To delete a Pokémon from Pokémon HOME on an iPhone, open the app, tap Pokémon, press and hold the Pokémon until it is selected, tap the three dots at the bottom-left of the screen, choose Release all selected Pokémon, and then tap OK. The app calls this a release, and it is permanent.
These steps are for the current Pokémon HOME app on an iPhone with iOS 16 or later, including iOS 27, as of the October 2026 app update (version 4.1.0). Pokémon HOME is the cloud storage service from The Pokémon Company that holds Pokémon from several games in one place. There is no button named Delete. Releasing is the only way to remove a single Pokémon from your Boxes without moving it into a game.
Before You Release Anything
Warning: a released Pokémon is gone for good. There is no trash folder and no undo. The official support site treats released gift Pokémon as lost and says those gifts cannot be received a second time. No app or website outside Pokémon HOME can bring a released Pokémon back, so ignore any tool that claims it can.
Check these points first:
- iPhone software: The Pokémon Company lists iOS 16 or later as the minimum for Pokémon HOME.
- App version: install the latest Pokémon HOME update from the App Store so the menus match current instructions.
- Internet: your Boxes are stored online, so the app needs a connection.
- Shared Boxes: if the iPhone app and the Nintendo Switch version use the same Nintendo Account, they share the same Boxes. A Pokémon released on your iPhone is no longer in those Boxes on the Switch either.
- One-way transfers: a Pokémon sent from Pokémon GO cannot be sent back to Pokémon GO, so releasing it does not return it to that game.
How to Release a Pokémon in Pokémon HOME on an iPhone
The Pokémon Company keeps the full instructions in the app’s Help menu rather than on its support site. Here’s the path in the iPhone app:
- Open the Pokémon HOME app and tap the title screen to continue.
- Tap Pokémon. This opens the list of Pokémon stored in your Boxes.
- Press and hold the Pokémon you want to remove. Keep your finger on it for a moment until a check mark shows that it is selected.
- Tap any other Pokémon you also want to release. Each one you tap gets a check mark, so you can clear several at once.
- Tap the round button with three dots at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- Tap Release all selected Pokémon.
- Read the confirmation message, then tap OK.
Before you tap OK in step 7, look over the check marks one more time. When you release several Pokémon at once, it is easy to leave one selected by accident. If you spot one, back out and tap it to clear its check mark.
How to Confirm the Pokémon Is Gone
After you tap OK, the released Pokémon should disappear from the list right away. To double-check, look at the Box it was in, or use the search option on the Pokémon screen to look for its name.
You cannot undo a release.
Why the Release Option Is Missing or Does Not Work
- The Pokémon is a favorite. Favorites are protected. Select the Pokémon, tap the three dots, and choose the option to unfavorite it. Then select it again and release it.
- Nothing is selected. A quick tap opens the Pokémon’s details instead of selecting it. Press and hold until the check mark appears.
- You cannot see the Pokémon at all. On the free Basic plan you can only view and manage the Pokémon in your Basic Box. See the next section.
- Your Switch Pokémon are not in the iPhone app. The two versions share Boxes only when both are linked to the same Nintendo Account. The support site warns that if you started the mobile app without linking the account you use on Switch, you cannot link it to that account later.
- The menu looks different. Update the app in the App Store. If the app will not update, check that your iPhone meets the iOS requirement. Apple explains how to update your iPhone.
- The app will not load your Boxes. Check your Wi-Fi or cellular connection, then close and reopen the app.
Storage Limits on the Basic and Premium Plans
Most people release Pokémon because they are out of room. According to the official Pokémon HOME site, the free Basic plan holds 30 Pokémon and the paid Premium plan now holds 9,000. Premium held 6,000 until the October 2026 update, so older guides and screenshots may still show the lower number.
The official site lists Nintendo eShop prices for Premium of $2.99 for one month, $4.99 for three months, or $15.99 for twelve months, before tax and subject to change.
If your Premium plan ends while you have more than 30 Pokémon stored, the support site says only the 30 most recently deposited or traded Pokémon stay in your Basic Box. The rest remain in Pokémon HOME for a certain period, but you cannot view or withdraw them until you enroll in Premium again. That also means you cannot pick through them to release some.
To see which 30 would stay, open your Pokémon list, tap the menu button in the lower-right corner, choose Newest 30, and set the order to descending so the most recent Pokémon appear first. If you plan to let Premium lapse, do your releasing while you can still see every Box.
Other Ways to Clear Space
Releasing is not the only option. These keep the Pokémon in existence:
- Move it into a game. The Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME can move Pokémon into compatible games. Pokémon can only go to games in which they appear.
- Trade it. The iPhone app includes trading features, so an extra Pokémon can go to another player instead.
- Upgrade. The Premium plan raises the limit from 30 to 9,000. One plan covers both the iPhone and Switch versions when they are linked to the same Nintendo Account.
If you only want to keep certain Pokémon out of the way, the three dots menu also lets you mark favorites and add labels. Favorites are worth setting on anything you never want to release by accident.
| Option | Pokémon kept? | Can you reverse it? |
|---|---|---|
| Release | No | No |
| Trade | Yes, by another player | No |
| Move to a game (Switch) | Yes, in that game | Only if the game can send it back to HOME |
| Premium plan | Yes, in HOME | Yes, nothing is removed |
Releasing on a Nintendo Switch Instead
The Switch version works differently because it uses a controller. In general, you select a Pokémon in a Pokémon HOME Box, choose Release from its menu, confirm, and then save your changes before you leave the Box screen. Exact button prompts depend on the version, so follow the prompts shown on screen.
Cleaning Up Pokémon GO Is a Separate Job
Pokémon HOME and Pokémon GO have separate storage. Releasing in HOME does nothing to your Pokémon GO collection. In Pokémon GO you send Pokémon to the Professor, and you can transfer multiple Legendary Pokémon at once in Pokémon GO to clear space there. You can also rename the Pokémon you keep in Pokémon GO so they are easy to find later, and check how many Pokémon you have caught in Pokémon GO before a big cleanup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Pokémon back after releasing it in Pokémon HOME?
No. A release is permanent, and the app has no recovery option. The official support site confirms that even one-time gift Pokémon cannot be received again after they are released or traded away.
Can I release more than one Pokémon at a time?
Yes. After you press and hold the first Pokémon, tap the others you want to remove so each one has a check mark. The Release all selected Pokémon option then removes every checked Pokémon together.
Why can’t I release a favorite Pokémon?
Pokémon HOME protects favorites from being released. Remove the favorite mark from the three dots menu first, then select the Pokémon again and release it.
Does releasing a Pokémon on my iPhone affect the Switch version?
Yes, if both use the same Nintendo Account. The two versions share the same Pokémon Boxes when they are linked that way, so a released Pokémon is removed from both.
Is releasing a Pokémon the same as deleting my Pokémon HOME account?
No. Releasing removes only the Pokémon you select. Deleting the account erases all of your data, including every Pokémon in your Boxes, and it cannot be recovered.
Do I need the Premium plan to release Pokémon?
No. Releasing is available on the free Basic plan for the Pokémon in your Basic Box. Premium only matters if you need to reach Pokémon stored beyond the 30 that Basic can show.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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