Pokemon Legends Z-A and Pokemon Home Transfers Explained

Updated 5 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Pokemon Legends Z-A and Pokemon Home transfers work through the Pokemon Home app, which lets you move compatible Pokemon between the Nintendo Switch games and the mobile version. You can send Pokemon from Pokemon Legends Z-A into Pokemon Home, and you can bring Pokemon from other compatible games into Legends Z-A, but only if they appear in the Lumiose City regional dex. This guide explains exactly how the transfer process works, what is and isn’t allowed, and what to expect when the game launches.

What Is Pokemon Home and How Does It Connect to Legends Z-A?

Pokemon Home is a cloud-based storage service for Pokemon, available as a free and paid app on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. It acts as a central hub that links many Pokemon games, including Pokemon Sword/Shield, Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus, Scarlet/Violet, and now Legends Z-A. When you open Home on your Switch, you see a list of compatible games; selecting Legends Z-A opens its specific boxes, letting you move Pokemon in and out.

For Legends Z-A, the connection works the same way as previous titles. You need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to use the online features of Home, including transferring Pokemon between games. The mobile version of Home is used for trading and for receiving certain Mystery Gifts, but the actual game-to-game transfers happen on the Switch version.

How to Transfer Pokemon From Legends Z-A to Home

To move Pokemon out of Legends Z-A into Home, follow these steps:

Save your game in Legends Z-A and close it completely.
Open Pokemon Home on your Nintendo Switch.
Select “Pokemon” from the main menu, then choose “Legends Z-A” from the list of games.
You will see the boxes from your save file. Select the Pokemon you want to move.
Move them to the Home storage boxes (the basic boxes are available to all users, even free tier).
Press the “Save” button to confirm the transfer. The Pokemon are now stored in Home.

Important: Once you move a Pokemon out of Legends Z-A, you cannot move it back into the game unless it is in the regional dex and the game supports it. The transfer is one-way from the game to Home, but two-way if the Pokemon is compatible with the destination game.

How to Transfer Pokemon From Home to Legends Z-A

To bring Pokemon into Legends Z-A, you must first check if the Pokemon is available in the game. The game has a specific Lumiose City regional dex (the list of Pokemon that appear in the game). Only Pokemon in that dex can be transferred in. If a Pokemon is not in the dex, Home will block the transfer and show an error message.

To transfer from Home to Legends Z-A:

Open Home on your Switch and select “Pokemon.”
Choose “Legends Z-A” as the destination game.
Select the Pokemon from your Home boxes that you want to move.
Move them into the Legends Z-A boxes.
Save and close Home, then open Legends Z-A. The Pokemon will be in your PC boxes.

Note: Some Pokemon may have special restrictions. For example, Mythical Pokemon (like Mew or Celebi) often cannot be transferred unless they are obtained from an official distribution. Also, Pokemon that have moves not present in Legends Z-A may be blocked or have their moves altered.

What Pokemon Can Be Transferred? The Lumiose Dex Rule

The core rule for transfers into Legends Z-A is the regional dex. The game features a set of Pokemon that appear in and around Lumiose City, and only those are eligible to be transferred in. This is similar to how Pokemon Sword/Shield had a Galar dex and how Scarlet/Violet had a Paldea dex (plus the DLC dexes).

When you try to transfer a Pokemon that is not in the dex, Home will not allow it. You will see a message like “This Pokemon cannot be moved to this game.” This is a hard block, not a warning. There is no way to bypass it, even if the Pokemon exists in the game’s code but is not in the dex.

For Pokemon that are in the dex, there are no level restrictions. You can transfer a level 100 Pokemon into a new save file, but it will not obey you until you have the appropriate number of Gym Badges (or in this case, the equivalent progress in the story). This is a standard mechanic in all Pokemon games.

Transferring From Other Games to Legends Z-A

You can also bring Pokemon from other compatible games into Legends Z-A, provided they are in the Lumiose dex. For example, if you have a Pikachu from Pokemon Scarlet, you can move it to Home and then into Legends Z-A, as long as Pikachu is in the regional dex.

However, there are a few things to watch out for:

Pokemon with Hisuian forms (like Hisuian Zorua) may not be transferable if the regional form is different in Legends Z-A. The game likely has its own forms or uses the standard forms.
Pokemon with moves that don’t exist in Legends Z-A will have those moves removed or replaced with a default move like “Struggle.” This is a long-standing rule in Pokemon transfers.
Pokemon from Pokemon GO can be transferred to Home, but they must be in the Lumiose dex to go into Legends Z-A. Also, Pokemon from GO cannot be sent back to GO once in Home.

