To find Pokémon in Pokémon GO, start with the Nearby menu in Map View: it shows wild Pokémon reported near nearby PokéStops, including silhouettes of species you have not caught. What appears depends on your location and what is happening in the game, so use Nearby for local leads and supplement it with Eggs, Research, evolution, events, and trades as you build your collection.
How to find Pokémon near you
Tap the bar at the lower-right of Map View to open Nearby. It shows nearby wild Pokémon associated with PokéStops and nearby raid bosses. An unfamiliar Pokémon appears as a silhouette. Select an entry to see its associated PokéStop and map location, then head there if you want to look for it. This is the most direct in-game way to check local possibilities; it does not promise that every species is nearby or currently available. See Niantic’s guide to finding Pokémon.
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If a Pokémon appears on the map, tap it to begin an encounter. Hold a Poké Ball and throw it toward the Pokémon; releasing when the target ring is smaller can make the throw more effective. The ring’s color indicates catch difficulty. Great Balls and Ultra Balls improve catch ability compared with a standard Poké Ball. Berries have different uses: Razz Berries improve catch odds, Nanab Berries slow a Pokémon’s movement, and Pinap Berries double the Candy from the next successful catch. A curveball can earn XP and make the Pokémon less likely to break free. More details are in Niantic’s catch guide.
How to look for a specific Pokémon
The Pokédex can alert you to one species at a time, but only if you have seen that Pokémon before. To receive an alert, Adventure Sync and push notifications must be enabled. For a species you have not yet seen, Nearby’s silhouettes are more useful because they can reveal unfamiliar Pokémon currently associated with local PokéStops.
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- The packaging is Japanese, but item works the same as the US version.
- Catch Pokémon and track your rest rhythm with the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory!
- Keep track of your sleep with the press of a button
- Press and hold the central button on the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory and place it by your pillow to track your rest rhythm on the Pokémon Sleep app
- There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
There is no universal place to find a particular species: encounters vary by location and time, and availability can change with seasons and events. Use the methods below as leads rather than guarantees.
Check the habitat, weather, and current event
Real-world biomes can influence which Pokémon appear. Niantic gives examples of Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon in forests, Water types at beaches, and Ground types in mountains. Weather can also affect encounter frequency; rain, for example, can increase appearances of Water-, Electric-, and Bug-type Pokémon. These are tendencies, not fixed rules: a species may appear outside a matching biome during a season or special event.
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- Catch Pokémon and track your rest rhythm with the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory!
- Keep track of your sleep with the press of a button
- Press and hold the central button on the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory and place it by your pillow to track your rest rhythm on the Pokémon Sleep app
- There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
- Spin PokéStops or throw Poké Balls automatically in Pokémon GO for hands-free gameplay (and Great Balls and Ultra Balls can be thrown too!)
Some Pokémon are geographically restricted. Tropius is one example Niantic identifies as appearing in Africa and neighboring regions. Events such as Community Days and GO Fest can feature rare Pokémon or species not normally available in a region. Because availability and schedules change, check Nearby and current official Pokémon GO announcements for live details rather than relying on an old spawn list.
Other ways to add Pokémon to your collection
| Method | How it helps | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | Hatching can add Pokémon beyond direct wild catches. | An eligible Egg, an Incubator, walking its displayed distance, and the current hatch pool. |
| Research | Some tasks offer Pokémon encounters or other rewards. | Available tasks, their objectives, and—in the case of Timed Research—the stated deadline. |
| Evolution | Can add a Pokémon form to your collection. | The required Candy, which varies by species. |
| Routes | You may discover Pokémon while following a route and earn completion rewards. | A pre-defined route available through Nearby or Campfire, and walking it. |
| Trading | Can help fill collection gaps, including for region-limited Pokémon. | Access to another Trainer who has a Pokémon you need. |
Hatch Eggs
Eggs found while gathering items at PokéStops can hatch after you place one in an Incubator and walk the distance shown in its details. Tap an Egg to inspect the species currently eligible to hatch and their relative rarity. The game provides one infinite-use Incubator; additional Incubators can be purchased in the in-game Shop. Adventure Sync can count distance while the app is closed. Without it, keep the app open during the walk. Read Niantic’s Egg and hatching guide.
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- Catch Pokémon and track your rest rhythm with the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory!
- Keep track of your sleep with the press of a button
- Press and hold the central button on the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory and place it by your pillow to track your rest rhythm on the Pokémon Sleep app
- There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
- Spin PokéStops or throw Poké Balls automatically in Pokémon GO for hands-free gameplay (and Great Balls and Ultra Balls can be thrown too!)
Complete Research tasks
Field Research comes from PokéStops or specified periods. Special Research is a multi-part guided task line, Timed Research expires at its stated time, and Level-Up Research is required at certain levels. Objectives can include catching particular Pokémon, walking with a Buddy, or winning Gym battles. Tasks award rewards, but the available encounter or reward depends on current tasks and events. Check each task in the game for its requirements and rewards. Niantic explains the types in its Research guide.
Evolve Pokémon
Catching duplicates earns Candy for that species, which can help you evolve Pokémon. Candy requirements vary; check the Pokémon’s in-game summary for the exact cost rather than assuming one amount applies to every species. Eggs and evolution both provide routes to add Pokémon beyond wild encounters.
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Follow Routes and trade
Routes are pre-defined paths shown in Nearby and Campfire. Niantic says you may discover Pokémon while following them and receive bonuses and completion rewards. On some Routes, you can meet Mateo and exchange a local Gift and Postcard for a random Gift and Postcard from another player. Trading with another Trainer can also help with collection gaps, especially when a Pokémon is region-limited.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why can’t I find a Pokémon?
- It may not be available nearby. Nearby reflects local wild appearances and raids, not a complete catalogue of every Pokémon in the game.
- Your location or the weather may not favor it. Biomes and weather can shift encounter chances, but neither guarantees a species.
- It may be seasonal, event-based, or region-limited. Check current official announcements and consider trading with a Trainer who has access to it.
- It may be obtainable by another route. Inspect the current Egg hatch pool and Research tasks, or see whether evolution applies.
- Your Pokédex alert may not be set up for it. Alerts work for one previously seen species at a time and require Adventure Sync and push notifications.
Build your collection without relying on one method
Use Nearby first for immediate local clues, then broaden your search when it does not show the species you want. Keep an eye on Eggs and Research, evolve Pokémon when you have the required Candy, and use events, Routes, and trades when local encounters are not enough. Spawn pools, tasks, regional availability, and event schedules can change, so in-game information and current official announcements are the best guides to what is available now.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Catch Pokémon and track your rest rhythm with the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory!
- Keep track of your sleep with the press of a button
- Press and hold the central button on the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory and place it by your pillow to track your rest rhythm on the Pokémon Sleep app
- There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
- Spin PokéStops or throw Poké Balls automatically in Pokémon GO for hands-free gameplay (and Great Balls and Ultra Balls can be thrown too!)
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