How to Trade From Pokémon Shield to Pokémon Sword

Choose the Games that You Want to Trade Between

To begin, choose the game to trade from, OR use the form below.

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TO:

This page explains how to trade from Pokémon Shield to Pokémon Sword.

What You Need

Each player needs a Nintendo Switch. For faraway trades, both players need an Internet connection.

In-Game Requirements

Before you can trade from Pokémon Shield to Pokémon Sword, you need to receive the Dynamax Band from Professor Magnolia on Route 2.

How to Trade

If you want to trade with a player who is far away, make sure both players can connect to the Internet. For Internet trades, both players must have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription. If you want to trade with a player who is nearby, make sure that both players have wireless turned on.

Open Y-Comm

To trade, start by pressing Y on the controller to open the Y-Comm.

If you want to trade with a nearby player, choose Link Trade and select "Start trading". In the bottom-left of the screen, you will see the message "Searching..." while it searches for other players. A nearby player using Link Trade will be selected at random. (To trade with a specific player, see Link Trade with Link Code below.)

When another player is found, your Pokémon boxes will be displayed. Choose the pokémon that you want to trade, and choose "Trade it". When the other player chooses the pokémon that they want to trade, you will see which pokémon they selected. If you are ready to trade, choose "Trade it".

If you want to trade with a specific player nearby, choose Link Trade and select "Set Link Code", then enter a 4-digit number. The person that you want to trade with must enter the same 4-digit number. In the bottom-left of the screen, you will see the message "Searching..." while it searches for other players.

When another player is found, your Pokémon boxes will be displayed. Choose the pokémon that you want to trade, and choose "Trade it". When the other player chooses the pokémon that they want to trade, you will see which pokémon they selected. If you are ready to trade, choose "Trade it".

Trade Over the Internet

For Internet trades, open Y-Comm and press + to connect to the Internet. You can then use the above methods to trade with a random player on the Internet or with a specific player on the Internet using a Link Code.