What You Need to Know About Remote Trades in Pokemon Go, Explained

For a long time, Pokémon Go players have wanted the ability to trade Pokémon remotely, and it’s finally happening! Niantic recently announced that remote trading is coming to the game. A small group of players in New Zealand are already testing it out, and it will be gradually released to everyone else. As with many new features in Pokémon Go, the system can be a little complicated, but we have some early information to help you prepare for when it becomes available.

Trading Pokémon remotely in Pokémon Go is getting a few changes. You’ll now need a higher friendship level with the other player to trade from a distance, and there will be a limit on how many remote trades you can do. I’m here to explain all the details about this new feature and offer some advice on how to get ready for remote trading, even if it’s not available where you are just yet.

When Is Remote Trading Coming to Pokemon Go?

Remote trading in Pokémon Go became available to players in test regions, starting with New Zealand on December 8th. This feature is being released gradually, and it’s currently unknown if or when more test regions will be included.

Niantic hasn’t announced a specific date for the worldwide release of this feature. They’ll share more details later, so it’s currently unknown how long the testing phase will continue before everyone can use remote trades.

How Do Remote Trades Work in Pokemon Go

I’ve been following the news about remote trades in Pokémon GO, and even though it’s still limited to a few players, Niantic has explained how they work pretty well. Plus, those who are using it have been sharing their experiences, so I think we’re getting a really good picture of what it’s like and what to expect when it rolls out to everyone!

To trade with friends remotely in Pokémon Go, you’ll need to become “Forever Friends” – a level beyond being “Best Friends.” You can now track your progress towards this using a new Friendship points system. Reaching this highest friendship level unlocks benefits like extra XP and, importantly, allows you to trade Pokémon even when you’re far apart.

You can start trading with friends remotely by building up friendship points with your Forever Friends. However, you can only have one remote trade available at a time. So, you’ll need to complete a trade with a friend before you can earn another one with them – you can’t save up multiple trades.

After trading is enabled, you’ll need to mark the Pokémon you’re offering with a special “Remote Trade” tag. This allows your friends to see which Pokémon you have available and choose the ones they want. This is especially helpful since the game doesn’t have a built-in way to chat like you can when trading face-to-face.

Which Pokemon Can Be Remote Traded

There are a few limits on which Pokémon can be traded with your friends online. Here’s a list of Pokémon that cannot be traded remotely:

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
Pokémon placed at Pokemon Playgrounds

Certain Pokémon are already banned from in-person trading, like Mythical Pokémon and those previously traded. However, some restrictions only apply to remote trades. It’s currently unknown if Purified Shadow Pokémon will be allowed in remote trades or if they’ll face the same limitations as regular Shadow Pokémon.

What to Do to Prepare for Remote Trades

If you can’t trade remotely in Pokémon Go just yet, don’t worry! There are steps you can take now to prepare your account for when the feature becomes available in your region. Here are a few suggestions to get you ready.

Review Friend List & Level Up Friendships

Take a look at your friend list and see who’s close to becoming a Best Friend. Sending gifts and completing Weekly Challenges with them will help you reach that status faster. This will make it easier to become Forever Friends when the trading feature is released.

We’re increasing the maximum number of friends you can have! It’s going up from 450 to 650 over the next few weeks. This is a good time to add new friends, which will give you more opportunities for remote trading. If you’re looking to trade for Pokémon specific to certain regions, consider adding friends from those areas and becoming ‘Forever Friends’ with them.

Tag Pokemon You Want to Trade

It’s also helpful to organize your Pokémon and decide which ones you’re willing to trade. You can use tags to label Pokémon in your storage, making them easier to find later. Getting this done now will let you quickly start trading with others when remote trading becomes available.

Now that remote trading is here in Pokémon Go, we want to hear what you think! Share your thoughts and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum.

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2025-12-10 20:43