Common Transfer Problems and Solutions

Many players run into issues when transferring. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them:

Pokemon won’t move to Legends Z-A: Check the regional dex. If the Pokemon is not in the dex, it’s blocked. Also check if it has a move that isn’t in the game; if so, try deleting the move in Home (available in the paid version) before transferring.
Transfer says “This Pokemon cannot be moved”: This usually means the Pokemon is not in the destination game’s dex. It could also be a special Pokemon like a Spiky-Eared Pichu (which is not transferable at all).
Pokemon disappears from Home after transferring: This is normal. The Pokemon is now in the game’s save file. To see it again in Home, you need to transfer it back.
Home says “No compatible games found”: Make sure you have opened Legends Z-A at least once and saved your game. Home only recognizes games that have a save file.
Can’t use the GTS with Legends Z-A Pokemon: The GTS (Global Trade System) in Home works with Pokemon from any game, but you cannot request a Pokemon that isn’t in the destination game’s dex if you want to trade it into Legends Z-A.

Costs and Limits of Pokemon Home

Pokemon Home has a free tier and a paid premium tier. The free tier gives you access to one basic box (30 Pokemon) and allows you to transfer Pokemon between games, but with limitations. The premium tier (paid subscription) gives you 200 boxes (6,000 Pokemon), allows you to use the Judge function, and lets you transfer Pokemon from Pokemon Bank (the 3DS service) via the mobile app.

For Legends Z-A, you do not need the premium tier to transfer Pokemon. The free tier is enough to move Pokemon between the game and Home. However, if you want to hold more than 30 Pokemon in Home or use the GTS, you’ll need the premium plan.

There is no additional cost for the Legends Z-A connection itself. The only costs are the game, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription (required for online features), and optionally the Home premium subscription.

Safety and Precautions

When transferring Pokemon, always make sure you are using the official Pokemon Home app from the Nintendo eShop or the App Store/Google Play. Avoid third-party tools or hacked Pokemon, as they can corrupt your save data or get you banned from online services.

Also, be aware that Pokemon transferred from older games may have illegal moves or abilities if they were hacked. The official transfer system will block illegal Pokemon, but some hacked Pokemon may slip through. Using them in online battles can result in penalties.

Always back up your save data if possible (using the game’s backup feature or Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves, though Pokemon games often do not support cloud saves). Keep your Home account linked to a Nintendo Account to avoid losing access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer Pokemon from Legends Z-A to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Yes, if the Pokemon is available in Scarlet/Violet. You need to move the Pokemon from Legends Z-A to Home, then from Home to Scarlet/Violet. The same regional dex rule applies: the Pokemon must be in the Paldea dex (or the DLC dexes) to be transferred in.

Will my Pokemon keep their moves and stats when transferring?

Yes, moves, stats, abilities, and natures are preserved. However, if a move doesn’t exist in the destination game, it will be replaced with a default move (usually “Struggle”). Also, some Pokemon may have their forms changed (e.g., a Hisuian form may revert to a standard form if the game doesn’t support it).

Is there a level limit for transferring Pokemon into Legends Z-A?

No, you can transfer any level. However, if the Pokemon’s level is higher than what your current badge count allows, it will not obey you in battle until you progress further in the game. This is a standard mechanic.

Can I transfer Mythical Pokemon like Mew or Celebi into Legends Z-A?

Only if they are in the Lumiose dex. Many Mythical Pokemon are not in regional dexes, so they cannot be transferred. If a Mythical is in the dex, you can transfer it, but you must have obtained it from an official distribution (not hacked).

Do I need Nintendo Switch Online to use Pokemon Home?

Yes, to use the online features of Home on the Switch, including transferring Pokemon between games, you need an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The mobile version of Home does not require it for basic use, but trading with other players does.

What happens to my Pokemon if I cancel my Home subscription?

Your Pokemon remain in Home, but you can only access the basic boxes (30 Pokemon). If you have more than 30, you can withdraw them, but you cannot add new ones until you resubscribe or reduce your count. You can still transfer Pokemon from games to Home, but you may not be able to access all of them.

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