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Pokemon Home has arrived and it allows trainers to gather up every Pokemon they have caught since playing on Game Boy Advance. Here, we explain how you can get in on the action.
Pokemon Home has officially launched on Nintendo Switch and mobile. A one-stop-shop which is effectively storage for every Pokemon trainers have ever caught since the launch of Gen III. The trouble is, doing so requires an awful lot of steps. Trainers who want to bring the Pokemon they caught while playing games on the Game Boy Advance can do so, but it will take a while.
Updated on July 2, 2023, by Gabrielle Huston: Pokemon has updated their services substantially since we wrote this article! We've updated it with all the most recent details and provided all the information you need to take your Pokemon from games as old as first and second generation all the way through to Pokemon Home.
First: Assess The Generation
The first step of your journey is to assess the steps you'll need to take, based on which generation of the game you're hoping to transfer from. Some require more steps than others, but there are only a handful of games where it's completely impossible to get your Pokemon: the ones on the Game Boy & Game Boy Color platforms. Everything else can be transferred into Pokemon Home... eventually.
We've detailed everything in the handy reference chart below. It will help tell you which steps you can skip.
Generation | Game | Platform | Can Reach Home? | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pokemon Red, Blue, & Green | Game Boy & Game Boy Color | No | - |
Pokemon Yellow | ||||
Pokemon Red, Blue, & Yellow | Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console | Yes, if you can use Poke Transporter | You need to transfer them with the Poke Transporter version 1.2 or higher into the Pokemon Bank, then into Pokemon Home. | |
Pokemon Green | Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console | No | - | |
2 | Pokemon Gold & Silver | Game Boy & Game Boy Color | No | - |
Pokemon Crystal | ||||
Pokemon Gold, Silver, & Crystal | Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console | Yes, if you can use Poke Transporter | You need to transfer them with the Poke Transporter version 1.4 or higher into the Pokemon Bank, then into Pokemon Home. | |
3 | Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire | Game Boy Advance | Yes, if you can use Poke Transporter | You need to transfer them to Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, or SoulSilver, then to Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, or White 2, then use the Pokemon Transporter to take them to the Pokemon Bank, then transfer them into Pokemon Home. |
Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen | ||||
4 | Nintendo DS | Yes, if you can use Poke Transporter | You need to transfer them to Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, or White 2, then use the Pokemon Transporter to take them to the Pokemon Bank, then transfer them into Pokemon Home. | |
Pokemon Platinum | ||||
Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver | ||||
5 | Nintendo DS & Nintendo DSi | Yes, if you can use Poke Transporter | You need to transfer them with the Pokemon Transporter into the Pokemon Bank, then into Pokemon Home. | |
Pokemon Black 2 & White 2 | ||||
6 | Pokemon X & Y | Nintendo 3DS | Yes | You can put your Pokemon directly into the Pokemon Bank without the Pokemon Transporter, then transfer them to Pokemon Home. |
Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | ||||
7 | Yes | You can put your Pokemon directly into the Pokemon Bank version 1.3 or higher, then transfer them to Pokemon Home. | ||
You can put your Pokemon directly into the Pokemon Bank version 1.4 or higher, then transfer them to Pokemon Home. | ||||
Nintendo Switch | You can put your Pokemon directly into Pokemon Home. | |||
8 | Yes | You can put your Pokemon directly into Pokemon Home. | ||
9 | Yes | You can put your Pokemon directly into Pokemon Home. |
Generally, once transferred out of their original generation, you can't return a Pokemon back. For example, Pokemon transferred into a fourth-generation game cannot ever return to a third-generation game. However, Pokemon from games on the Nintendo Switch that connect directly to Home can be moved back to their original game (except Pokemon Go).
Second: Transfer Into A Fourth-Generation Game
You need to take this step if you are transferring Pokemon from a third-generation game: Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, or LeafGreen. Otherwise, skip ahead.
In order to proceed, you need to own or have access to any of the fourth-generation games: Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, or SoulSilver. You also need a Nintendo DS.
Start by putting the third-generation game into the DS' GBA slot and the fourth-generation game into the DS game slot. When you boot up your fourth-generation game, you can choose "Migrate from [third-generation Pokemon game]" in the menu and start the process. You'll need to confirm a few times, and you can only transfer six Pokemon at once.
When that's all said and done, you can start playing your fourth-generation Pokemon game. The newly transferred Pokemon can be found in the Pal Park, which is on Route 221 in Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, or in Fuchsia City in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
Third: Transfer Into A Fifth-Generation Game
You need to do this if you're transferring Pokemon from a fourth-generation game: Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, or SoulSilver. This may include Pokemon from third-generation games that you transferred in the previous step. If neither of those things apply to you, skip to the next step.
For this step, you need two Nintendo DSes or DSis and a copy of a fifth-generation game: Black, White, Black 2, or White 2.
