To use a Charged Attack in Pokémon GO, build energy by using Fast Attacks, then tap the Charged Attack button when it becomes available. In Trainer Battles, follow the on-screen type icons by dragging across as many as possible before they disappear; in Gym and Raid battles, tap the enabled button.
How Charged Attacks work
Pokémon have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack by default. Fast Attacks deal damage while building energy for a Charged Attack. When the Pokémon has enough energy, its Charged Attack becomes available and can deal more damage. The energy needed depends on the move and battle mode, so there is no single threshold that applies to every fight. Niantic’s move guide explains the basics.
The bars shown beside a Charged Attack indicate its energy cost. A move with one long bar needs more energy for that use; multiple shorter bars indicate a lower cost per use and may let you activate the move more often. This is a tradeoff: Niantic recommends balancing less powerful moves that can be used more frequently with stronger moves that take longer to prepare.
Use a Charged Attack in a Trainer Battle
- Tap the screen to use Fast Attacks and build energy.
- When the Charged Attack meter is full, tap the move button. As Niantic puts it, “Once your Charged Attack meter is full, tap the button to use a Charged Attack.” See Battling Other Trainers.
- When type icons appear, tap and drag across as many as you can before they disappear. Completing more of the timed sequence strengthens the attack.
If the meter is full and you keep using Fast Attacks without spending the charge, Niantic’s Trainer Battle instructions say you can fill it one additional time and then use two Charged Attacks in quick succession. This guidance is for Trainer Battles; it should not be assumed to describe Gym or Raid behavior.
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Use a Charged Attack in a Gym or Raid
- Tap the screen to use Fast Attacks and generate energy.
- When the Charged Attack button becomes enabled, tap it to perform the move.
Niantic’s move instructions and Gym battle guide describe tapping the enabled button; the Trainer Battle type-icon sequence is not part of these instructions.
Why can’t I use my Charged Attack?
- It is not charged yet: Keep using Fast Attacks to generate energy. A move’s energy requirement varies, including between Trainer Battles and Gym or Raid battles.
- You may be looking at its energy cost: Check the bars beside the move. They show relative energy cost, not damage or a universal charge threshold.
- You are in a Trainer Battle: After tapping the available move, complete the timed type-icon sequence to strengthen the attack.
- You want a different move: A TM changes which Charged Attack a Pokémon knows; it does not activate a move or replace the need to build energy.
Changing a Pokémon’s Charged Attack
If you want another move, you can teach a Pokémon an additional Charged Attack from its summary page by spending Stardust and Candy. This is optional: it is not required to use the Charged Attack the Pokémon already knows. An additional move can be used in Gyms, Raids, and Trainer Battles. Niantic’s move guide covers learning moves.
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A regular Charged TM teaches a different Charged Attack at random. An Elite Charged TM lets you choose a move and can teach certain attacks that were previously event-exclusive. To use an Elite Charged TM, select it in your inventory, tap the Pokémon, choose which existing Charged Attack to forget if it already knows two, select the desired move, then tap “Teach Attack.” Regular TMs cannot teach event-exclusive moves. See Niantic’s Elite TMs guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing between Charged Attacks
Compare moves by energy cost and how often you expect to use them against their power. A lower-cost move may be ready more often, while a stronger move may take longer to prepare. Make that comparison within the battle mode you play, because energy requirements can differ between modes.
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