What Transferring a Pokémon Means

Transferring a Pokémon in Pokémon Go means sending one of your caught Pokémon to Professor Willow, the in-game character who manages transfers. When you transfer a Pokémon, it leaves your collection permanently, and you receive Candy in return — the resource you use to power up and evolve other Pokémon of the same type.

Most players transfer duplicate Pokémon or ones with poor stats to make room in their storage and to gather Candy more quickly. Once you transfer a Pokémon, you cannot get it back, so the decision is permanent.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Pokémon's detail screen, scroll down, and tap the transfer button to send it to Professor Willow.
  • You receive Candy for the Pokémon's type when you transfer — usually one Candy per transfer, or three Candy if it is a Buddy Pokémon.
  • Transferred Pokémon are gone forever, so check the Pokémon's stats and moves before confirming the transfer.
  • You can transfer multiple Pokémon at once using the "Select" feature in your Pokémon storage screen.

How to Transfer a Single Pokémon

Open Pokémon Go and tap the Poké Ball icon at the bottom of the screen to open the main menu. Select "Pokémon" to view your collection. Find the Pokémon you want to transfer and tap it to open its detail screen.

Scroll down to the bottom of the detail screen. You will see a button labeled "Transfer" in red text. Tap it. A confirmation window will appear asking if you are sure you want to transfer this Pokémon. Tap "Yes" to confirm. The Pokémon is now gone, and you will see the Candy you received in your inventory.

Transferring Multiple Pokémon at Once

If you want to transfer several Pokémon quickly — for example, many duplicates of the same type — use the bulk transfer feature. From your Pokémon storage screen, tap the "Select" button in the upper right corner. Your Pokémon will now show checkboxes next to their names.

Tap the checkbox next to each Pokémon you want to transfer. You can select as many as you want. Once you have chosen all of them, a red "Transfer" button will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap it, and a confirmation window will show you how many Pokémon you are about to transfer and how much Candy you will receive. Tap "Yes" to confirm, and all selected Pokémon will be transferred at once.

Candy Rewards and Buddy Bonuses

When you transfer a Pokémon, you receive Candy for that Pokémon's type. A standard transfer gives you one Candy. However, if the Pokémon you are transferring is currently your Buddy — the Pokémon that walks with you and earns Candy as you move — you will receive three Candy instead of one.

This means if you have a Buddy Pokémon you no longer want to walk with, you can switch to a different Buddy and then transfer the old one to get the three-Candy bonus. This is a common strategy for gathering Candy quickly when you are close to evolving or powering up a Pokémon.

What Happens to Pokémon You Transfer

Once you transfer a Pokémon, it is permanently removed from your collection. You will not see it in your Pokédex as "caught" anymore — the entry will show as uncaught again. If you want to have that Pokémon in your collection later, you will need to catch it again in the wild or through other in-game methods.

This is why it is important to check a Pokémon's stats and moves before transferring. If you accidentally transfer a Pokémon with high stats or rare moves, the only way to get it back is to catch another one and hope it has similar or better stats.

Protecting Pokémon from Accidental Transfer

Pokémon Go includes a feature to prevent you from accidentally transferring a Pokémon you want to keep. On a Pokémon's detail screen, tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner and select "Favorite." A star icon will appear next to the Pokémon's name. Favorited Pokémon cannot be transferred — if you try to transfer one, the app will show an error message and block the transfer.

This is especially useful for Pokémon with high stats, rare moves, or ones you are actively training for battles. You can unfavorite a Pokémon at any time using the same menu if you later decide you want to transfer it.

Storage Limits and When to Transfer

Your Pokémon storage has a maximum capacity. The default limit is 250 Pokémon, though you can increase it by spending PokéCoins (the in-game currency you buy with real money) in the shop. When you reach your storage limit, you cannot catch new Pokémon until you transfer or release some of your current ones.

Many players transfer duplicate Pokémon regularly to stay below their storage limit and to gather Candy for the Pokémon they are actively training. If you are unsure whether to keep a Pokémon, check its Individual Values (IV) using the appraisal feature — tap the three-dot menu and select "Appraise" to see how strong it is compared to others of the same type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a transferred Pokémon back?

No. Once you transfer a Pokémon to Professor Willow, it is gone permanently. You cannot undo the transfer or retrieve it from storage. If you want that Pokémon again, you must catch another one in the wild or obtain it through other in-game methods.

How much Candy do I get for transferring?

You normally receive one Candy for each Pokémon you transfer. If the Pokémon is your current Buddy, you receive three Candy instead. The Candy type always matches the Pokémon's type — transferring a Pikachu gives you Pikachu Candy, for example.

What is the difference between transferring and releasing?

In Pokémon Go, transferring and releasing are the same action. When you transfer a Pokémon to Professor Willow, you are releasing it from your collection. The app uses the word "transfer" in the interface, but the outcome is identical.

Will transferring a Pokémon affect my Pokédex?

Transferring removes the Pokémon from your active collection, but it does not erase the Pokédex entry showing you have caught that species before. Your Pokédex will still show the species as "caught," even if you no longer own one.

Can I transfer Pokémon to other players?

No. You can only transfer Pokémon to Professor Willow through the in-game transfer feature. There is no way to trade or send Pokémon directly to other players through the transfer system. Trading is a separate feature that requires both players to be nearby and to initiate a trade through the game's trading interface.