How to get Pokemon Candies in Pokemon GO

Candies in Pokemon GO are essential for evolving and powering up Pokemon, as well as teaching them some moves.

Each Pokemon has their own special Candy. That Candy is typically named after the very first Pokemon in the evolutionary line. Examples are that Gyarados uses Magikarp Candy or Charizard uses Charmander Candy.

There are several different ways to gather Pokemon Candies in Pokemon GO. Each method takes its own amount of time and patience. Eventually though, Candies will be obtained and powering up or evolving will be an option.

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How to get Pokemon Candies in Pokemon GO

Catching Pokemon

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The most surefire way of obtaining Candies in Pokemon GO is by catching Pokemon. Typically, trainers will receive 3 Candy per Pokemon caught. That number can be altered with Pinap or Silver Pinap Berries. Special events may also raise the number of Candies obtained from catching a creature.

Finding nests and spawn locations is a good way to increase the amount of Pokemon appearing. Every single encounter means more Candy for that specific Pokemon. While it can be a grind, this is the guaranteed method.

Buddy Pokemon

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Pokemon GO trainers can select any of their Pokemon to become their Buddy. If they are at the right level of happiness, that Buddy will appear in the Pokemon GO overworld. It will be walking beside the player character.

Each Pokemon has a certain amount of kilometers to travel. After walking that set distance, it will find one of its species' Candies. Just repeat the distance to receive another.

Transferring Pokemon

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After catching a ton of Pokemon in Pokemon GO, trainers often run out of storage space. That is where transferring comes in. Each Pokemon that is transferred gives one of that species' Candy. If a trainer has 20 Weedle, transferring them will give 20 Weedle Candies.

Just like the amount of Candy obtained from catching Pokemon, there are special events where transferring a Pokemon generates more than one Candy. Be on the lookout for announcements of when these occur.

Rare Candy

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Rare Candy was introduced as a Raid reward in Pokemon GO. It can also be earned through the GO Battle League. Rare Candy in the mobile game doesn't work like it does in the handheld main series. It does not level up the Pokemon in any way.

Instead, Rare Candy acts as a Candy for any Pokemon the trainer chooses. Simply select to use the Rare Candy, then pick the Pokemon that is going to receive it. Each Rare Candy used in Pokemon GO will add to the Candy total of the Pokemon selected.