Evolution is a mechanic in Pokemon that occurs when a Pokemon has reached a certain requirement to undergo change. Most Pokemon evolve by leveling up, and then there are Pokemon that are incapable of evolving. In Pokemon GO, evolution functions differently from the mainline games.

To evolve a Pokemon in Pokemon GO, you will need Candy. Each Pokemon capable of evolving will have a set amount of Candy required to trigger the evolution. Some can be as low as 12 Candy while others can be as high as 400 Candy. Since catching Pokemon is the main point of GO, it won't take long to have a storage full of Pokemon that are ready to evolve. However, when it comes to GO, you'll want to be selective when deciding who to evolve first.

Updated on August 12, 2024 by Renri Seong: New Pokemon added to Pokemon GO means more Pokemon to evolve. With Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's Paldea region dipping into GO, there are a handful that can now be registered to the Pokedex. Most methods are simple and only require Candy, but you may have to go an extra mile just to achieve your Pokemon's evolution. The question remains the same: How do you know when to evolve Pokemon? You'll notice that most players only evolve their 3-star Pokemon, but with GO's gameplay mechanics, you may be pressured to evolve a species you've already registered. Unlike the mainline Pokemon games, GO has Shadow and Purified Pokemon, both of which have their own Pokedex "entry." The following guide has been updated to include more things that players should consider for evolution in Pokemon GO.

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Pokemon GO: Every Pokemon That Evolves with Special Buddy Tasks

Some Pokemon have special requirements in order to evolve in Pokemon GO.

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How to Evolve in Pokemon GO

How to Use Pokemon Candy

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Each time a Pokemon is caught in GO, you will receive Candy. The number of Candy can potentially be doubled if the Pokemon is fed a Pinap Berry or a Silver Pinap Berry. There are also in-game timed events that will double or even triple the Candy Rate for a set amount of time. Candy can be used to Power Up a Pokemon, learn a new Charged Attack, or evolve.

You can evolve Pokemon by accessing the Pokemon's summary page and selecting "Evolve."

  1. Open the main menu by tapping the Poke Ball icon.
  2. Select Pokemon (Pikachu icon).
  3. Tap one of the Pokemon to view their summary page. If a Pokemon can evolve, it will have the required Candy amount next to the "Evolve" option.

Candy is key in evolving Pokemon, but there are some species such as Haunter and Graveler that evolve via Trading. Once a Pokemon has been traded to another player, it will be impossible to get that Pokemon back. Thus, this method of evolution should only be done if you're getting a Trade Evolve Pokemon in return (i.e, trade Haunters, so they can both evolve into Gengar).

Other evolution methods include Adventuring with a Buddy Pokemon or completing Buddy Tasks. Some species will only evolve under weather conditions. If a Pokemon has additional evolution requirements, you can see what the Pokemon needs by tapping the dropdown arrow under the "Evolve" button.

Why You Should Evolve Pokemon

And Why You Should Not

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Most Pokemon that are commonly found in the wild are going to be easier to evolve. For example, trainers are more likely to see a Bidoof in the wild than they would a Snorunt, whose appearance is influenced by the weather. This means that it'll be easier to farm Bidoof Candy than it would Snorunt Candy.

While the decision is up to each person, it's generally recommended that Pokemon should only be evolved if GO trainers are trying to fill out the Pokedex, if they want a specific evolution, or if they have Candy to spare.

Pros of Evolving Pokemon
  • Pokemon generally receive a boost in their Combat Power (CP) once they've evolved. CP essentially functions like the Pokemon's "level" in GO. The higher the CP, the more likely they'll survive in battle.
  • Some Pokemon can only be obtained through evolution or under very specific circumstances, such as Trading. Therefore, it's easier to evolve Trade Evolution Pokemon by feeding them Candy than it is to trade with someone else.
  • Evolving a Pokemon for the first time will register its entry to the Pokedex. Filling out pages in the dex is how players can get more achievements/medals.

