Pokémon GO
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Scraping together enough candy to evolve a new Pokémon can be a grind. But to bring more fun to filling your Pokédex, a handful of creatures need a little extra attention before they’ll blossom into their next form.

Evolving Pokémon using items has always been part of Pokémon GO. But recently Niantic has introduced more interesting ways to evolve Pokémon – and if the online rumours from data miners are true, this number will swell as more creatures are introduced.

We’ll update this guide as more special evolutions are introduced. But, for now, here’s everything you need for evolution expertise that would put Darwin to shame.

Special Buddy Tasks To Evolve Pokémon

Pokémon GO
Image: The Pokémon Company

To complete these tasks, make the Pokémon you want to evolve your buddy.

To check your progress, select your buddy from your Pokémon storage and you’ll see an update below the ‘evolve’ button.

Pancham to Pangoro

To evolve Pancham into Pangoro, you need to make Pancham your buddy and catch 32 dark type Pokémon.

You’ll also need 50 Pancham candy.

At the moment dark types are pretty scarce – but you can catch Alolan Rattata and Purloin in the wild.

You can also catch dark type Pokémon in battles with Team GO Rocket grunts and leaders, including Houndour, Houndoom, Murkrow and Sneasel.

Eevee to Sylveon

To evolve Eevee into Sylveon, you need to make Eevee your buddy and earn 70 hearts.

You’ll also need 25 Eevee candy.

To earn hearts you can:

  • Walk with Eevee for 5km
  • Take a photo of Eevee
  • Play with Eevee (do this when taking a photo by rubbing Eevee’s head until a heart appears)
  • Giving your buddy a treat (you can give your buddy a quick treat without using the camera, or by feeding it berries when taking a photo)
  • Using your buddy in a gym battle
  • Spinning a PokéStop you haven’t visited before

It takes time, but if you earn hearts each day it won’t be long until Sylveon is yours.

Spritzee to Aromatisse

To evolve Spritzee to Aromatisse, use 1 incense when Spritzee is your buddy.

You’ll also need 50 Spritzee candy.

Swirlix to Slurpuff

To evolve Swirlix to Slurpuff, feed your buddy Swirlix 25 berries.

You’ll also need 50 Swirlix candy.

You can feed your buddy 3 berries as a quick treat, or by tossing as many berries as you like to Swirlix when taking a photo.

It doesn’t matter what berries you use, and you can feed it 25 berries in one gluttonous sitting. Swirlix loves to be stuffed with fruit!

Galarian Farfetch’d to Sirfetch'd

To evolve Galarian Farfetch’d into Sirfetch’d, you need to make Galarian Farfetch’d your buddy and make 10 excellent throws.

See our throwing tips on how to get excellent throws.

You’ll also need 50 Farfetch’d candy.

Galarian Yamask to Galarian Cofagrigus

To evolve Galarian Yamask into Galarian Cofagrigus, you need to make Galarian Yamask your buddy and take part in 10 raids.

You’ll also need 50 Yamask candy.

At the moment you can easily do solo battles against Klink, Bronzor, Shieldon and Cranidos to rack up your raids. If you’re lucky, you might even get invited to an Unown (U) 1 star raid.

Galarian Slowpoke to Galarian Slowbro

See our full guide on Galarian Slowpoke and how to evolve it into Galarian Slowbro.

Buddy Pokémon You Need To Walk With And The Distances Required

Pokémon GO
Image: The Pokémon Company

Eevee to Espeon or Umbreon

If you haven’t done so already, you can evolve Eevee into Espeon or Umbreon using the naming trick. But you can only do this once.

Otherwise you first need to walk 10k with your Eevee buddy. Then if you evolve Eevee:

  • During the day, it will transform into Espeon
  • At night, it will change into Umbreon

You will also need 25 Eevee candy to evolve Eevee into Umbreon or Espeon.

On the Pokémon storage screen for your buddy Eevee, it will tell you on the ‘evolve’ button if you’ll get Espeon or Umbreon. It’s hard to make a mistake.

Feebas to Milotic

To evolve Feebas into Milotic, you need to make Feebas your buddy and walk 20km.

You’ll also need 100 Feebas candy.

Mime Jr. to Mr Mime

To evolve Mime Jr. into Mr Mime, you need to make Mime Jr. your buddy and walk 15km.

You’ll also need 50 Mr Mime candy.

It may seem like a waste of time if you’re a European player as Mr Mime appear in the wild all the time.

But Mime Jr. hatched from eggs are often 3 star bruisers, and can be evolved into powerful Mr Mime if you put in the extra effort.

Bonsly to Sudowoodo

To evolve Bonsly into Sudowoodo, you need to make Bonsly your buddy and walk 15km.

You’ll also need 50 Sudowoodo candy.

In our experience, it’s easier to get a shiny Bonsly from an egg than it is to find a shiny Sudowoodo in the wild. So you may need a Bonsly buddy to evolve a shiny stick man.

