How to Catch Pikachu in Pokémon GO

Co-authored by Ethan Dobbs

Last Updated: October 26, 2024 Approved

Pikachu is arguably the most recognizable Pokémon to date, so it's no wonder Pokémon trainers want a Pikachu for their Pokémon GO team. Luckily, Pokémon trainers have the opportunity to expose a secret in Pokémon GO that allows them to obtain a Pikachu very early on in the game!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Catching Pikachu as a Starter Pokémon

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If you've already started your journey as a Pokémon trainer, you'll need to start a new campaign for this trick to work.
When you begin gameplay on your new account, you'll see a Squirtle, a Bulbasaur, and a Charmander appear on your screen available for the catching. If you catch one of these, the others disappear and so will your chance to start with Pikachu. So, walk away from these Pokémon until they are out of sight.

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When you walk far enough away, the Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander will reappear on your map. Stick to your guns, and walk away from them again.
After rejecting the three normal starter Pokémon three times, Pikachu will appear alongside them the fourth time.
Instead of walking towards one of the other three Pokémon, walk towards Pikachu and tap on it.
When you do this, the other three Pokémon will disappear, leaving Pikachu as the first Pokémon to join your pack. What a headstart!^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Catching Pikachu in the Wild

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Catching Pikachu in the wild is a little more difficult, but is possible. He can appear anywhere, but he has been reportedly found frequently near power plants and science museums, presumably because of his connection to electricity. If you have a power plant or another source of electricity local to you, this may be a good place to check first.^{[2]
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Trainers have also seen Pikachu appear as late as 3am. Try waiting until very late to up your chances of encountering Pikachu in the wild.
When Pikachu is near, you'll see its silhouette appear in the sidebar in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
If you see a Pikachu silhouette in your nearby list and then see rustling grass on your map, you may be in luck. Head to the grass and a Pikachu may appear.
It's time to try to catch it!
Throw a Pokéball at Pikachu to catch it. Swipe the Pokéball towards Pikachu to attempt to capture it. If you don't miss, and if Pikachu doesn't burst out of the ball, it's yours!

Community Q&A

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Question

Why is the pokeball in the image color blue and red?

Paintbrush AJ

Community Answer

The blue and red pokeballs are called great balls, and are different from the standard pokeballs. They have higher odds of capturing a pokemon than the standard ones. They can be accessed at level 12.

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In Pokemon GO, will Pikachu appear when I reach level 7?

Paintbrush AJ

Community Answer

Pikachu can theoretically be found in the wild, or in certain eggs at any GO level, but the most certain way to catch him is to walk away from the three typical starters when your game starts up about five times. Then, he should appear.

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I can never seem to hatch my eggs in Pokemon Go, how can I hatch them faster?

Paintbrush AJ

Community Answer

Unfortunately, there is no ultra-fast way to hatch eggs since Niantic can detect if you are attempting to hatch eggs in a car, train, or other fast vehicle. The fastest possible way so far is to use GO while on a bike, or try going out for a jog. A good idea when trying to hatch eggs is to plan your egg hatching route in a straight line, since GO counts how much you walk by calculating the distance between your last recorded position and your current position in kilometers, making just walking around in circles not very effective for hatching.

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Warnings

Don't download files containing so-called cheat tools from the internet. These tools claim that they contain all Pokémon as well as all items and unlockables, but they contain malware and are a scam.

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If you head to sources of electricity to try to find Pikachu, be aware of hazards and safety precautions you must take in the area.

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