Cons of Evolving Pokemon
  • When a Pokemon evolves, its Fast Attack and Charged Attack may be changed. While this isn't always a bad thing, there are times when players may lose out on a swift-charging Charged Attack in favor for something stronger, but slower.
  • Remember: Candy (and Stardust) is also used for Powering Up and learning a new Charged Attack. Sometimes it's better to learn a Charged Attack before evolving the Pokemon.
  • Evolving too many of the same species can burn through Candy very quickly. It's recommended to evolve a Pokemon that has high CP or a 3/4-star Appraisal.

Some Pokemon have branching evolutions (Charcadet) or evolve into different forms. In most cases, you'll need to set that Pokemon as your buddy and complete tasks, such as catching "[x] number of Psychic-type Pokemon," etc. If you have a Pokemon with branching evolutions, then you're going to need to catch more than one and evolve them into every possible form. One example is Rockruff, who evolves into Midday Lycanroc, Midnight Lycanroc, or Dusk Lycanroc depending on the time of day. Dusk Form is trickier for players to get thanks to its current availability. However, if your goal is to complete the Pokedex, you'll have to work to get a Rockruff that can evolve into the Dusk Form Lycanroc.

Pokemon GO Adventure Week Take Over Research
Pokemon GO Adventure Week: Taken Over - All Research Tasks And Rewards

You can complete the Pokemon GO Aventure Week: Taken Over Field Research and Special Research tasks and get rewards by following this guide.

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Should You Evolve Shadow Pokemon?

Should You Evolve Purified Pokemon?

Shadow Onix in Pokemon GO
Shadow Onix Pokemon GO

Shadow Pokemon and Purified Pokemon are not anything new to the world of Pokemon. In GO, you can catch pre-evolved Pokemon and potentially evolve them while they're still considered a "Shadow" Pokemon. Doing so will cost more Candy than it would if you were evolving a "regular" Pokemon. If you choose to purify your Pokemon, it will require less Candy to evolve.

Although you may have a Pokemon's evolved form registered to the Dex, Pokemon GO has the Shadow and Purified Pokedex, which shows data for Shadow Pokemon and Purified Pokemon. You might notice when you go to evolve a Shadow Pokemon, there will be a silhoutte next to the Evolve button even if you already have that Pokemon. This means you have registered the regular form of a Pokemon, but you don't have its Shadow or Purified entry. To get them, you'll have to evolve the Pokemon before and/or after purifying.

You should evolve Shadow Pokemon if you want an evolved-form with the Shadow Power effect on Quick and Charged Moves. It costs more Candy, but if raw power is what you're after, then it's worth it. You should evolve Purified Pokemon if you want to spend less Candy.

Should You Evolve 0-Star Pokemon?

Is It Worth It?

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You can sort out which Pokemon that are ready to evolve by tapping the Search Bar on the Pokemon Storage screen, and then selecting Can Evolve under Recommended. Add more filters by tapping the Search Bar once more, then choose one of the options under Recommended or See More. If searching for a specific species, just start typing the Pokemon's name in the search bar on the line above the Filter.

Appraisals are a sum of a Pokemon's Individual Values (IVs). Pokemon can have their Appraisal checked by tapping the icon in the bottom-right of the Pokemon's summary page and selecting Appraisal. There are a total of three IVs in Pokemon GO:

  • Hit Points (HP)
  • Defense
  • Attack

Generally, most of the Pokemon that players catch in the wild are 0-stars. Pokemon that hatch from Eggs or obtained from completing Special or Timed Research usually have 2/3-star Appraisals. It's recommended to evolve the Pokemon with the higher CP or the better Appraisal. So, if a 0-star Pokemon has 1000+ CP, it may be worth evolving instead. This is due in part to the Candy and Stardust cost to Power Up a Pokemon (i.e, raise its CP).

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Pokemon Go Tag Page Cover Art
Pokémon GO
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Released
July 6, 2016
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Publisher(s)
Niantic
Franchise
Pokemon
Platform(s)
iOS, Android
Genre(s)
Augmented Reality, RPG