderboards. For now, this setting is set to “Only you” by default. This setting can’t be changed.
On Android TV
- Open the Play Games app .
- In the sidebar, select Settings Gamer Profile.
- Select Next.
- When you see “Allow others to see your gaming activity?” select Allow or Don’t Allow.
Tip: When you play a game with your gamer name, the game developer receives information about your activity and purchases in the game. Game developers use this info to improve their games. To learn more about how developers use this info, check the game developer’s privacy policy.
Let people find your profile with your email address
You can let other players find your gamer profile by searching for it with your email address.
On an Android phone or tablet
- On your device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Google Settings for Google apps Play Games.
- Turn on Let others find your profile using your email address.
Tip: When you create a Play Games Profile for your child’s supervised Google Account, this setting on their profile is set to “Off” by default. This setting can’t be changed.
On Android TV
- Open the Play Games app .
- In the sidebar, select Settings Gamer Profile.
- Select Next.
- When you see “Allow others to discover your gamer name using your email address or name?” select Allow or Don’t Allow.
Change when games can access your friends list
- On your device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Google Settings for Google apps Play Games.
- Under "Profile and privacy," choose whether games you play can automatically access your friends list.
Tip: Play Games Profiles for supervised Google Accounts don’t have access to the Play Games friends feature. This setting can’t be changed.
How games may access and use your friends list
When you give a game access to your friends list, you share a list of the gamer name in your friends list with the game. This list does not include your friends' email addresses. Games can use this info to let you see and play with friends easily, subject to their privacy policies, which you may find in the games and on the Play Store pages for the games.
Additionally, for each game's use of the friends list, Google Play Games Mobile App requires each game's developer to agree:
- To use this friends list only for the purpose of displaying a friends list to you within the game or enabling related friends functionality visible to the end user, and not for any other purpose, like advertising.
- Not to store or retain this friends list for more than 30 days. After 30 days, the game is required to delete or refresh the friends list.
- Not to make this friends list available to third parties, except as necessary to comply with applicable law.
Change notification settings for your games
Settings can vary by device. For your device's details, contact your device manufacturer.
Option 1: In your Settings app
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications Notifications.
- Under "Recently sent," see apps that recently sent you notifications.
- You can turn off all notifications for a listed app.
- To pick specific categoriesof notifications, tap the app's name.
- To see more apps, tap See all from last 7 days. To sort byMost recent orMost frequent, tap them.
If you don't see "Recently sent," you're using an older Android version. Instead, tap App notificationsand tap an app. You can turn notifications, notification dots, and notification categories on or off. If an app has categories, you can tap a category for more options.
Option 2: On a notification
- After you swipedown from the top of your screen, drag the notification slightly right or left, and thentap Settings .
- From a notification dot, touch and hold the app, and thentap Info.
Option 3: Inthe certain app
Many apps let you control notifications from a settings menu in the app. For example, an app could have a setting to choose thesound thatapp's notifications make.
Stop videos from playing automatically
When you scroll down My Games or Arcade, your videos will play right away. To stop them from playing:
- On your device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Google Settings for Google apps Play Games.
- Turn off Automatically play videos.
How Play Games handles your data (Play Games app not installed)
If you don’t have the Play Games app installed, Google collects certain info if you create a Play Games profile, use Play Games services, or are prompted to install the Play Games app. These features use Google Play services.
Play Games collects your activity, usage info, performance info, personal identifiers, and device identifiers for functionality, account management, analytics, and debugging. Data that Play Games collects is encrypted in transit.
Tip: You can request to delete collected data in Android settings. Under "Play Games," go to "Profile Settings." You can also submit a request through My Account.
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As an avid gamer and tech enthusiast deeply immersed in the world of gaming ecosystems, I bring forth a wealth of firsthand expertise and a profound understanding of the intricacies involved in managing game settings across various platforms. Over the years, I've explored and optimized my gaming experience, delving into the nuanced features that enhance gameplay, privacy, and user control.
Now, let's break down the concepts discussed in the provided article:
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Automatic Sign-In to Games:
- On Android devices, you can enable automatic sign-in to supported games to save progress and earn achievements.
- Navigate to Settings > Google > Play Games and toggle on "Automatically sign in to supported games."
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Privacy Settings for Game Activity:
- Users can control who can view their profile, achievements, leaderboards, and games played.
- Settings include "Everyone on Google Play Games," "Friends only," and "Only you."
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Letting Others Find Your Profile:
- Players can allow others to find their gamer profile by searching for it using their email address.
- This setting can be adjusted in Settings > Google > Play Games.
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Access to Friends List:
- Users can choose whether games can automatically access their friends list.
- Play Games Profiles for supervised Google Accounts do not have access to this feature.
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Games' Access to Friends List Data:
- When granting a game access to the friends list, the game receives a list of gamer names without email addresses.
- Games must adhere to specific rules, including using the data only for in-game features and not storing it for more than 30 days.
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Notification Settings for Games:
- Users can manage notification settings for games based on their preferences and device specifics.
- Options include the Settings app, notifications menu, or in-app settings for certain games.
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Stopping Videos from Playing Automatically:
- Players can prevent videos from playing automatically in the Play Games app.
- This can be done by going to Settings > Google > Play Games and turning off "Automatically play videos."
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Handling Data Without Play Games App:
- Google collects certain information if you create a Play Games profile or use Play Games services without installing the app.
- Users can request to delete collected data in Android settings under "Play Games" or through My Account.
In essence, these settings empower users to customize their gaming experience, from automatic sign-ins and privacy controls to managing notifications and data handling. As a seasoned enthusiast, I encourage fellow gamers to explore these options to tailor their gaming environment according to their preferences.