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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Mega Evolution is a temporary transformation available to eligible Pokémon in Pokémon GO. It changes the Pokémon’s battle role and activates species-specific bonuses for that individual Pokémon’s Mega Level. You pay Mega Energy for the first activation, then repeated use becomes cheaper as that Pokémon rests and gains Mega Levels.
The practical choice is when to spend that energy: before a raid, during a same-type catching session, or only after the Pokémon’s rest period has ended. The exact cost, rest timer, eligible forms, and bonus values vary by species, so use the Mega information shown on the individual Pokémon’s details screen.
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What Mega Evolution changes
Mega Evolution temporarily changes an eligible Pokémon into its Mega form. The transformation improves its usefulness in battles and grants bonuses connected to the Pokémon’s Mega Level. Mega Levels belong to the individual Pokémon, not to every Pokémon of that species; training one Mega Beedrill does not raise the Mega Level of another Beedrill.
The Mega option appears on qualifying Pokémon. Pokémon GO also lets you activate a Mega Evolution from a Raid Battle Lobby or while selecting a GO Battle League Battle Party. The latter is an activation route, not a guarantee that the Mega Pokémon can be used in ordinary GO Battle League matches.
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Mega Energy: how you get it and how costs work
Ways to earn species-specific Energy
Mega Energy is tied to a species. Energy for one species cannot be substituted for the Energy of another. The main source is that species’ Mega Raid. A successful Mega Raid awards Energy even if you do not catch the raid Pokémon, and the amount depends on how quickly the boss is defeated. The Pokémon Company’s guide gives a typical range of 150–250 Mega Energy per successful Mega Raid.
Certain Field Research and Timed Research tasks, along with other game activities, can also award Mega Energy. Event tasks and available sources change, so check the current tasks in your game rather than assuming every species has the same alternatives.
First activation versus repeat activations
The first Mega Evolution of an individual Pokémon requires a substantial amount of that species’ Mega Energy. The initial requirement differs by species and sometimes by form. Once that Pokémon has Mega Evolved, its later activations cost less.
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After the first transformation, the Pokémon enters a rest period. When the rest period ends, you can Mega Evolve that same Pokémon again without spending Energy. You can also pay its reduced repeat-use cost to bring it back before the rest timer finishes. Repeated Mega Evolutions raise the Pokémon’s Mega Level, which shortens future rest periods and lowers the early-reuse cost.
Worked example: Mega Beedrill
The following figures are the official Pokémon.com guide’s Mega Beedrill example, not a universal schedule for every species:
| Mega Beedrill level | Rest period shown in the example | Reduced early-reuse cost |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 7 days | 20 Mega Energy |
| High | 5 days | 10 Mega Energy |
| Max | 3 days | 5 Mega Energy |
Use the values displayed for your own Pokémon as the authoritative figures. A different species can have different level thresholds, timers, costs, or bonuses.
Mega Levels remain after the transformation
Mega Level progression is permanent for that individual Pokémon. When the eight-hour transformation ends, the Pokémon returns to its regular form, but its Mega Level does not reset. Repeated activations advance the level and can improve several benefits, including the rest period and catch-related bonuses.
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The current Help Center also describes a Super Max Level. It must be unlocked with Mega Energy even when the preceding level did not require that payment, and not every Mega Pokémon can currently reach Super Max Level. The level information on the Pokémon’s details screen shows whether that stage is available.
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How to Mega Evolve a Pokémon
- Open your Pokémon storage and select an eligible Pokémon.
- On its summary page, look for the Mega Evolution option and the displayed Mega Energy requirement or free-activation status.
- Tap Mega Evolve and confirm the cost when prompted.
- Alternatively, select the eligible Pokémon from a Raid Battle Lobby or while choosing a Battle Party; the same species and Energy requirements apply.
If the Mega button is missing, that Pokémon is not currently eligible, you lack the required Energy, or a special prerequisite has not been met. The game’s Mega icon and level panel are the best way to identify which condition applies.
How long Mega Evolution lasts and the one-at-a-time rule
A Mega-Evolved Pokémon remains in Mega form for 8 hours. It then automatically returns to its regular form. The timer is a single window, so activate shortly before the activity for which you want the bonuses instead of hours in advance.
