Poké Ball Plus Guide

This page explains how to use your Poké Ball Plus accessory with Pokémon Let's Go and Pokémon GO.

Charging the Poké Ball Plus

There is a small notch to the left of the strap of the Poké Ball Plus. Put your finger in the notch and pull on the white part below your finger to pull the white part open. The white part is attached to the Poké Ball Plus, so don't try to pull it all the way off.

After opening the white part, you can either connect the Poké Ball Plus to your Nintendo Switch Dock with the included USB charging cable, or plug the Poké Ball Plus into the Nintendo Switch AC Adapter, or connect the included USB charging cable to any USB port and the Poké Ball Plus.

When you plug in the Poké Ball Plus, it will play the "healing Pokémon in a Pokémon Center" sound.

Checking the Charge of Poké Ball Plus

To check how much charge the Poké Ball Plus currently has, press and hold both the control stick and the top button for at least three seconds (the control stick is the raised button on the opposite side of the Poké Ball Plus from the strap, and the top button is in the middle of the red half of the Poké Ball Plus). If the area around the control stick glows red, the battery is 33% or lower, if it glows yellow, the battery is between 33% and 66%, and if it glows green, the battery is 66% or higher. Press the control stick again to turn off the charging indicator light.

How to Pair the Poké Ball Plus with Nintendo Switch

To pair the Poké Ball Plus with your Nintendo Switch, open your game of Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu or Pokémon Let's Go Eevee, and when it shows you the control selection screen, press one of the buttons on the Poké Ball Plus (either the white control stick or the red top button). After a moment, the Poké Ball Plus will be paired and ready for use. You can also switch to the Poké Ball Plus at any time if you press X to go to the menu, press Y to go to the options screen, and choose "Open Controller Settings", then press a button on the Poké Ball Plus.

How to Adjust the Poké Ball Plus Strap and Ring

Use the small round button on the strap to adjust the size of the opening at the end of the strap. Put your wrist through the opening and use the round button to tighten the strap around your wrist. Put one of your fingers through the ring on the strap (whichever one feels most comfortable).

How to Hold Poké Ball Plus

Put your thumb on the control stick and your index finger on the top button.

How to use Poké Ball Plus Controls in Pokémon Let's Go

The top button (red button) can be used as the B button (back button). The control stick can be used as a joystick, and can also be pressed like a button—it's the A button (confirm button). You can also press the top button to open and close the menu. While in the menu, shake the Poké Ball Plus twice to open the options screen.

How to Mute Poké Ball Plus

Poké Ball Plus can only be muted while in stroll mode (see below). It can't be muted while playing the game. To mute sounds from the Poké Ball Plus while in stroll mode, press the top button and the control stick simultaneously. If you did it correctly, the Poké Ball Plus will make a long vibration. You can unmute it by pressing the top button and the control stick simultaneously again. If you did it correctly, the Poké Ball Plus will make two short vibrations. You can check whether it is muted or not by plugging it in to charge or by playing with the pokémon that is with you on a stroll (see below).

Catching Pokémon with Poké Ball Plus in Pokémon Let's Go

To catch a pokémon with the Poké Ball Plus in Pokémon Let's Go, when you encounter a wild pokémon, choose "Get Ready", then raise the Poké Ball Plus over your shoulder, then swing it downward (don't let go). You will throw a Poké Ball in the game. If you didn't catch the pokémon, you can choose "Get Ready" and try again.

How to Get Mew from your Poké Ball Plus

For a limited time, new Poké Ball Plus will come with a Mew. After you pair the Poké Ball Plus with Pokémon Let's Go for the first time, you will hear Mew's cry from the Poké Ball Plus, and the game will give you information on getting Mew. Before you can get Mew, you need to battle your rival to unlock the Communicate menu. Then make sure that your Nintendo Switch can connect to the Internet, then go into the Communicate menu, choose Mystery Gifts, then choose the new option, "Get with a Poké Ball Plus". Follow the instructions on screen to receive Mew.

Taking a Pokémon for a Stroll

In Pokémon Let's Go, if you have connected a Poké Ball Plus and you have battled your rival at least once, and you have received your Mew from the Poké Ball Plus (if any), go to the Save menu and choose "Take your Pokémon for a stroll". Follow the on screen instructions to connect your Poké Ball Plus, then press the control stick. You can choose your partner pokémon, or any pokémon from your box, to go for a stroll. A copy of that pokémon will go into your Poké Ball Plus (you can still use that pokémon in the game, even if it is also in your Poké Ball Plus).

Play With Pokémon on a Stroll

If there is a pokémon in your Poké Ball Plus, you can play with your pokémon by holding down the control stick until it lights up in the color of your pokémon. Then shake the pokéball until it shows rainbow colors, or rotate the control stick until it shows rainbow colors, to earn rewards that you will get when you send your pokémon back to the game.

If you have connected your Poké Ball Plus to Pokémon GO on your smartphone, and there is a pokémon in your Poké Ball Plus, you will get extra rewards for using the Poké Ball Plus to interact with Pokémon GO.

To return from a stroll, go to the save menu and choose "Take your Pokémon for a stroll". You will be asked if you want to remove the pokémon from your Poké Ball Plus. If you say yes, any rewards or experience that your pokémon got during the stroll will be sent to your Pokémon Let's Go game on Nintendo Switch.

How to Connect Your Poké Ball Plus to Pokémon Go

On your smartphone, open Pokémon GO, tap the Poké Ball icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap the gearwheel icon in the upper right to go to Settings, then scroll down and tap Poké Ball Plus. Press a button on your Poké Ball Plus, and it will appear in the list of Available Devices in Pokémon GO. Tap it, then change your location or privacy settings if prompted. Then go back to the map in Pokémon GO and tap the Poké Ball icon in the upper right corner, and press a button on your Poké Ball Plus to connect it to Pokémon GO (be sure to connect it each time you play, because it disconnects when you close the app).

How to Use Your Poké Ball Plus with Pokémon GO

After you connect your Poké Ball Plus to Pokémon GO, make sure the Pokémon GO app is active or running in the background of your smartphone. If you close the app, your Poké Ball Plus will be disconnected, and you will have to reopen the app and tap the Poké Ball icon in the upper right to connect it again.

Whenever the Poké Ball Plus lights up, press the top button (the red button) to spin Pokéstops and catch pokémon. The chart below explains what the colors mean. Please note that when using Poké Ball Plus to catch pokémon in Pokémon GO, it will always use a regular Poké Ball. You can't change it to use Great Balls, Ultra Balls, or any other kind.

Color Meaning
Blue You are near a Poké Stop. Press the top button to spin the Poké Stop.
Green A pokémon is nearby. It is a type of pokémon that you have caught before. Press the top button to try to catch it.
Yellow A pokémon is nearby. It is a type of pokémon that you have NOT caught before. Press the top button to try to catch it.
White You are in the process of trying to capture a pokémon. Or, you tried to spin a Poké Stop but your bag (in Pokémon GO) was full.
Multicolor You successfully caught a pokémon or successfully got items from a Poké Stop.
Red The pokémon ran away, or you ran out of Poké Balls (in Pokémon GO), or you are out of range of the Poké Stop that you tried to spin, or your pokémon storage is full (in Pokémon GO), or you have lost your Internet connection.