Pokemon Sword and Shield have multiple trading options that allow you to get rid of the Pokemon that you have in abundance and get the ones that you do not have. This is one way of completing your Pokedex. In this Pokemon Sword and Shield trading guide, we are going to go over how you can trade Pokemon in the game.
Before we jump into how you can trade Pokemon there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Firstly, if a Pokemon has a nickname and is traded to you then you will not be able to change it.
Secondly, if the Pokemon is of a higher level then it might not listen to you until you get more gym badges. Lastly, traded Pokemon gain bonus experience. Remember that you can only start trading once you have got the Pokedex.
Now that we have got that out of the way, we can move on to talking about how trading works in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
How Trading Works In Pokemon Sword And Shield
There are different ways in which you can trade in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. The following is what you need to know.
Local Trades
You can trade locally in Pokemon Sword and Shield. In order to do this, you need to open Y-Comm by pressing the Y button. Both players that want to trade need to choose Link Trade. Once you do that close the menu and you will be connected automatically.
Both traders need to Set Link Code and put in the same code. The code is not mandatory but it can connect you much faster.
Online Trade
Other than local trade, you can also trade online. Press the Y button to open Y-Comm then press the + button to connect online. Choose the Start Trading option to pair with a random person. You can Set Link Code if you want to connect with someone specific. Both traders need to put in the same code if that is the case. Close the menu and you will be connected.
Surprise Trades
Surprise Trades get you a random Pokemon. This works locally and online.
That is all for our Pokemon Sword and Shield trading guide. If you are interested in learning more about the game then you can check out our guide on Gigantamax Pokemon. You can also check out our guide on how you can evolve Applin.