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How to Move Pokémon from FireRed and LeafGreen to Modern Pokémon Games

The Switch releases are scheduled to connect to Pokémon HOME in October 2026. Original GBA cartridges use a separate legacy route, and Pokémon Bank transfers end February 25, 2027.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The route depends on which version of FireRed or LeafGreen you own. The Nintendo Switch releases are scheduled to connect with Pokémon HOME beginning in October 2026; Nintendo has not specified an exact day or published the setup steps in the announcement cited here. Original Game Boy Advance cartridges follow a different, legacy route: Nintendo documents migration to Pokémon Platinum through Pal Park, but that alone does not establish a complete, currently available path to HOME.

Which FireRed or LeafGreen version do you have?

Starting point Next documented step What to know
FireRed or LeafGreen for Nintendo Switch Connect to Pokémon HOME beginning October 2026, then use HOME with compatible games. The Pokémon Company announced the planned connection on August 13, 2026. Its announcement gives a month, not an exact launch day or setup instructions. The move out of either game is one-way. [The Pokémon Company International, August 13, 2026]
Original Game Boy Advance cartridge Migrate Pokémon to Pokémon Platinum with Pal Park. Nintendo documents this GBA-to-DS-era step, including a 24-hour migration restriction. It does not confirm a currently available end-to-end route from an original cartridge to HOME. [Nintendo, Pokémon Platinum manual; Nintendo Support, Bank compatibility]
Pokémon already in Pokémon Bank Transfer from Bank to HOME before Bank service ends. Nintendo says Bank will end service February 25, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. PST. Bank is no longer available to download. [Nintendo Support, “Pokémon Bank End of Service”]

How do I transfer Pokémon from Switch FireRed or LeafGreen to Pokémon HOME?

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have announced HOME connectivity for the Switch releases beginning in October 2026. As of October 7, 2026, the announcement establishes the planned timing and the one-way transfer rule, but not an exact availability date or a step-by-step setup. Check the official announcement and current HOME instructions for the live status and procedure rather than relying on an assumed menu path.

The Pokémon Company’s rule is explicit: “Once a Pokémon from Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version is moved into Pokémon HOME, it will be unable to return to Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version.” It also says Pokémon from other series games cannot be sent into these FireRed and LeafGreen releases. Treat the transfer as a permanent departure from the game.

What the Switch release does—and does not—require

  • The Switch versions are digital releases; Nintendo says there will be no physical release. A Nintendo Account is required for the eShop listing.
  • Nintendo says a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required to purchase or play the games.
  • The games’ local wireless trading and HOME connectivity are separate features. Nintendo’s FAQ says online play is unsupported for the games’ local trading features; do not mistake that for a statement that HOME transfers use local wireless.
  • Nintendo notes that certain HOME features require a paid subscription. That does not establish that every HOME use or this particular transfer requires a paid plan.

Can I move Pokémon from LeafGreen to Scarlet and Violet?

The announced route is from the Switch version of FireRed or LeafGreen into Pokémon HOME, and then onward only to games HOME supports. HOME’s compatibility is title-specific, so verify that the destination game is currently listed as compatible before planning a transfer. The announcement does not provide a detailed destination-by-destination procedure.

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Do not expect to send Pokémon back into Switch FireRed or LeafGreen after they enter HOME. They cannot return, and these FireRed and LeafGreen games do not accept Pokémon from other series games.

How do I transfer Pokémon from an original GBA cartridge?

Nintendo’s Pokémon Platinum manual documents migrating Pokémon from the GBA series—including FireRed and LeafGreen—to Platinum using Pal Park. That is a historical GBA-to-DS-era transfer, not the Switch-to-HOME feature.

The Pal Park step

The manual describes using a Nintendo DS or DS Lite with the GBA game inserted. It also documents a 24-hour restriction on migration. This provides a known step for people who already have the compatible hardware, games, and save data; it does not demonstrate that every player can still obtain all required legacy hardware, software, and transfer services.

Why this is not a guaranteed route to HOME

Nintendo’s compatibility information establishes that Pokémon Bank connects with HOME and warns that a transfer from Bank to HOME cannot be reversed into Bank or used with Nintendo 3DS titles. However, the official documentation cited here does not establish every prerequisite and currently available step needed to carry a Pokémon from an original GBA save through later generations and into HOME. The GBA-to-Platinum migration is therefore a documented first step, not a promise of a complete present-day chain.

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When does Pokémon Bank shut down?

Nintendo says Pokémon Bank will end service on Thursday, February 25, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. PST. After that deadline, transfers from Bank to HOME will no longer be possible. Nintendo also says Bank is not currently available for download, so this deadline is relevant to people who already have access to Pokémon in Bank—not a route for newly downloading the app.

If your Pokémon are already in Bank and you want them in HOME, plan the transfer before service ends. Nintendo warns that Pokémon moved from Bank to HOME cannot return to Bank or be used with Nintendo 3DS titles.

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