Happiny to Chansey

To evolve Happiny into Chansey, you need to make Happiny your buddy and walk 15km.

You’ll also need 25 Chansey candy.

Woobat to Swoobat

To evolve Woobat into Swoobat, you need to make Woobat your buddy and walk 1km.

You’ll also need 100 Woobat candy.

Using Items To Evolve Pokémon

Sun Stone Anime
Image: The Pokémon Company

To evolve some Pokémon you’ll need go use an item from your backpack.

All these items can be picked up from time to time when spinning PokéStops.

Sun Stone

Make sure to always keep 5 Sun Stones in your backpack. This is in case you need to make a quick evolution as part of a challenge, or if you’ve found a more powerful Pokémon to replace your current catch.

Gloom to Bellossom (plus 100 Oddish candy)
Sunkern to Sunflora (plus 50 Sunkern candy)
Cottonee to Whimsicott (plus 50 Cottonee candy)
Petilil to Lilligant (plus 50 Petilil candy)

King's Rock

Hold on to King’s Rocks if you’re collecting shadow Pokémon. You’ll need them to evolve a full set of Poliwag and Slowpoke families.

Poliwhirl to Politoed (plus 100 Poliwag candy)
Slowpoke to Slowking (plus 50 Slowpoke candy)

Metal Coat

Steelix is a useful Pokémon in Great League and Ultra League PvP battles. Always have some Metal Coats in case you catch a powerful Onix and you want to evolve it into a fighting machine.

Onix to Steelix (plus 100 Onix candy)
Scyther to Scizor (plus 50 Scyther candy)

Dragon Scale

Shadow Horsea pop up in Team GO Rocket grunt battles, and it’s one of the rarest shadow Pokémon at the moment. So keep some Dragon Scales for evolving.

Seadra to Kingdra (plus 100 Horsea candy)

Up-Grade

We don’t rate Porygon2 in PvP battles, so you probably won’t want to evolve many Porygon. But always keep a couple of Up-Grades in case you catch a perfect Porygon.

Porygon to Porygon2 (plus 25 Porygon candy)

Using Lure Modules To Evolve Pokémon

Pokémon GO
Image: The Pokémon Company

If you’re near a PokéStop, installing a special lure module can help you fill your Pokédex with new evolutions.

If you use a lure module, it can also be used by other trainers in the area.

So co-ordinate with your Pokémon pals and spread the joy by using one lure to help everyone get the evolutions they need.

Mossy and glacial lure modules

See our guide on how to evolve Eevee into Glaceon or Leafeon.

Magnetic lure module

  • Nosepass to Probopass (you also need 50 Nosepass candy)
  • Magneton to Magnezone (you also need 100 Magnemite candy)

Rainy lure module

• Sliggoo to Goodra (you also need 100 Goomy candy. You can also make this evolution during rainy weather)

Using Stones To Evolve Pokémon

Pokémon GO
Image: The Pokémon Company

One of the most frustrating things about filling your Pokédex is having a bunch of great Pokémon, but not enough stones to evolve them.

Sinnoh stones are relatively rare, but are a random drop from:

  • Weekly field research breakthroughs
  • PvP trainer battles
  • Beating a Team GO Rocket leader
  • GO Battle League
  • Training with a team leader

Unova stones are even rarer, but can be nabbed randomly from:

  • Weekly field research breakthroughs
  • Beating a Team GO Rocket leader

If you’re planning to use a stone, be patient.

Don’t squander your stones on evolving low power Pokémon. Hold on until you’ve made an impressive 3-star catch, then use your precious stone to get a hard-hitting fighter.

Sinnoh Stone

Aipom to Ambipom (plus 100 Aipom candy)
Dusclops to Dusknoir (plus 100 Duskull candy)
Electabuzz to Electivire (plus 100 Electabuzz candy)
Gligar to Gliscor (plus 100 Gligar candy)
Kirlia (male only) to Gallade (plus 100 Ralts candy)
Lickitung to Lickilicky (plus 100 Lickitung candy)
Magmar to Magmortar (plus 100 Magmar candy)
Misdreavus to Mismagius (plus 100 Misdreavus candy)
Murkrow to Honchkrow (plus 100 Murkrow candy)
Porygon2 to Porygon-Z (plus 90 Porygon candy)
Rhydon to Rhyperior (plus 100 Rhyhorn candy)
Roselia to Roserade (plus 100 Roselia candy)
Sneasel to Weavile (plus 100 Sneasel candy)
Snorunt (female only) to Froslass (plus 100 Snorunt candy)
Piloswine to Mamoswine (plus 100 Swinub candy)
Tangela to Tangrowth (plus 100 Tangela candy)
Togetic to Togekiss (plus 100 Togepi candy)
Yanma to Yanmega (plus 100 Yanma candy)

Unova Stone

Eelektrik to Eelektross (plus 100 Tynamo candy)
Lampent to Chandelure (plus 100 Litwick candy)
Minccino to Cinccino (plus 50 Minccino candy)
Munna to Musharna (plus 50 Munna candy)
Pansage to Simisage (plus 50 Pansage candy)
Pansear to Simisear (plus 50 Pansear candy)
Panpour to Simipour (plus 50 Panpour candy)

Using Trades To Evolve Pokémon Without Candy

Pokémon GO
Image: The Pokémon Company

To save yourself a bunch of candy, some Pokémon can be traded and evolved immediately.

