The only officially announced modern route is through Pokémon HOME. The Nintendo Switch releases of Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version are set to connect to HOME beginning in October 2026, and from HOME your Pokémon can move on to other games that accept them. The trip is one-way: nothing comes back into FireRed or LeafGreen. If you are holding an original Game Boy Advance cartridge, there is no comparably clean, officially documented path to HOME, and the Pokémon Bank deadline of February 25, 2027 affects anyone with older Pokémon stored there.
First, work out which FireRed or LeafGreen you have
The answer changes completely depending on the copy:
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- Nintendo Switch digital release: the supported, announced route to Pokémon HOME.
- Original Game Boy Advance cartridge: a legacy route exists on paper (Pal Park, covered below), but Nintendo’s documentation does not lay out a guaranteed, current chain from the cartridge all the way to HOME.
- Pokémon already sitting in Pokémon Bank: a time-limited route to HOME that closes on February 25, 2027.
How do I transfer Pokémon from FireRed or LeafGreen on Switch to Pokémon HOME?
According to The Pokémon Company International’s August 13, 2026 announcement, the Switch versions of both games link with Pokémon HOME beginning in October 2026. The announcement gives only the month, not a release day, and does not publish a step-by-step setup. Check the in-game menus and the official Pokémon HOME announcements to see whether the connection has gone live for you, rather than relying on a guessed menu path.
What you need
- The Switch game itself. Nintendo’s FAQ says FireRed and LeafGreen are sold as digital software in the Nintendo eShop, with no physical release planned.
- No Nintendo Switch Online membership to buy or play. Nintendo’s FAQ says membership is not required for the games.
- A Nintendo Account for HOME. Nintendo’s store listing says an account is required and that certain HOME features need a paid subscription. Nintendo’s pages do not say which specific transfer actions fall behind the paywall, so confirm that in HOME before assuming either way.
The rules that matter before you move anything
Nintendo’s wording is blunt: “Once a Pokémon from Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version is moved into Pokémon HOME, it will be unable to return to Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version.” The same announcement says Pokémon from other series games cannot visit FireRed or LeafGreen at all.
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In practice, that means:
- Treat every move as permanent for that Pokémon. Finish anything you want done in-game first, such as completing a Pokédex entry or finishing a trade.
- FireRed and LeafGreen are a source, never a destination. You cannot use them to hold Pokémon from newer games.
- The games’ local wireless trading is a separate feature from the HOME transfer. Nintendo’s FAQ says online play is not supported for the trading features, so do not expect trades with distant friends to substitute for HOME.
Can I move Pokémon from LeafGreen to Scarlet and Violet?
Indirectly, if HOME and the target game both allow it. HOME is the hub: Pokémon leave FireRed or LeafGreen into HOME, and HOME then sends them to games that support it. The announcement does not list which games will accept FireRed and LeafGreen Pokémon, and each game sets its own rules about which Pokémon it can receive. Check Nintendo’s “Which Games are Compatible with Pokémon HOME?” page for your target game before planning a transfer around it.
How do I transfer Pokémon from an original GBA cartridge?
Nintendo’s Pokémon Platinum manual documents the old path: with a Nintendo DS or DS Lite holding the GBA game in its slot, you migrate Pokémon from Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, or LeafGreen into Platinum using Pal Park. The manual notes a 24-hour restriction on the migration feature.
That gets a Pokémon from a GBA cartridge into a DS-era game, and no further on its own. Nintendo’s compatibility pages cover how Pokémon Bank and later HOME link up with supported software, but they do not describe a complete, currently guaranteed procedure from an original cartridge save through each intermediate generation. The route depends on having working legacy hardware, the right games and transfer tools, and services that Nintendo is winding down. If you try it, verify each hop against Nintendo’s compatibility pages instead of assuming it will work.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When does Pokémon Bank shut down?
Nintendo says Pokémon Bank’s service ends on Thursday, February 25, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. PST. After that, Bank-to-HOME transfers will no longer be possible. Nintendo also states Bank is not currently available for download, so a new user cannot start this route.
If you already have Pokémon in Bank, move them to HOME before the deadline. Nintendo also warns that Pokémon transferred from Bank to HOME cannot go back to Bank or be used with Nintendo 3DS titles, so, as with FireRed and LeafGreen, plan on it being permanent.
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Route comparison
| Route | Starting point | Next known step | Direction | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch release | Switch FireRed or LeafGreen | Connect to HOME (planned from October 2026), then move to supported games | Out to HOME only | One-way; Nintendo gave a month, not a day or setup steps |
| Legacy GBA | Original GBA cartridge | Pal Park into Pokémon Platinum on a DS or DS Lite | GBA to a DS-era game | Needs legacy hardware and software; no officially documented full chain to HOME |
| Bank | Pokémon already in Pokémon Bank | Bank to HOME | Out to HOME only | Ends February 25, 2027, 7:00 p.m. PST; Bank cannot be newly downloaded |
Checklist before you transfer
- Identify your copy: Switch digital, original GBA cartridge, or Pokémon already in Bank.
- For Switch, confirm the HOME connection is live in the game and in HOME, since Nintendo promised only “October 2026.”
- Make sure you have a Nintendo Account, and check whether the HOME feature you need requires a paid plan.
- Check your destination game on Nintendo’s HOME compatibility page.
- Finish in-game business first, because the move out of FireRed and LeafGreen cannot be undone.
- If you have Pokémon in Bank, move them before February 25, 2027, 7:00 p.m. PST.
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