On one DS, start playing your fifth-generation Pokemon game. You'll need to go to the Poke Transfer Lab on Route 15. Talk to the scientist and, when prompted to connect to another DS via Wireless Communications, say yes. On your second DS, choose DS Download Play from the menu. You will be able to connect to the other device playing the fifth-generation game and transfer six Pokemon at a time.
The Pokemon team tried to make this process fun by including a timed mini-game where you catch the Pokemon you transfer, a little like in Pokemon Go. Any uncaught Pokemon after the time runs out will not be transferred. Newly transferred Pokemon are sent to your PC Box.
Fourth: Using The Poke Transporter With A Fifth-Generation Game Or Virtual DS Game
If you want to transfer Pokemon into the Pokemon Bank directly from Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, White 2, or the Virtual DS versions of Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, or Crystal, you need to use something called the Poke Transporter. It's an app available for Nintendo 3DS users, so you need to own one.
The complicated part is this: the Poke Transporter still works to transfer into the Pokemon Bank, but it's officially been shut down. If you still have it installed, you can use it. In fact, if you ever had it installed, you can even redownload it and use it. However, new users, as of March 27, 2023, are completely barred from this convenience. If that's you, your transferring journey stops here.
In order to use the Pokemon Bank at all, you must have at least one save file for a Pokemon Game that came out on the 3DS (a sixth- or seventh-generation game, excluding Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!).
First, make sure Pokemon Transporter is still downloaded on your 3DS. If it isn't, you won't be able to redownload it through the Nintendo eShop directly. Instead, open the Pokemon Bank app, and choose 'Download Pokemon Transporter' from the menu.
If you're transferring from a fifth-generation game, put that in the cartridge slot. If you're transferring from a first- or second-generation game, make sure all the saves are in order on your device. Pokemon Transporter will move any and all Pokemon in your 'Box 1' for a given game, so you should also go into the game you're transferring Pokemon out of and customize your 'Box 1' to only include the Pokemon you want to transfer.
Now, all you need to do is boot up the Poke Transporter and select the game you want to transfer from. It will ask you to confirm and show you all of the Pokemon in the Box it's about to transfer. Once you say 'yes,' all those Pokemon will be in the Pokemon Bank!
Sixth: Using The Pokemon Bank
The Pokemon Bank, like the Poke Transporter, is an app available for the Nintendo 3DS. Once you've gotten through all the previous steps (or if you're just worried about a newer Pokemon Game), the Pokemon Bank is pretty easy to understand.
Moving Pokemon From A 3DS Game
The Pokemon Bank used to have a paid subscription, but all its features are now free.
You can transfer a Pokemon from these sixth- or seventh- generation games directly into the Bank: Pokemon X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon.
If you need to transfer Pokemon from one of these games for the 3DS into the Bank, you just need to put the cartridge into the device and boot up the Bank app. If the game is downloadable, it will already be there. Then, it's a simple matter to access your Boxes and move Pokemon as you see fit.
To use Pokemon Bank with Sun and Moon, you need to have Bank version 1.3 or higher. To use Pokemon Bank with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you need to have Bank version 1.4 or higher.
Move Pokemon From Bank To Home
To move Pokemon from the Pokemon Bank into Pokemon Home, you must have a paid subscription to Pokemon Home.
If you want to move all your Pokemon immediately from Bank to Home, you don't even need to still own your 3DS. Open Pokemon Home on Nintendo Switch, choose the 3DS icon, then select 'No Nintendo 3DS.' It searches for a Pokemon Bank account with the same Nintendo Account name. If it finds one, it can mass transfer all of your Pokemon at once.
If you want to choose which Pokemon get transferred, just be extra careful because you're not sure about the Nintendo Account, or even move between Nintendo accounts, it's a little slower. Start by downloading updates for your 3DS and the Pokemon Bank app if you haven't already; they both need to be completely up-to-date to work. Go to the Pokemon Bank on the 3DS and look for the new option: 'Move Pokemon to Pokemon Home.' Then open Pokemon Home on the Switch and choose the 3DS icon, then 'Begin Move,' which will give you a code to enter on the 3DS. Now, you can transfer as many Pokemon as you like between the platforms.
Seventh: Games That Transfer Directly To Pokemon Home
Finally, you have the blissful simplicity of games that can transfer directly to Pokemon Home. Any mainline Pokemon game released on the Nintendo Switch - Pokemon Let's Go Eevee!, Let's Go Pikachu!, Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus, Scarlet, and Violet - can move its Pokemon to and from Pokemon Home with ease.
The mobile game, Pokemon Go, can also move Pokemon to Pokemon Home, but you can't move them back. We have a full guide with details on how that works here.
All you need to do is open the Pokemon Home app on the Nintendo Switch. It can see your save data for any Pokemon game you've played on the console and access your Boxes even when the cartridge isn't inserted. Select the option labeled 'Pokemon' and you'll be brought to a list of the games that Pokemon Home has found save data for. When you click on a game, it may prompt you to update that game before you can transfer Pokemon. Otherwise, though, it's as simple as dragging them into the box on the left or the box on the right!