Only one of your Pokémon can be Mega-Evolved at a time. Activating a second Pokémon while the first is still transformed ends the first transformation and returns that Pokémon to its regular form. Plan which species will provide the most useful type and level bonuses for the current session.
Bonuses in raids and battles
Raid attack boosts
When your Mega-Evolved Pokémon is on the battlefield in a raid, other Trainers’ Pokémon receive an attack boost. Attacks that match the Mega Pokémon’s type receive an additional boost. This makes a type-matched Mega especially valuable when the raid group is using moves of that type.
Active Mega boosts do not stack. If more than one Mega-Evolved Pokémon is present, the game uses the highest applicable boost rather than adding every Mega’s effect together. A second player’s Mega can still be useful for its own typing and damage, but it will not multiply the same raid boost indefinitely.
Other battle locations
Mega-Evolved Pokémon can be used in raids, Gym battles, battles against Team GO Rocket, and battles with friends. They generally cannot be used in standard GO Battle League play, although special event cups can allow them. They also cannot be assigned to defend a Gym.
Catch bonuses and what Mega Levels improve
While a Mega Pokémon is active, catching Pokémon that share a type with it awards extra Candy. Higher Mega Levels can add experience and Candy XL benefits as well. The exact values are species- and level-dependent.
| Bonus | Official Mega Beedrill example | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Candy for same-type catches | 1 extra Candy at Base and High; 2 at Max | Worked example values, not a universal promise for every Mega species |
| Catch XP | 50 XP at High; 100 XP at Max | Example level values from the guide |
| Candy XL chance | 10% at High; 25% at Max | Example level values from the guide |
These are illustrations of how Mega Level rewards can scale, not guaranteed figures for every eligible Pokémon. Check the current in-game Mega Level panel for your species.
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When spending Mega Energy makes sense
Before a raid
Choose a Mega whose type supports the raid’s weakness or the moves your group plans to use. Activate it shortly before entering so most of the eight-hour window covers raid attempts. If another player already has an active Mega providing the same highest boost, consider whether your Energy is better saved for a different type or a later event, since the boosts do not stack.
For a same-type catching session
Activate a Mega that matches the type you expect to catch repeatedly. This is most efficient during a planned event, nest visit, or research route where many targets share that type. A higher Mega Level can increase the Candy benefit and may add the illustrated XP or Candy XL bonuses.
Wait for free reuse or pay the reduced cost
After the rest timer ends, reactivation is free. If a raid or event occurs before then, compare the reduced Energy price with the value of the bonus window. A higher Mega Level makes this decision easier by shortening the wait and lowering the early-reuse cost, but the Energy still belongs only to that species.
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Special forms and prerequisites
Species with more than one Mega form
Some species offer multiple Mega forms. Charizard, for example, can become Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y. The reduced future cost applies only to the form you first unlock. Switching to the other form requires that form’s full initial cost before its own repeat-use price can be reduced.
Rayquaza and Dragon Ascent
Rayquaza has an additional requirement. You must obtain a Meteorite and use it to teach Rayquaza the move Dragon Ascent before Mega Evolving it. The Help Center says Meteorites can come from Special Research. Charge TMs and Elite Charge TMs cannot teach Dragon Ascent, so ordinary move-changing items do not replace the Meteorite requirement.
Changing game values
The eligible roster, exact Energy costs, Mega Level thresholds, rest periods, and bonuses can change as Pokémon GO is updated. Some Mega Levels or forms may be unavailable at a particular time. Treat the Mega details shown for the individual Pokémon as current, especially before spending a large Energy balance.
Quick checks before you tap Mega Evolve
- Species and form: Confirm that you are using the intended species and, for a multi-form species, the intended form.
- Energy: Check whether this is the first activation, a free reuse after rest, or a reduced-cost early reuse.
- Timing: Start the transformation close enough to the raid or catch session that the eight-hour window is useful.
- Type match: For raids and catches, verify that the Mega’s type supports the activity you are planning.
- Restrictions: Remember that ordinary GO Battle League and Gym defense do not generally permit Mega Pokémon.
- Prerequisites: Check for special requirements such as Rayquaza’s Meteorite and Dragon Ascent.
Mega Evolution is therefore a scheduling and resource decision, not a permanent power-up. Invest in individual Pokémon you expect to reuse, build their Mega Levels over time, and spend the temporary window where its raid or catch bonuses produce the most value.
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