You need a Pokémon Home account and a Nintendo Switch or mobile device to transfer

Pokémon Go and Pokémon Home are separate apps made by the Pokémon Company. To move Pokémon from Go to Home, you create a free Pokémon Home account, link it to your Pokémon Go account, and then send Pokémon through the transfer tool inside Pokémon Go. The process is one-way — once a Pokémon leaves Go, it cannot come back.

You do not need to own a Nintendo Switch game to use Pokémon Home. The app works on Android and iOS phones as a free tier, though a paid subscription unlocks more storage and features. For this transfer, the free version is enough.

The whole setup takes about 10 minutes. The actual transfer of individual Pokémon happens when ready, but there is a cooldown: you can only transfer one Pokémon every 100 seconds, so moving a large collection takes time.

Key Takeaways

  • read Pokémon Home on your phone or Switch, create an account, and link it to the Pokémon Go account you play on.
  • Open Pokémon Go, go to the Poké Ball menu, select Settings, then find the Pokémon Home option and confirm the transfer.
  • Transfers happen one at a time with a 100-second wait between each Pokémon, so moving dozens of Pokémon takes an hour or more.
  • Once transferred, a Pokémon is gone from Pokémon Go permanently and cannot be sent back.
  • You can transfer Pokémon to Pokémon Home on your phone without owning any Switch games.

Step 1: read Pokémon Home and create an account

Go to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) and search for "Pokémon Home". read the official app made by The Pokémon Company. Open it and tap "Create Account" or "Sign In". You will be asked to enter an email address and create a password. This account is separate from your Pokémon Go login.

After you create the account, Pokémon Home will ask you to choose a username and a profile picture. These are optional but help you keep track of your account. Once you finish, you are ready to link Home to Pokémon Go.

Step 2: Link your Pokémon Go account to Pokémon Home

Open Pokémon Home. Tap the Poké Ball icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Settings". Scroll down and look for "Pokémon Go". Tap it and select "Connect". You will be taken to a Pokémon Go login screen. Enter the email and password you use for Pokémon Go, then tap "Authorize".

Pokémon Home will confirm the connection. You should see a message saying your Pokémon Go account is now linked. If you see an error, make sure you are using the correct Pokémon Go login details and that your internet connection is stable.

Step 3: Open Pokémon Go and start the transfer

Launch Pokémon Go on your phone. Tap the Poké Ball at the bottom center of the screen to open the main menu. Tap "Settings" (the gear icon in the top right). Scroll down until you see "Pokémon Home" and tap it. You will see a message asking you to confirm the transfer.

Tap "Confirm" or "Yes". Pokémon Go will show you a list of Pokémon you can transfer. Not all Pokémon are transferable — Pokémon that are your buddy, Pokémon set as favorites, and some event-only Pokémon cannot be sent to Home. If a Pokémon is locked, you will see a lock icon next to its name.

Step 4: Select which Pokémon to transfer

Tap on each Pokémon you want to move to Home. A checkmark will appear next to it. You can select multiple Pokémon at once. If you want to transfer many Pokémon, look for a "Select All" button or similar option to speed up the process.

Before you confirm, double-check your selections. Remember: once you transfer a Pokémon, it leaves Pokémon Go forever. You cannot undo the transfer or bring it back. If you are unsure about a Pokémon, leave it unchecked and transfer it later.

Step 5: Confirm the transfer and wait for the cooldown

After you have selected all the Pokémon you want to move, tap "Transfer" or "Confirm Transfer". Pokémon Go will send the first Pokémon to Home when ready. Then you must wait 100 seconds before the next Pokémon can be transferred. This cooldown applies whether you transfer one Pokémon or fifty.

If you are transferring a large number of Pokémon, the process will take a long time. For example, transferring 100 Pokémon takes roughly 2.5 hours because of the 100-second wait between each one. You can close Pokémon Go and come back later — the transfer will continue in the background, though it may pause if your phone loses internet connection.

What happens to your Pokémon after transfer

Once a Pokémon arrives in Home, it appears in your Home storage. You can view it, check its stats, and organize it into boxes. If you own a Nintendo Switch game like Pokémon Sword, Shield, Scarlet, or Violet, you can move the Pokémon from Home into that game. If you do not own a Switch game, the Pokémon stays in Home storage.

The free version of Pokémon Home gives you 30 storage boxes, which holds 900 Pokémon total. If you reach the limit, you must delete or move Pokémon to a Switch game to make room. The paid subscription (called Pokémon Home Premium) increases storage to 6,000 Pokémon across 200 boxes, but it costs money and is not required for basic transfers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer Pokémon back from Home to Pokémon Go?

No. Transfers are one-way only. Once a Pokémon leaves Pokémon Go and enters Home, it cannot return to Go. If you want to keep a Pokémon in Go, do not transfer it.

Do I need a Nintendo Switch to use Pokémon Home?

No. Pokémon Home works on Android and iOS phones without a Switch. You can store and manage Pokémon on your phone using the free app. A Switch is only needed if you want to move Pokémon into Switch games like Pokémon Sword or Scarlet.

Why is there a 100-second wait between transfers?

The Pokémon Company built in this cooldown to prevent abuse and reduce server strain. It is a fixed delay and cannot be skipped, even if you pay for a subscription.

What Pokémon cannot be transferred to Home?

Your current buddy Pokémon, any Pokémon marked as a favorite, and some event-exclusive Pokémon cannot be transferred. You will see a lock icon next to these Pokémon in the transfer menu. Remove them as your buddy or unfavorite them, and most will become transferable.

If my internet cuts out during a transfer, will I lose my Pokémon?

No. If your connection drops, the transfer pauses. When you reconnect, it resumes from where it left off. Your Pokémon will not disappear — it will either stay in Go or complete its move to Home once the connection is restored.