What Does Battery Saver Do in Pokémon GO?

Battery Saver in Pokémon GO turns off your display while your phone is pointed downward, such as when it hangs at your side as you walk. The game keeps running and keeps tracking the distance you travel, and your phone still vibrates when a Pokémon is nearby as long as Vibration is turned on. It is a setting inside the game, and it is not the same thing as your phone’s Low Power Mode or Battery Saver.

The shortest route: open Pokémon GO, tap the Poké Ball, tap Settings, and turn on Battery Saver. The rest of this guide explains exactly what the setting changes, what it leaves alone, how it differs from your phone’s own battery mode, and what to check if the screen does not go dark.

What Battery Saver does and does not do

Niantic, the company behind the game, describes Battery Saver as a toggleable option in the Settings menu that disables your display while your device is pointed downward. The screen is usually one of the largest power users on a phone, so switching it off between catches is where the saving comes from.

Question	With Battery Saver on
Does the screen stay on?	No. The display is disabled while the phone points downward and comes back when you lift it.
Does the game keep counting distance?	Yes. Niantic says the game continues to track distance traveled as though the display were on.
Will you know when a Pokémon appears?	Yes, if the Vibration option is enabled. The phone vibrates to notify you.
Does it affect Adventure Sync?	No. Niantic says the game’s Battery Saver option does not affect Adventure Sync’s distance tracking.
Does it close or pause the game?	No. Pokémon GO is still open and still using location and data. Only the display is off.
Does it change your phone’s settings?	No. It is a setting inside Pokémon GO only.

That last point matters for expectations. Battery Saver reduces how much power the screen uses during the parts of a walk when you are not looking at it. It does not stop the game from using location or mobile data, so the game still uses power while the screen is dark. Niantic does not publish a figure for how much battery the setting saves, and the result depends on your phone and how long the phone spends pointed down.

Before you start

• Devices: the setting is part of Pokémon GO itself, so the steps are the same on iPhone and Android.
• App version: use the current version of Pokémon GO. Niantic says the game works best on the newest version, and menu layouts change between updates.
• Vibration: decide whether you want vibration alerts. Without them, you get no signal that a Pokémon has appeared while the display is off.
• Nothing is lost: this is only a switch. It does not change your account, Pokémon, or items, and you can turn it off again at any time.

How to turn on Battery Saver in Pokémon GO

1. Open Pokémon GO and wait for the Map View, the main screen that shows your Trainer on the map.
2. Tap the Poké Ball at the bottom of the screen. Niantic calls this the Main Menu button.
3. Tap Settings, the gear at the top right.
4. Find Battery Saver and tap it so it is checked. If you do not see it on the first screen, scroll down and look inside the sections of the Settings menu. Niantic’s current instructions for Adventure Sync, for example, go through a section named General.
5. While you are in Settings, check that Vibration is also turned on if you want to feel alerts.
6. Close the Settings menu to go back to the map. There is no Save button.
7. Keep the game open and point your phone toward the ground. The display goes dark. Lift the phone back up and the map returns.

Niantic explains the feature in its help center article What is the Battery Saver setting?.

How to use it on a walk

Battery Saver only helps when the phone actually spends time pointed down, so it suits walks where you check the screen now and then instead of constantly.

• Leave Pokémon GO open. The setting works inside the game. If you lock the phone or switch to another app, you are no longer relying on Battery Saver.
• Let the phone hang at your side. Niantic’s wording is that the device is “pointed downward,” which is how a phone naturally sits in a lowered hand.
• Wait for the vibration. When the phone vibrates, lift it to see what appeared and tap the Pokémon to start the encounter.
• Stay aware of your surroundings. Not staring at the screen while you walk is a side benefit. Look up and stop somewhere safe before you play.

If you carry the phone in a pocket or bag instead, be careful. The game is still open underneath, so the touchscreen may still register accidental touches when the display wakes. Niantic’s help page does not describe how the setting behaves in a pocket, so holding the phone at your side is the documented way to use it.

How to confirm it is working, and how to turn it off

To confirm: with the game open on the map, lower the phone so the top edge points at the ground. The display should go dark within a moment and return when you raise it. You can also go back to Settings and check that Battery Saver is still checked.

