Candy Crush Saga, the undeniably addictive puzzle game by King, has captivated millions worldwide. With its colorful graphics, deceptively simple gameplay, and an endless supply of levels, it’s easy to get hooked. However, the road to Candy Crush glory isn’t always smooth. Many players find themselves stuck, unable to progress past certain levels, often due to the infamous ‘wait’ timers or frustrating level designs. This comprehensive guide provides you with a detailed walkthrough on how to unlock Candy Crush Saga levels, bypass those pesky roadblocks, and keep the candy-crushing fun rolling.
Understanding the Candy Crush Level Unlocking System
Before diving into the methods, it’s crucial to understand how Candy Crush Saga gates its levels. Traditionally, there are a few primary ways levels are locked:
- Wait Timers: After failing a certain number of times on a level, the game will impose a waiting period before you can attempt it again. This is King’s way of encouraging you to either spend money on boosters or to take a break and come back later.
- Friend Requests: Some levels require you to ask your Facebook friends for help to unlock them. This leverages the social aspect of the game and encourages players to invite their friends.
- Completing Tasks: Occasionally, you might be asked to complete a specific task, such as watching an advertisement or signing up for a newsletter, to proceed.
- Paying Gold Bars: The most direct (and costly) method is to simply pay a certain number of gold bars, the game’s premium currency, to bypass the locked levels.
Knowing these mechanisms is the first step towards finding effective workarounds.
Methods to Unlock Candy Crush Levels (Without Spending Money)
Here are several methods you can use to unlock Candy Crush Saga levels without resorting to spending real money or gold bars. Note that some of these methods might be considered ‘cheats’ or ‘hacks,’ so use them at your own discretion and be aware of the potential risks (though, for a single-player game like Candy Crush, the risks are minimal, primarily revolving around potentially violating the game’s terms of service, which is unlikely to result in any serious consequences).
1. The Clock Trick (Time Manipulation)
This is a classic trick used across many mobile games that rely on time-based mechanics. By manually adjusting the time on your device, you can bypass the wait timers imposed by Candy Crush.
Steps:
- Completely close Candy Crush Saga: Make sure the game is not running in the background. Force close the app if necessary. On iOS, double-click the home button (or swipe up from the bottom on newer devices) and swipe up on the Candy Crush app. On Android, go to Settings -> Apps -> Candy Crush Saga -> Force Stop.
- Access your device’s settings: Go to the Settings app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Navigate to Date & Time settings: The exact location of these settings may vary slightly depending on your device’s operating system (iOS or Android) and version. Look for options like ‘Date & Time,’ ‘General Management,’ or ‘System.’
- Disable automatic date & time: Turn off the option that automatically sets the date and time. This is crucial, as the game relies on your device’s internal clock.
- Manually advance the time: Advance the time by at least a few hours, or even a day, depending on the length of the wait timer. A good starting point is 24 hours.
- Launch Candy Crush Saga: Open the game. The wait timer should now be reset, allowing you to play the locked levels.
- (Optional) Reset your device’s time: After playing, you can revert your device’s time back to automatic. However, some players recommend leaving it advanced slightly until they’ve completed the troublesome level to avoid accidentally triggering the timer again.
Important Considerations:
- Be consistent: Avoid changing the time back and forth rapidly, as this might confuse the game and lead to unexpected behavior.
- Airplane Mode: Some users suggest enabling Airplane Mode before launching the game after changing the time. This can prevent the game from syncing with the server and detecting the time manipulation. This is generally more effective on older versions of the game.
- Modern Game Updates: King has implemented measures to make the clock trick less effective in recent updates. However, it still works for many players, particularly on older versions of the game or on devices that haven’t been updated.
2. Facebook Friend Bypass
If a level requires you to ask your Facebook friends for help, there are a few ways to bypass this without actually bothering your friends.
Method 1: Multiple Facebook Accounts
This method requires you to have multiple Facebook accounts (or create new ones specifically for this purpose).
Steps:
- Create multiple Facebook accounts: You can create multiple Facebook accounts, adhering to Facebook’s terms of service (e.g., using different email addresses).
- Add the accounts as friends: Add these accounts as friends with your main Facebook account.
- Connect Candy Crush to Facebook: Connect your Candy Crush Saga account to your main Facebook account.
- Request help: When prompted to ask for help to unlock a level, send requests to your alternate Facebook accounts.
- Grant permission: Log in to your alternate Facebook accounts and grant the necessary permissions to unlock the level.
Method 2: Ask for Help from Groups (Use with Caution)
There are numerous Facebook groups dedicated to Candy Crush Saga where players help each other. You can join these groups and ask for help unlocking levels.
Steps:
- Join Candy Crush Saga groups: Search for Candy Crush Saga groups on Facebook and join a few.
- Post a request: Post a request for help unlocking the level, including your Candy Crush Saga username or player ID.
- Wait for help: Wait for other players to respond to your request and grant you the necessary permissions.
Caution: Be mindful of the group rules and avoid spamming. Also, be cautious about sharing personal information with strangers online.
Method 3: The Disconnect and Reconnect Trick (Sometimes Works)
This method involves disconnecting and reconnecting your Facebook account from Candy Crush Saga.
Steps:
- Disconnect Facebook: In Candy Crush Saga settings, disconnect your Facebook account.