If you get a lower evolution of a Pokémon in a trade, it will also get the zero candy benefit.

For example, if you get a Machop in a trade, you can evolve it to Machop using 25 candy. Then you can evolve it into Machamp, but without the normal 100 Machop candy cost.

  • Boldore to Gigalith
  • Graveler to Golem (both Kanto and Alolan forms)
  • Gurdurr to Conkeldurr
  • Haunter to Gengar
  • Kadabra to Alakazam
  • Karrablast to Escavalier
  • Machoke to Machamp
  • Shelmet to Accelgor

Other Special Evolutions You Need To Know About

If you want to evolve Tyrogue into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan or Hitmontop, check out our evolution guide to find out what to do.

Before evolving Wurmple, make sure to read our guide on getting Silcoon or Cascoon.


Internet rumours abound that Tyrunt and Amaura will be the next Pokémon to be introduced that will have evolution buddy tasks.

We’ll update this guide as we know more.

For now, if there’s anything we’ve missed or you want to tell us about your evolution triumphs or woes, please leave a comment.

This article is part of our Pokémon GO walkthrough and guide series. We have articles that take you through the basics, covering How To Catch Pokémon: Throwing Tips, Poké Balls, & Capture Rates, How To Redeem Pokémon GO Promo Codes, How To Check A Pokémon's IVs Using An IV Calculator, How Trading Works, How To Track Pokémon Using Maps And Trackers, What Star Pieces And Stardust Do And How To Get Them, How Player Vs. Player Trainer Battles Work, and How To Complete Field Research And Research Breakthroughs And All Rewards.

We cover regular weekly and monthly Pokémon GO events, such as Spotlight Hour Times And Bonus Hour Times, and Community Days. We also have charts, including a Type Chart With Effectiveness And Weakness For All Types, an Egg Chart Explaining 2km, 5km, 7km, & 10km Eggs, and a Buddy Chart Explaining How To Earn Candy.

Elsewhere we cover Friend Code And Sharing Them For Easy XP and Which Pokémon GO 'Auto Catch' Companion Device Is The Best, plus more advanced tactics and info such as All Fast Moves And Charge Moves, How To Get TMs, And How It All Works, Shiny Pokémon And How To Catch Them, Glacial Lures, Magnetic Lures, Mossy Lures in Pokémon GO (And Their Exclusive Evolutions), How To Get Lots Of Candy Fast, How Lucky Pokémon Work & How To Catch Them, How To Catch All 27 Regional Pokémon, the Best Attackers And Best Defenders, All Raid Bosses And Best Counters Listed By Tier, What EX Raids Are And How To Get EX Raid Passes, What A Super Incubators Does And How To Get One, and How Get Mega Energy.

Pocket Monster-wise, we have specific guides for How To Get Pangoro, Sylveon, Glaceon, Aromatisse, Slurpuff, Sirfetch’d, Galarian Cofagrigus And More, How To Get Sylveon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Umbreon, Espeon, Vaporeon, Jolteon And Flareon, How To Evolve Wurmple Into Silcoon Or Cascoon, How To Get Tyrogue, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan And Hitmontop, How To Use The Weather To Get Each Castform Form, How To Catch And Evolve Into Galarian Slowbro, How To Catch Smeargle, How To Find And Evolve Burmy, How To Catch Spinda, Where To Find Unown, How To Catch Ditto, and The Rarest Pokémon Including Wild, Shiny, Mythical And Regional Catches.

We also cover timed research and special events, including Mew's 'A Mythical Discovery', Jirachi's 'A Thousand-Year Slumber', Celebi's 'A Ripple In Time', and Regigigas' 'A Colossal Discovery'. Other (past) event guides include Twitch Codes List - Pokémon World Championship 2022, How To Battle A Challenger (World Championships 2022), How To Battle Fashion Challengers, 'A Spooky Message' Spiritomb Quest, Kanto Event FAQ, and the Summer Tour 2018 Chicago GO Fest And Dortmund And Yokosuka Safari Zones.

Finally, there's our WIP Pokémon GO Pokédex, which currently goes up to 400 Pokémon: #1-50 | #51-100 | #101-150 | #151-200 | #201-250 | #251-300 | #301-350 | #351-400.