To turn it off: tap the Poké Ball, tap Settings, and tap Battery Saver again so it is unchecked. The screen then stays on in every position, the same as before. Some players prefer it off during activities where they look at the screen the whole time, since a dark screen at the wrong moment is distracting.

Battery Saver vs. your phone’s battery saving mode

These are two different features with similar names, and Niantic specifically warns players not to mix them up.

	Pokémon GO Battery Saver	Phone battery saving mode
Where you set it	Inside the game, in Settings	In the phone’s own Settings app
Name	Battery Saver	Low Power Mode on iPhone, Battery Saver on Android
What it changes	Disables the display while the phone points downward	Limits background activity and other features across the whole phone
Effect on distance tracking	None. The game tracks distance as though the display were on.	Niantic says it can sometimes affect Adventure Sync’s distance tracking

Adventure Sync is the optional mode that records the distance you travel while Pokémon GO is closed, using Apple Health or Google Fit. It counts toward hatching Eggs and earning Buddy Candy. In its Adventure Sync troubleshooting guide, Niantic says a device’s battery saving mode can disable the sensors Adventure Sync needs, and it asks players to turn that mode off when they use the feature.

Check Low Power Mode on iPhone

1. Open the iPhone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Battery.
3. On iPhone 15 or later, tap Power Mode.
4. Tap Low Power Mode to turn it on or off.

Apple says the battery icon in the status bar turns yellow while Low Power Mode is on, and that the mode turns off by itself when the iPhone charges to 80% or higher. Apple’s list of what it changes includes lower display brightness and paused Background App Refresh. The full list is in Apple’s article Use Low Power Mode on your iPhone or iPad, and there is more detail in this guide to Low Power Mode on iPhone.

Check Battery Saver on Android

1. Open the phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Battery, then Battery Saver.
3. Turn it on or off, or choose a schedule.

Google says Battery Saver turns on Dark theme and limits or turns off background activity, so some features, network connections, and apps may be delayed. Menu names vary between phone makers, so the wording on a Samsung or other Android phone may differ. Google’s steps are in Get the most life from your Android device’s battery.

In short: use the game’s Battery Saver freely while you walk with the game open. Think twice about the phone-wide mode if you count on Adventure Sync for distance while the game is closed.

Which setting counts your steps?

This is where most confusion comes from, so it helps to separate the two situations.

• Game open, Battery Saver on: Pokémon GO tracks your distance itself. The dark screen makes no difference to an Egg you put in an incubator.
• Game closed, Adventure Sync on: your phone’s health app records the distance and passes it to the game later. Niantic notes there can be a delay of up to several hours before it syncs.
• Game closed, Adventure Sync off: nothing is counted. Niantic says that without Adventure Sync you need to keep the app open while you walk for distance to count toward hatching Eggs.

Battery Saver belongs to the first situation only. It is a way to keep the game open for a long walk without the screen being lit the whole time.

Troubleshooting Battery Saver

The screen does not go dark

• Confirm the setting. Open Settings in the game and make sure Battery Saver is checked.
• Keep the game on screen. The setting works inside Pokémon GO. It does nothing on your Home Screen or in another app.
• Change the angle. The display is disabled only while the device is pointed downward. Holding the phone flat or upright keeps the screen on.
• Update the game. Niantic’s first troubleshooting step for most problems is to install the newest version of Pokémon GO from the App Store or Google Play.
• Refresh the game. If the setting still misbehaves, Niantic’s troubleshooting guides suggest refreshing game data in Pokémon GO from Advanced Settings. Niantic warns that this may switch Adventure Sync off, so check it afterward.

I cannot find Battery Saver in Settings

Scroll through the whole Settings menu and open each section, because the layout has changed over the years. If it is still missing, update the game and look again. Niantic’s help center currently lists Battery Saver as an option in the Settings menu, so a missing switch usually points to an outdated app or a temporary issue. Niantic keeps a known issues list in its help center, and you can contact support from inside the game if the option does not return.

The setting turned itself off

Game settings can go back to their defaults after you sign out, reinstall the game, or move to a new phone. Niantic does not document exactly which settings are kept, so after any of those events, open Settings and check Battery Saver, Vibration, and Adventure Sync again.

