ThisCalculator

Everyday

Transfer Legendary Pokémon Between Games With HOME

Updated · Standard formula, shown below

Transfer Legendary Pokémon Between Games With HOME

Pokémon HOME can store many Legendary Pokémon and move eligible ones between compatible games, but it does not make every Pokémon usable in every title. You will need HOME on Nintendo Switch, the destination game, and—if the Pokémon is coming from a 3DS game—the Pokémon Bank transfer service. Check compatibility before moving a Pokémon out of a game where you still need it.

What You’ll Need

  • A Nintendo Account and Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch. The mobile app is useful for viewing your collection, but game-to-HOME transfers are done in the Switch version.
  • The source and destination games installed on the same Switch user profile as HOME. Not every Pokémon game works with HOME, and compatibility varies by game.
  • A Pokémon HOME Basic or Premium Plan. Basic has limited storage; Premium provides more boxes and is required for certain transfers from Pokémon Bank.
  • For Pokémon from Pokémon GO, a linked Pokémon GO account and access to its GO Transporter. For Nintendo 3DS Pokémon, Pokémon Bank and the 3DS transfer route are required; availability depends on the services and software already accessible to you.
  • A destination game that supports the Pokémon species. Some Legendary Pokémon cannot be deposited into or withdrawn to certain games, even if HOME can store them.

Step-by-Step

  1. Check the route and destination first. Decide where the Legendary is now and which game should receive it. Look up whether that species is supported by the destination game and whether it can be transferred there from HOME. A Pokémon GO-origin Legendary may have an additional restriction: to transfer it into a main-series game, you may first need to register that species in the destination game’s Pokédex or obtain it there through another method. HOME will show a warning or prevent the move when a restriction applies.
  2. Open Pokémon HOME on your Switch. Start HOME using the Nintendo Switch user profile associated with your games and Nintendo Account. Choose Pokémon to access the storage boxes. If prompted, select the game you want to connect to. HOME can access compatible save data on the console even if that save belongs to the selected user, so make sure you choose the correct game and profile.
  3. Move the Legendary from the source game into HOME. In the box view, select the source game from the game selector. Find the Pokémon in a party or box, pick it up, and place it in a HOME box. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm and save changes. If it is in your party, you may need to move it into a box first, depending on the game and transfer screen. Do not close the software before the save finishes.
  4. For Pokémon GO, send it to HOME separately. In Pokémon GO, open Settings, choose Connected Devices and Services, then Pokémon HOME, and follow the prompts to link accounts. Select the Pokémon in GO and send it using the GO Transporter. Energy is required; Legendary Pokémon may use more energy than ordinary Pokémon. After the transfer, claim the arriving Pokémon in the Switch version of HOME. This transfer is one-way: a Pokémon sent from GO cannot be returned to GO.
  5. For a Nintendo 3DS Pokémon, use the Bank route. Move the Pokémon into Pokémon Bank, then use the transfer option to send selected Pokémon to HOME. Follow the instructions displayed by Bank and HOME; this route is one-way, so a Pokémon sent from Bank cannot go back to Bank or a 3DS game. Do not erase the relevant software or data before confirming the transfer. A Premium Plan is needed for the Bank-to-HOME transfer feature, and this route is only practical if you can still access the required software and service.
  6. Save and verify in HOME. After arranging the Pokémon in a HOME box, press the on-screen save option and wait for the confirmation. Reopen the box view and check that the Legendary is present, with the correct name and details. If it came from GO or Bank, make sure you claimed or completed the transfer rather than leaving it pending.
  7. Withdraw it into the destination game. Select the destination game in HOME’s game selector. Place the Legendary into a box belonging to that game, then confirm and save. Launch the game and check its boxes. A Pokémon must be compatible with the game, and some moves may be changed or unavailable when it moves between titles. HOME does not transfer held items, so remove any item you want to keep before moving the Pokémon.

Common Mistakes

  • Assuming every Legendary works in every game. HOME storage compatibility and game compatibility are different. A Pokémon can remain in HOME but be blocked from a particular title.
  • Expecting a two-way transfer. Pokémon GO-to-HOME and Bank-to-HOME transfers are one-way. Moving a Pokémon from a Switch game to HOME is generally reversible only if the destination game supports it; some game-specific transfers can have additional limits.
  • Using the wrong Switch profile. HOME may show save data from the profile you selected. Check the displayed game and user before moving anything.
  • Forgetting that items stay behind. Held items are returned to the source game’s bag or otherwise cannot travel with the Pokémon through HOME.
  • Confusing HOME with a game’s trading feature. Moving between your own compatible saves is different from trading with another player. HOME’s boxes do not automatically place a Pokémon into a game.

Tips

  • Take a screenshot or note the Pokémon’s original game, level, moves, and held item before transferring, especially if you may want to return it.
  • Move one test Pokémon first if you are unfamiliar with the box controls. Confirm the save and destination before moving a large group.
  • Use HOME’s search and labels to keep track of Legendary Pokémon, but verify each one in the destination game after transfer.
  • Keep HOME open until it reports that changes have been saved. Avoid powering off the Switch or interrupting a transfer.
  • For GO transfers, check the Transporter’s energy before selecting a Legendary. You may need to wait for energy to recharge or use the in-game option to refill it.

Troubleshooting

The Pokémon does not appear in the destination game: Return to HOME and confirm it is in that game’s box, not only in a general HOME box. Reopen the game selector, choose the destination save, place it in a compatible box, and save. Then restart the game if necessary.

HOME will not let you place it in the game: The species may not be supported in that title, or a GO-origin Pokémon may not meet the game’s registration requirement. Read the on-screen message and verify the species-specific compatibility. Do not repeatedly move it between boxes hoping to bypass a restriction.

The source game or save is missing: Check that you launched HOME with the expected Switch user and that the game has saved data on that console. Update HOME and the game through the console’s software update options, then reopen HOME. A game absent from HOME’s selector may not be compatible.

A GO Pokémon is not arriving: Confirm that GO and HOME are linked to the intended Nintendo Account, then check HOME’s incoming transfer prompt or Gift Box. Ensure the GO transfer finished and that the Transporter had enough energy. Transfers cannot be reversed after sending.

The Bank transfer option is unavailable: Bank transfers depend on access to the required 3DS software and service, and HOME’s Premium Plan is required. Follow the transfer instructions shown in the software; if you cannot access Bank or its required features, HOME cannot retrieve the Pokémon directly from a 3DS game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a Legendary Pokémon between two Switch games?
Yes, if both games are compatible with HOME and the species is supported in the destination. Move it from the source save into HOME, then into the destination save.

Can I move a Legendary back to its original game?
Usually, if that game is compatible and the Pokémon is allowed there. GO-to-HOME and Bank-to-HOME transfers are one-way, and some game-specific restrictions can apply.

Do I need Pokémon HOME Premium?
Not always. Basic provides limited storage and supports many Switch-game transfers. Premium is needed for expanded storage and the Pokémon Bank transfer feature.

Can I transfer a Legendary from Pokémon GO?
Yes, if it can be sent using the GO Transporter and the destination accepts it. The transfer is one-way, and a GO-origin Pokémon may need to be registered in the destination game first.

Do Legendary Pokémon keep their moves and items?
Held items do not travel through HOME. Moves can be adjusted or replaced when a Pokémon enters another game, so check its move set after withdrawing it.

Can HOME transfer a Pokémon directly from one game to another?
HOME is the middle step: deposit it into HOME, save, select the other compatible game, then withdraw it into that game’s box.

Related

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.