Pokemon Home PokedexSource: iMore

With Pokémon Sword and Shield, there are now nearly 1,000 Pokémon to catch. And if you're trying to catch 'em all, you need a place to store them. Enter Pokémon HOME, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company's modern answer to Pokémon Bank. Pokémon HOME is a free (well, free with an additional paid subscription on top of it) cloud storage service. It not only gives all your Pokémon a literal "home" outside of their respective games but also lets you transfer Pokémon between games. Including Sword and Shield.

Products used in this guide

How to transfer to and from Pokémon Sword and Shield

First, make sure you have Pokémon HOME set up on your Nintendo Switch. If you need help with that follow this guide.

  1. If you have a physical copy of Pokémon Sword or Shield, place it in the cartridge slot.

  2. Open Pokémon Home from the main Switch menu.

    Pokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtlePokemon Home How To Transfer From Pokemon BankSource: Rebecca Spear / iMore and iMore

  3. Press A to get past the start screen.

  4. This screen will appear. Select Pokémon.

    Pokemon Home SwitchPokemon Home Using Pokemon Bank No 3dsSource: iMore

  5. Choose the game you want to transfer to.

  6. Select Yes

    Pokemon Home Transfer To From Sword ShieldPokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtleSource: iMore

  7. Your Pokémon Boxes will appear. Select the Pokémon you wish to transfer.
    • Note that you can transfer both into or out of Pokémon HOME at this point. If the Pokémon cannot be transferred to Sword or Shield a red circle with a line through it will appear on the top right side of the Pokémon.

  8. Deposit the Pokémon into one of your Boxes.

    Pokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtlePokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtleSource: iMore

  9. When you're done selecting Pokémon, press the + icon to exit.

  10. Select Save changes and exit.

    Pokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtlePokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtleSource: Rebecca Spear / iMore and iMore

  11. Press A when the screen reads "Your Boxes have been saved!" You've completed the transfer. Now you can either use those Pokémon in Sword or Shield or interact with them in Pokémon HOME.

    Pokemon Sword Shield How To Get Bulbasaur SquirtleSource: iMore

Keep in mind that if you're trying to transfer Pokémon from outside games like Pokémon Let's Go! or earlier titles via Pokémon Bank, you might not be able to bring every Pokémon into Sword and Shield. Only Pokémon that are already available in the Galar Regional Pokedex, plus a handful of legendaries and other special Pokémon, can be brought forward. However, any Pokémon that is available in Sword and Shield can be stored in Pokémon HOME.

Once you've moved your Pokémon to Pokémon HOME, you can also access those monsters using Pokémon HOME through the free Pokémon HOME app for iOS.

Everything you need to catch literally all of them

If you're after every Pokémon that's ever existed, you'll need the games to find them, and the home to store them in:

Slice them down!

Pokémon Sword

Battle your way to the top

Pokémon Sword is one of two versions of the latest generation of Pokémon games. Journey through the U.K.-based Galar region, collect eight badges, battle rival trainers and the enthusiastic Team Yell, and catch as many Pokémon as you can.

Defend your world!

Pokémon Shield

Defend the Galar region

Pokémon Shield is just like Pokémon Sword in terms of plot, characters, and mechanics, but many Pokémon are exclusive to either version. If you're after monsters like Galarian Ponyta or past favorites like Goomy, this is the version to pick up.

Accessories for hours of Pokemon adventures

It takes time to catch 'em all. If you're going for a full Pokemon Sword and Shield Pokedex, you'll want to be comfortable and ready to travel anywhere.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($70 at Amazon)

Not just for 'pros'

The Nintendo Switch Pro controller is a must-have for anyone who feels even a touch uncomfortable with the Joy-Cons for long gaming sessions. It's the shape of a standard controller and has the same layout and features as two Joy-Cons paired together.

Official Switch Deluxe Travel Case ($20 at Amazon)

Keep it safe

Pokémon Sword and Shield are great games for long trips, but you need to keep your Switch protected and your tiny Switch cartridges from getting lost. The official travel case has space to store the Switch itself, multiple physical games, and a pouch for accessories like extra Joy-Cons or a stylus.

amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector ($8 at Amazon)

Playing in handheld mode? Keep the screen on the Nintendo Switch from getting scratched or smudged with screen protectors. This set includes two for a reasonably low cost.

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