Free Fire India Launch: Now Live on Play Store and App Store
Free Fire India is now live on Google Play and the App Store in India. Here is the download size, what phones it needs, the new playtime and spending rules, and what Garena has not said about Free Fire MAX accounts.
- Free Fire India launched on October 28, 2026 and is live as a free download on Google Play and the App Store in India.
- The first Android download is about 390 MB (Android 5.0+); the iPhone version is 1.5 GB (iOS 13.0+).
- Play is capped at 6 hours a day, or 3 for under-18s, who need parental consent; Garena has not confirmed Free Fire MAX account transfers.
Yes, Free Fire India is live. Garena released it on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, as a free download on Google Play and Apple's App Store in India. Garena never announced a launch hour, but by 1 pm IST its official YouTube channel said the game was "Now Available on: Google Play Store & iOS", and both store listings showed it as available that afternoon.
The first Android download is about 390 MB, the iPhone version is 1.5 GB, and you need Android 5.0 or iOS 13.0 or later. Garena has not said whether Free Fire MAX accounts or purchases carry over. Here is what is confirmed, what is not, and what to watch, as of the afternoon of October 28, 2026 (IST).
Free Fire India launch: is it live now?
Yes, on both stores. The Google Play listing, published by Garena International III, now shows an Install button. Apple's App Store listing is also public under Garena International III Private Limited, marked free with in-app purchases. Both carry version 1.134.1.
The game appeared in stages through the morning. Digit reported it downloadable on Google Play while the App Store listing was not yet live when it filed. PCQuest, at 11:25 am IST, and Khelnow, at 1 pm IST, both reported it available on Android and iOS. Garena's own launch announcement on its Free Fire India website gives the date but no time.
Garena first confirmed the date on October 27 in a launch video that told players to "Get ready to jump in Free Fire India from 28 October." By the afternoon of launch day, that video had about 5.6 million views. Launch content includes a Diwali campaign that runs until November 15.
How to download it safely
- Open Google Play on Android, or the App Store on iPhone or iPad.
- Search for "Free Fire India" and check that the developer is Garena International III. Free Fire MAX is a separate app, as Gizbot points out.
- Install the game, open it and let it fetch any extra data.
- If you are under 18, have a parent or guardian with you. Garena requires their consent and a one-time password (OTP) sent to their mobile number.
Use only the official store listings, which are the only download links on Garena's Free Fire India website. Avoid APK files, "early access" offers and download links shared on social media or messaging apps.
Free Fire India download size and device requirements
Garena has not published a full list of minimum specs. Its announcement says only that the game is optimised for a broad range of smartphones, including lower-spec phones. The store listings give the firm numbers:
- Android: the current version requires Android 5.0 or later. Digit puts the first Play Store download at 390 MB and notes it may grow as additional modules download.
- iPhone and iPad: the App Store lists a size of 1.5 GB and requires iOS or iPadOS 13.0 or later.
- Languages: the App Store lists English plus 13 others, including Hindi, Bengali and Urdu.
Some guides list lower requirements. PCQuest, for example, gives Android 4.4 and iOS 9.0 with 2 GB of RAM, but it does not attribute those figures to Garena, and they conflict with the store listings. The store on your own phone is the best guide: if it says your device is not compatible, the game will not install.
Will Free Fire MAX accounts and purchases transfer?
Garena has not said. As of October 28, its launch announcement, its FAQ for parents and its responsible-play page say nothing about moving Free Fire MAX accounts, progress, items or diamonds into the new game.
Some coverage goes further. PCQuest says players who sign in with their Free Fire MAX login keep their progress automatically, but it does not cite Garena for this. Until Garena confirms it in the game or on its official channels, treat account transfer as unconfirmed.
Free Fire MAX has not gone away. Its Google Play listing was still live in India on launch day, showing more than 500 million downloads, and Garena has not announced any change to it. Do not give your login to anyone offering to "migrate" an account or carry over diamonds for a fee.
Playtime limits, parental consent and spending caps
Garena's "Play It Right" page, posted on October 27, sets out the rules that make this version different from Free Fire elsewhere:
- Daily playtime cap: six hours a day for all players, and three hours a day for players under 18. Once you hit the cap, you cannot play until the time window resets. Garena has not said when the reset happens.
- Parental consent: players under 18 need a parent's or guardian's approval before creating an account. Garena's FAQ says this is checked with an OTP sent to the guardian's mobile number.
- Break reminders at regular intervals.
- Spending caps for players under 18. Garena has not published the amounts.
- Toned-down visuals: red blood and some other effects are removed.
The six-hour and three-hour figures also appear in launch coverage from Smartprix and Khelnow. Garena's FAQ adds that purchase controls come from Google's and Apple's own device settings, and that parents should contact Garena's support page about unauthorised purchases or an underage sign-up.
The game is free, but purchases are not small. Google Play lists in-app items from ₹9 to ₹7,000 each, and the App Store lists items such as a 1,060-diamond bundle for ₹899.
Which age rating applies?
