How to take snapshots in Pokemon GO (November 2022)

Pokemon GO has remained one of the most popular mobile games in the world ever since its release back in 2016. The augmented reality title took both Pokemon fans and casual gamers alike by storm, with droves of players walking around, catching Pokemon, and taking snapshots with them in real-life locations.

Besides these nifty mechanics, Niantic has done a great job at constantly churning out one event after the other to sustain the hype and excitement around Pokemon GO. They already have a treasure trove of pocket monsters across various generations that they are slowly introducing into the mobile game.

Nevertheless, the option of integrating Pokemon into your real-life surroundings has definitely delighted fans worldwide, be it catching these delightful critters, playing with your Buddy Pokemon, or taking a GO Snapshot with them. This article will detail how players can take AR photos of their favorite Pokemon with the game's snapshot feature.

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How does the GO Snapshot work in Pokemon GO?

The GO Snapshot mechanic allows players to take pictures of their captured Pokemon in a real-life environment. Go into your Storage and select the Pokemon that you want to take a picture of. Once there, you will notice the camera icon in the top left corner under the star icon.

If AR+ is not turned on in Settings, the Pokemon will be automatically placed on the screen for you to take a picture of. If it is turned on, you will have to move your camera over a flat, open surface (Niantic usually suggests ground or a tabletop). Once you have done so correctly, you will see sparkles and yellow footsteps shortly after.

Taking a snapshot in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

You can now tap on the footsteps to place your Pokemon at that position. Niantic suggests the following options to position the Pokemon ideally for a picture:

• Tap your Pokémon once and they’ll strike a pose.
• Tap and rub your Pokémon and they’ll turn towards your current position.
• Use the Pokeball button in the bottom left corner to recall your Pokémon and place them again in a different position.

Once everything is in place and you are satisfied, take a picture by clicking the camera button. Certain events will also have photobombs from other Pokemon during these GO Snapshots, which definitely makes for delightful surprise snaps.

November 5 marks the beginning of the Dratini Community Day Classic, which is set to take place from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time around the world. If you take a snapshot during this event in Pokemon GO, you will have a chance to see Dratini photobombing your picture.

You can also take GO Snapshots of your Buddy Pokemon in-game, once you have chosen a companion. Niantic has also clarified that you can take GO Snapshots with Buddy pocket monsters of up to two of your friends with the Shared AR Experience feature.

Catching in the wild (Image via Pokemon GO)

Players can also toggle on the AR mode while catching critters in the wild in Pokemon GO. Interestingly, these mechanics blend the game's fictional world with the player's real-life surroundings to make the experience far more realistic.