I am not getting vibration alerts

Check that Vibration is turned on in the game’s Settings menu. Niantic says the phone vibrates for nearby Pokémon only while that option is enabled. Also check that vibration has not been switched off for the whole phone in its sound or accessibility settings.

My distance is not being counted

If the game was open with Battery Saver on, distance should count as normal. If the game was closed, the problem is more likely Adventure Sync. Make sure Adventure Sync is still checked, that the game is allowed to use your location all the time, and that your phone’s Low Power Mode or Battery Saver is off, as Niantic recommends.

More ways to save battery while playing

• Turn off AR. AR mode, short for augmented reality, uses the camera to show Pokémon in your real surroundings. With it off, encounters use a drawn background instead. See how to turn off AR in Pokémon GO. To block the camera completely, turn off camera permission for Pokémon GO on iPhone.
• Lower your screen brightness. Apple lists reduced display brightness among the things Low Power Mode does to save power, and you can lower brightness yourself without turning that mode on.
• Close the game when you are done. With Adventure Sync on, your distance is still recorded while the game is closed. Niantic describes Adventure Sync as a way to earn Buddy Candy and hatch Eggs without significantly impacting battery life.
• Check the refresh rate option. On phones with high refresh rate screens, the game has a native refresh rate setting. A higher refresh rate generally uses more power, so consider leaving it off on long walks.
• Turn off sound you do not need. You can silence the music and effects by following how to turn off sound in Pokémon GO. Keep Vibration on if you rely on Battery Saver.
• Consider an official accessory. Niantic says the Pokémon GO Plus, Poké Ball Plus, and Pokémon GO Plus + let you play without looking at the app, even if the phone is asleep or the game is running in the background. They connect over Bluetooth.

Battery is not the only thing a long session uses. If you are on a limited plan, see how much data Pokémon GO uses.

Frequently asked questions

Will I miss Pokémon with Battery Saver on?

Not if vibration is on. Niantic says your phone still vibrates to notify you of nearby Pokémon while Battery Saver is active, as long as the Vibration option is enabled. When you feel it, lift the phone and the map comes back so you can tap the Pokémon. With vibration off, you would only notice a Pokémon by raising the phone and looking.

Does Battery Saver affect Egg hatching or Buddy Candy?

No. Niantic says the game continues to track distance traveled as though the display were on while Battery Saver is activated. Distance walked with the game open counts toward Eggs in incubators the same way whether the screen is lit or dark.

Is Battery Saver the same as Low Power Mode?

No. Battery Saver is a setting inside Pokémon GO that disables the display while the phone points down. Low Power Mode is an iPhone setting, and Battery Saver in the Android Settings app is a phone setting. Those limit background activity across the whole device, and Niantic says they can sometimes affect Adventure Sync’s distance tracking. The game’s own Battery Saver does not.

Does Battery Saver work when the game is closed or the phone is locked?

No. It is a feature of the open game. Once Pokémon GO is closed, Battery Saver has nothing to do, and distance is counted only if Adventure Sync is turned on.

Does Battery Saver turn off GPS or mobile data?

No. Niantic describes it as disabling the display. The game continues to track distance, which means it is still using your location. Pokémon GO needs location services and an internet connection to work, so the setting cannot remove those costs.

Why doesn’t the screen turn off when my phone is flat on a table?

Battery Saver responds to the phone being pointed downward. A phone lying flat or held upright in front of you is not pointed down, so the display stays on.

Should I leave Battery Saver on all the time?

For most players there is little downside, because the screen only goes dark in a position where you are not looking at it. If the dark screen interrupts you during an activity where you move the phone around a lot, such as AR encounters, turn it off for that session and switch it back on for your next walk.

Is Battery Saver available on both iPhone and Android?

Niantic’s help article describes Battery Saver as a general option in the Pokémon GO Settings menu and does not limit it to one platform. If the option is missing on your phone, update the game first.

Next step

Open Pokémon GO, tap the Poké Ball, tap Settings, and check Battery Saver and Vibration. Then lower the phone to your side to confirm the screen goes dark. If you also want distance counted while the game is closed, set up Adventure Sync and keep your phone’s own battery saving mode off while you walk.