If you’ve spent your first few hours in Teyvat pulling nothing but three-star weapons, or you’re coming back after a two-year break to an account full of characters you don’t remember how to play, you’ve probably asked: can i restart my genshin impact account. It’s one of the most common questions new and returning players have, and the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think, especially if you play on multiple platforms. This guide breaks down exactly what you need to know before you hit reset, so you don’t lose access to rewards you care about or run afoul of Hoyoverse’s terms of service.
Can You Actually Restart Your Genshin Impact Account Legally and Safely?
The short answer is yes, you can restart your Genshin Impact account whenever you want, as long as you follow Hoyoverse’s official rules. There’s no penalty for creating a new account, as long as you don’t use hacks, exploit bugs, or sell your old account for real money. Many new players restart multiple times in their first week to “reroll” for a powerful 5-star character on a limited banner, and that practice is completely allowed by the game’s developers.
That said, there are some limits depending on what platform you play on, and there are risks if you go about it the wrong way. You never need to use third-party tools to reset your account, and any site or app that claims to help you reset your account without making a new email is almost certainly a scam. These tools often steal your login credentials, install malware on your device, or get your account permanently banned.
If you’ve spent real money on your current account, it’s also important to note that restarting means you’ll lose all of that purchase history permanently. Hoyoverse does not offer refunds for purchases made on an account you choose to abandon, so make sure you’re okay with losing any genesis crystals, battle passes, or limited skins you bought before you decide to start over.
Key Reasons to Restart Your Genshin Impact Account (And When It’s Worth It)
Restarting your account isn’t the right call for everyone, but there are a few scenarios where it makes far more sense than trying to fix your current account. If any of the following apply to you, starting over will probably make your time in Teyvat a lot more fun:
- You’re a brand new player who hasn’t unlocked Liyue yet, and you want to reroll for a limited 5-star character that’s currently on rate-up
- You haven’t spent any real money on the account, and your current pulls are all low-value characters you don’t enjoy playing
- You took a 2+ year break, forgot all your account login details, and have less than AR 30 with no limited 5-star characters
For example, if you started playing right as the Nahida banner dropped, restarting a few times to get her as your first 5-star will make your early game progression infinitely easier, since she’s one of the most universally useful characters in the game. You’ll save dozens of hours of grinding if you start with a character that fits the playstyle you like, instead of forcing yourself to use characters you don’t care about.
Restarting is only worth it if you have less than 20 hours of playtime logged, though. Once you hit AR 35, you’ve already unlocked most of the core game features, and you’ve put in enough work that starting over will feel like a huge waste of time. If you already have at least one 5-star character you enjoy playing, even if they’re not considered “meta” by the community, there’s no good reason to throw that progress away.
Step-by-Step Safe Way to Restart Your Genshin Impact Account
If you’ve decided starting over is the right move for you, the process is simple as long as you follow these steps, tailored to your platform of choice. The easiest method across all platforms is to create a brand new Hoyoverse account with a separate email address, since this avoids any issues with linked accounts or old progress carrying over.
For mobile players on Android: Open your device settings, find the Genshin Impact app, clear all app data and cache, then open the game again. You’ll be taken to the login screen, where you can select “register” to make a new account with a new email. For iOS players, you’ll need to delete the Genshin Impact app entirely, reinstall it from the App Store, then sign up for a new account when you open the game for the first time.
For PC players: Simply log out of your current Hoyoverse account in the game launcher, then click the “register” button below the login fields to make a new account. You don’t need to reinstall the game at all, which saves a lot of time since the game file is so large.
For PlayStation players, the process is a little different. You cannot unlink a Genshin account from your PSN ID permanently, so if you want to restart on PS4 or PS5, you’ll need to create a brand new PSN profile on your console, then download Genshin Impact again under that new profile. You can still link this new PSN profile to a new Hoyoverse account for cross-save, if you want to play on other devices too.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Restarting Your Genshin Impact Account
Even though restarting is a simple process, a lot of players make avoidable mistakes that cost them time, money, or access to the characters they wanted. These are the most common missteps to watch out for when you start over.
First, don’t restart your account until the banner you want to reroll for is actually live. A lot of players reset a week early in preparation for a new character drop, only to realize they have to play through the entire opening sequence again when the banner finally drops, wasting hours of time. Wait until the banner goes live before you make your new account, so you can start pulling right as soon as you unlock the wish feature.
Don't use the same email for your new account as your old one, even if you plan to abandon the old account forever. Hoyoverse’s system will flag duplicate emails, and you might accidentally log into your old account instead of your new one, or run into issues linking social media accounts later. Use a completely separate email, even if it’s a spare throwaway address you only use for gaming accounts.
Another common mistake is spending money on your new account before you’re sure you’re not going to restart again. It’s easy to get excited and buy a battle pass or a few genesis crystals after you get the 5-star you wanted, but if you decide you want to reroll for another character on the next banner, you’ll lose all that money permanently. Wait at least a week after making your new account before you spend any real money, to make sure you’re happy with your progress and don’t want to reset again.
Cross-save works for new accounts too, so don’t forget to link your new Hoyoverse account to all the platforms you play on as soon as you make it. This way, you can switch between your phone, PC, and console without losing progress, and you won’t have to restart again if you decide to play on a different device later.
At the end of the day, Genshin Impact is meant to be fun, so if restarting your account makes you enjoy the game more, there’s no reason not to do it. The question of can i restart my genshin impact account has a simple yes answer, as long as you follow the official rules, avoid scams, and make sure you’re okay with losing any progress or purchases on your old account. If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and decided starting over is right for you, follow the steps in this guide to reset safely, and enjoy your fresh start in Teyvat.