How to Move Pokémon Between Games With HOME

move Pokémon between games by using the Nintendo Switch version of HOME to open compatible save data and drag supported Pokémon between the game’s Boxes and HOME storage.

The useful way to think about move Pokémon between games is to separate storage, game transfers and mobile-only features. HOME shares one collection across linked devices, but the Switch app, mobile app and connected Pokémon games each handle different parts of the process.

move Pokémon between games: what you need to know

Move Pokémon between games Image The Pokémon Company International.

HOME supports current Switch-era titles including Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet, Legends: Z-A and Let’s Go, with game-specific compatibility rules.

A Pokémon can only be moved into a game in which that species is supported.

The Switch HOME interface can show an icon when a Pokémon cannot be moved into the selected game.

How to do it

1. Open Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch and choose Pokémon.
2. Select the game and user save data you want to access.
3. Move compatible Pokémon between the game Boxes and HOME Boxes.
4. Press the + Button and save the changes before leaving.

With move Pokémon between games, confirm the Nintendo Account and target game or service before the final step. HOME is designed to make a large collection easier to manage, but several transfer paths are intentionally one way.

Important restrictions

Compatibility is not the same as universal two-way movement. Let’s Go has special return restrictions, and game-specific moves or status information can change display when a Pokémon enters another title.

Another important point with move Pokémon between games is that a Pokémon being stored in HOME does not guarantee that it can enter every supported game. HOME checks destination compatibility at species level and can also apply game-specific rules to moves, forms and other displayed information.

Switch and mobile differences

For move Pokémon between games, use the Nintendo Switch version when the task involves opening supported Switch game save data. Use the mobile version when the task involves HOME trading, Friends, Mystery Gifts or mobile collection tools. Both versions should be linked to the same Nintendo Account if you want them to show the same HOME Boxes.

For valuable Pokémon, check the destination before saving. HOME can tell you which games a Pokémon can travel to, which is safer than assuming that every game supporting the species also preserves every move or game-specific property.

Useful tips before you confirm

Before using move Pokémon between games with a rare, shiny, marked or sentimental Pokémon, read every confirmation screen and check the destination twice. One-way transfers are not bugs, and HOME cannot undo a transfer simply because you change your mind afterward.

If something about move Pokémon between games looks wrong, check HOME’s compatibility display and official support information before trying repeated transfers. A greyed-out destination, an unreceived GO transfer or a game-specific restriction often has a clear explanation in HOME itself.

For large collections, Box organisation is worth doing before a transfer rather than afterward. Keeping game origins, living Pokédex entries, trade stock and valuable collection pieces in predictable HOME Boxes makes mistakes far less likely.

HOME also records National Pokédex and supported game-specific Pokédex progress. That can make a transfer useful for collection goals even when the Pokémon is not being moved onward into another game immediately.

If a Pokémon’s visible moves or status look different after changing the connected title, remember that HOME can present information according to the destination game’s rules. Pokémon Support notes that the displayed information can change without HOME overwriting the underlying Pokémon data.

For anything difficult to replace, take a moment to check the Pokémon’s origin, form, marks and destination compatibility before saving changes. A few seconds of checking is much easier than rebuilding a collection mistake later.

For large collections, Box organisation is worth doing before a transfer rather than afterward. Keeping game origins, living Pokédex entries, trade stock and valuable collection pieces in predictable HOME Boxes makes mistakes far less likely.

HOME also records National Pokédex and supported game-specific Pokédex progress. That can make a transfer useful for collection goals even when the Pokémon is not being moved onward into another game immediately.

For move Pokémon between games, checking the exact source and destination before saving is the safest way to avoid an irreversible transfer mistake.

For the current first-party rules covering move Pokémon between games, see the official Pokémon HOME information.