Google Play rates the game 12+ for moderate violence and flags in-game purchases, including random items. The App Store page shows 13+. Garena's own FAQ, however, describes the store ratings as 16+ and 17+. Whatever the store label, Garena's rule is that anyone under 18 needs parental consent.
Launch-day issues so far
As of the afternoon of October 28 (IST), the launch coverage reviewed for this post, from Digit, PCQuest, Gizbot and Khelnow, reported no widespread server outage or login failure. The main hiccup was timing: for a while the App Store listing lagged behind Google Play, as Digit noted.
If you run into login, OTP or purchase problems, use Garena's official channels or the customer service site named on the store listings, not unofficial "fixes" or third-party apps.
Why Free Fire was banned in India
In February 2022, India's Ministry of Electronics and IT blocked 54 apps, including Garena Free Fire, under Section 69A of the IT Act, XDA Developers reported. Google said it temporarily blocked access to the listed apps on the Play Store in India. Before the ban, Free Fire had about 40 million monthly active users in India, according to TechCrunch.
Garena first announced Free Fire India in August 2023 for a September 5 launch, with cricketer MS Dhoni as brand ambassador and Yotta storing Indian user data locally, TechCrunch reported. On the planned launch day, Garena pushed it back "by a few more weeks" to refine gameplay and finish localisation, The Quint reported. No new date came until this October.
This time Garena says the game runs on servers in India with stronger data protection, and that it took feedback from government stakeholders into account, Adgully and Outlook Respawn reported. Vaibhav Das Mundhra, Garena's head of operations for India, called the game part of Garena's long-term commitment to India's gaming community.
What to watch for
- Account transfer: any official Garena notice on Free Fire MAX accounts, progress and purchases.
- Free Fire MAX: whether Garena keeps it running in India alongside the new app.
- Playtime reset: when the daily window resets, which Garena has not published.
- November 15: the end of the in-game Diwali campaign. Our Diwali 2026 guide has the festival dates.
- Esports: Garena says it will work with partners on grassroots and college competitions. No tournaments or dates have been announced.
Our take
Based on the sources above, this launch delivered what the 2023 attempt did not: the game is on both official stores, on the promised date, with published rules for younger players. The daily cap applies to adults too, which existing Free Fire players will notice quickly. The biggest open question for them is whether their Free Fire MAX progress comes along. Until Garena answers that officially, players may want to wait before spending heavily in a new account. For other big game release dates, see our GTA 6 release date guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Free Fire India live now?
Yes. Free Fire India launched on October 28, 2026 and is available as a free download on Google Play and the App Store in India. Garena did not announce a launch time; the game appeared through the morning, and by 1 pm IST Garena's YouTube channel said it was available on both stores.
What is the Free Fire India download size?
The App Store lists the iPhone and iPad version at 1.5 GB. Digit reports the first Android download from Google Play at about 390 MB, which may grow as additional modules download, so leave extra free storage.
What phones can run Free Fire India?
Google Play lists Android 5.0 or later, and the App Store lists iOS or iPadOS 13.0 or later. Garena says the game is optimised for a broad range of smartphones but has not published minimum RAM or processor specs.
Will my Free Fire MAX account transfer to Free Fire India?
Garena has not said. As of October 28, 2026, its official announcement and FAQ do not mention moving Free Fire MAX accounts, progress or purchases. Some outlets say progress carries over, but without citing Garena, so treat it as unconfirmed and never pay a third party to migrate an account.
How many hours a day can you play Free Fire India?
Garena's "Play It Right" rules cap play at six hours a day for all players and three hours a day for players under 18. Once you reach the cap, the game is locked until the time window resets. Players under 18 also need a parent's or guardian's consent, verified by OTP.
Sources
- Free Fire India Is Here, Garena (Free Fire India official site)
- Play It Right!, Garena (Free Fire India official site)
- For Parents FAQ, Garena (Free Fire India official site)
- Free Fire India (Google Play listing), Google Play / Garena International III
- Free Fire India (App Store listing, India), Apple App Store / Garena International III
- Coming Home To Free Fire India (official video), Garena (Free Fire India Official, YouTube)
- FREE FIRE INDIA IS HERE! (official video), Garena (Free Fire India Official, YouTube)
- Free Fire MAX (Google Play listing, India), Google Play / Garena International I
- Garena Free Fire India finally makes comeback: Features, availability, download size and more details, Digit
- Garena Free Fire India Launch Today: How To Download, Gameplay Features And All Details, Gizbot
- Free Fire India vs Free Fire MAX: How to Download Free Fire India on Android and iOS Devices, PCQuest
- Free Fire India: Release, how to download and more details, Khel Now
- Free Fire India Launch Date, Playtime Limits and Rules, Smartprix
- Free Fire India goes live on 28 October, Adgully
- Free Fire India Release Date, Safety Features & Esports, Outlook Respawn
- Garena relaunches Free Fire in India a year after ban, TechCrunch
- India bans Garena Free Fire and 53 other Chinese apps, XDA Developers
- Garena Free Fire India Launch Postponed by Few Weeks by Developers, The Quint
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 18 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 28, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
