In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, redeem a download code from the X menu: choose Mystery Gift → Get a Mystery Gift → Get with Code/Password, connect to the internet, and enter the code. As of October 8, 2026, the official sources cited here do not confirm an active public Poké Ball code for either game. Check Pokémon’s official announcements before using a code you find elsewhere.
Unlock Mystery Gift first
Mystery Gift becomes available after the encounter with the mysterious Pokémon in Slumbering Weald and after you speak to your mom. Once it is unlocked, press X during gameplay to open the menu. Nintendo’s Sword and Shield Mystery Gift instructions describe the unlock and redemption paths.
Redeem a Mystery Gift
- Press X during gameplay and select Mystery Gift.
- Select Get a Mystery Gift.
- Choose the method specified by the offer:
- Get with Code/Password for a download code. Connect to the internet, then enter the code.
- Get via Internet for an internet distribution that does not require entering a code.
- Get via Local Communication only for a gift being distributed locally.
- Confirm receipt. Save afterward, following the on-screen instructions.
Nintendo’s guide says internet access is needed for code redemption and internet distributions. It does not state that a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is required for those steps.
Where to find the reward
- Pokémon: Check your party and Boxes.
- Poké Balls and other non-fashion items: Check your Bag.
- Fashion items: Visit a boutique fitting room.
Use Check Mystery Gifts in the Mystery Gift menu to review gifts you have received. Pokémon Support’s promotional Pokémon instructions, updated January 30, 2026, also advise saving after receipt.
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#1 Best Overall
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles***!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them***
Are there active free Poké Ball codes?
The official sources cited here do not establish an active public Poké Ball code for Sword or Shield as of October 8, 2026. That finding is limited to those sources; it does not rule out a private, regional, or newly announced offer. Nintendo directs players to Pokémon.com for current or upcoming distributions, so verify an offer there rather than treating an old code list as current.
Before trying a code, check its official announcement for the eligible game, region, expiry date, and any one-time-use limit. A code from a past promotion may no longer work, even if its redemption instructions are correct.
Rank #2
- New entries in the main series of Pokémon RPGs arrive on Nintendo Switch simultaneously in late 2019
- The Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games take place in the newly discovered Galar Region
- Galar is an expansive region with diverse environments - an idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forest and craggy, snow-covered mountains
- Fans will have the opportunity to visit Gyms in the Galar region in their quest to become Champion
- Newly discovered partner Pokémon join in this new iteration of the games - Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble
Past promotions are not current codes
Pokémon’s official historical special promotion page describes gifts that included Poké Balls and rarer ball types. It does not establish that the offer remains redeemable now.
A separate Sword and Shield plus Expansion Pass bundle promotion offered 100 Poké Balls as a special purchase bonus. The page says the bonus required an internet connection, did not require a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, and was limited to one code per save file. This was tied to purchasing the bundle, not a free public code; the promotion page does not establish current availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
![Pokémon Sword + Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51L+MTaoMmL._SL160_.jpg)
- Part 1 - The Isle of Armor releases June 17, 2020; Part 2 - The Crown Tundra is scheduled for release during the fall of 2020
- New Areas Discovered in the Galar Region and expand Your Pokémon Adventure
- This bundle includes both the Pokémon Sword game and the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on a new adventure in the Galar region
- If you purchase the Pokémon Sword + Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass, you'll get some in-game apparel as a bonus.
Rank #4
- 1142387
Rank #3
![Nintendo Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass (Retail Version) - [Switch Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51l34qxMYhL._SL160_.jpg)
- Continue your Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield adventure in The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, two new areas to explore that will be added to the Galar region as part of the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass or Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass
- Redeem your download code in the Nintendo eShop for either the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass. Upon redeeming the code, you will be prompted to select one Expansion Pass. Only redeemable for one Expansion Pass.
- You'll also see some familiar Pokémon that didn't appear in the Galar region before, a total of over 200 Pokémon
- Part 1: The Isle of Armor is available now; Part 2: The Crown Tundra is scheduled for release during the fall of 2020
- If you purchase the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, you'll receive two codes redeemable to get two special uniform sets of in-game apparel as a bonus
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
