Pokemon Go finally lets you trade with friends remotely but there’s a catch

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You can now trade Pokémon with friends in Pokémon Go, even if you’re not physically near them! There are a few things to keep in mind, but here’s an explanation of how the new trading feature works.

The core of Pokémon has always been collecting every creature, but it’s often harder than it sounds. Certain Pokémon only appear in specific parts of the world, meaning you can’t complete your collection unless you travel there, leaving your Pokédex incomplete.

For a long time, players have requested the ability to trade Pokémon remotely, and now Niantic has made it a reality. The feature began launching on December 8, 2025.

New Zealand is the first country to get access, and it will be available worldwide soon after.

Pokemon Go remote trading explained

Remote trading lets you trade Pokémon with a friend even if you’re not near each other, just like you’d expect. However, there are a few things it can’t do.

To start using this feature, you and a friend both need to reach the “Forever Friends” level – it’s just above the “Best Friends” level. After that, you’ll be able to trade items with each other remotely.

Here’s the thing: you can only have one active Remote Trade going with each of your Forever Friends at a time. But don’t worry – you can earn more trades by staying active and strengthening your friendship. You’ll just need to finish your current trade before you can start a new one.

The feature is easy to use. You and a friend each create a wishlist with up to three Pokémon you want. Then, you both pick one Pokémon from each other’s lists to trade.

Once you’ve both made your selections, you’ll have a chance to review everything and either finalize the trade or cancel it if needed. You can also restart the trade from the beginning at any time if you want to make changes.

However, not all Pokémon can be traded. Niantic says the following Pokémon are ineligible for remote trading:

  • Pokemon caught in the last 30 days
  • Previously traded Pokemon
  • Shadow Pokemon
  • Mythical Pokemon
  • Pokemon defending Gyms or Power Spots
  • Pokemon currently set as your buddy
  • Actively Mega-Evolved Pokemon
  • Fused Pokemon
  • Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta
  • Pokemon placed at Pokemon Playgrounds

We don’t know if Niantic will change these restrictions later, but these are the only updates they’ve announced so far. Good news, though – they’re also raising the friend limit from 450 to 650 in the coming weeks.

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2025-12-09 07:19