To evolve Inkay, open its Pokémon details page in Pokémon GO, meet the requirement shown there, then tap Evolve. Inkay has a special evolution condition. Reports from its 2021 debut describe turning the phone upside down and spending 50 Inkay Candy, but Niantic’s current Help Center guidance is to follow the requirement displayed in the game.
Steps to evolve Inkay
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In Pokémon GO, select Inkay to open its details page.
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Check the page for its Candy requirement and any special evolution task. The game displays species-specific Candy costs in a Pokémon’s summary and shows an additional task when one is required, according to Niantic’s Help Center.
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Complete the requirement shown in the game. When the Evolve option is available, tap it to evolve Inkay into Malamar.
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Does Inkay still need to be turned upside down?
A September 2021 report by Nintendo Life described turning the device upside down as Inkay’s special evolution method and reported a cost of 50 Inkay Candy. Niantic’s announcement confirming Inkay’s unique condition did not spell out the steps or Candy cost, and the Help Center says to rely on the requirement shown in the Pokémon’s details. Treat the upside-down method and 50-Candy figure as launch-era reporting, not a guarantee of the current prompt.
What if the evolution option is unavailable?
Use Inkay’s details page to see which requirement has not been met; Pokémon GO displays the species’ Candy requirement and any required task there. Niantic said in a statement quoted by Nintendo Life on September 21, 2021, that devices without gyroscopes did not support Inkay’s unique method at that time, and announced an alternate method for affected players in release 0.221. That is historical information and does not establish current sensor behavior for a particular phone or app version.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Inkay has a special evolution
Niantic introduced Inkay and Malamar during the Psychic Spectacular, scheduled for September 8–13, 2021, with event hours in local time. Its announcement called Inkay’s evolution condition unique but did not give the steps. The live in-game requirement is the most useful guide when evolving one now.
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