- Close and Reopen Candy Crush: Completely close the Candy Crush Saga app (force close if necessary) and then reopen it.
- Reconnect Facebook: Reconnect your Facebook account to Candy Crush Saga.
- Check for Unlock: Sometimes, this process can trick the game into thinking you’ve received help, unlocking the level. This doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try.
3. Clearing App Data (Android Only)
On Android devices, you can try clearing the app data to potentially reset certain game states and bypass level locks. Warning: This method might reset your progress on the current level, so use it cautiously. It is highly recommended to sync your progress with Facebook before attempting this.
Steps:
- Sync your progress: Ensure your Candy Crush Saga progress is synced with your Facebook account (if applicable) to avoid losing your data completely.
- Go to Settings -> Apps: Navigate to the Apps section in your Android device’s settings.
- Find Candy Crush Saga: Locate Candy Crush Saga in the list of installed apps.
- Tap on Storage: Tap on the ‘Storage’ option.
- Clear Data: Tap on the ‘Clear Data’ button. This will delete all the app’s data, including your progress.
- Clear Cache: It’s also a good idea to clear the cache as well.
- Launch Candy Crush Saga: Open the game. You may need to log in with your Facebook account again to restore your progress (if you synced it).
- Check for Unlock: Check if the level lock has been bypassed.
Important Considerations:
- Data Loss: This method can potentially lead to data loss if your progress isn’t synced. Always back up your progress before attempting this.
- Effectiveness: The effectiveness of this method varies, and it might not work for all types of level locks.
4. Reinstalling the Game
Similar to clearing app data, reinstalling the game can sometimes resolve issues related to level locks. Again, ensure your progress is synced with Facebook before uninstalling!
Steps:
- Sync your progress: Make sure your Candy Crush Saga progress is synced with your Facebook account.
- Uninstall Candy Crush Saga: Uninstall the game from your device.
- Reinstall Candy Crush Saga: Download and install the game from the app store (Google Play Store or Apple App Store).
- Log in with Facebook: Log in with your Facebook account to restore your progress.
- Check for Unlock: See if the level lock has been removed.
Why This Might Work: Reinstalling the game can clear any corrupted files or data that might be causing the level lock issue.
5. Using Boosters Strategically
While not a direct unlocking method, using boosters strategically can help you beat difficult levels and progress further, ultimately unlocking more levels.
Types of Boosters:
- Lollipop Hammer: Destroys a single candy.
- Wrapped Candy: Creates a wrapped candy at the start of the level.
- Striped Candy: Creates a striped candy at the start of the level.
- Color Bomb: Creates a color bomb at the start of the level.
- Free Switch: Allows you to switch any two candies, regardless of whether they make a match.
- +5 Moves: Gives you five extra moves.
- Coconut Wheel: Rolls across the board, transforming candies into striped candies.
Tips for Using Boosters:
- Save Boosters for Difficult Levels: Don’t waste boosters on easy levels. Save them for levels where you’re consistently struggling.
- Combine Boosters: Combining boosters, such as a color bomb and a striped candy, can create powerful effects.
- Use Boosters at the Right Time: Wait for the right moment to use a booster. For example, using a lollipop hammer to clear an obstacle that’s blocking your progress can be more effective than using it randomly.
- Watch Videos for Free Boosters: Candy Crush Saga often offers opportunities to watch advertisements in exchange for free boosters. Take advantage of these offers.
- Daily Spin: The daily spin can often reward you with boosters.
6. Patience and Persistence (The Most Reliable Method)
Sometimes, the best approach is simply to be patient and persistent. Keep trying the level, experiment with different strategies, and learn from your mistakes. Candy Crush Saga levels are often designed to be challenging, but they are also designed to be beatable.
Tips for Overcoming Difficult Levels:
- Analyze the Level Layout: Understand the level’s objectives, obstacles, and available moves.
- Plan Your Moves: Think ahead and plan your moves strategically. Don’t just make random matches.
- Focus on Special Candies: Prioritize creating special candies (striped candies, wrapped candies, and color bombs) as they can clear large areas of the board.
- Combine Special Candies: Combining special candies can create even more powerful effects.
- Target Obstacles: Focus on clearing obstacles (such as jellies, licorice swirls, and chocolate) that are blocking your progress.
- Restart if Necessary: If you don’t get a good starting board, don’t be afraid to restart the level.
- Watch Gameplay Videos: Search for gameplay videos of the level on YouTube or other video platforms. Watching how other players beat the level can give you valuable insights.
Ethical Considerations
While this guide provides various methods for unlocking Candy Crush Saga levels, it’s important to consider the ethical implications. Using methods like the clock trick or multiple Facebook accounts might be seen as ‘cheating’ or exploiting the game’s mechanics. However, Candy Crush Saga is primarily a single-player game, and using these methods doesn’t directly harm other players. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to use these methods is up to you.
Conclusion
Unlocking Candy Crush Saga levels can be a frustrating experience, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. By using the methods outlined in this guide, you can bypass wait timers, avoid bothering your friends on Facebook, and continue your candy-crushing adventure without spending a fortune. Remember to be patient, persistent, and strategic, and you’ll be well on your way to conquering all the levels Candy Crush Saga has to offer. Good luck, and happy crushing!