This page explains how to trade from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Violet.

Overview

To transfer pokémon from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Violet, you need to do the following steps:

1. Transfer the pokémon from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2
2. Transfer the pokémon from Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 to Pokémon Violet

Trade from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2

To transfer pokémon from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2, go to Route 15 in Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 and go into the Poké Transfer Lab. Go inside. If this is your first visit, a scientist will talk to you and take you to the top of the room. If you have visited before, go talk to the scientist at the top.

When asked to use another DS, choose Yes. When you are informed that the pokémon can't be sent back, choose Yes. When prompted to start DS Wireless Communications, choose Yes. When asked to save the game, choose Yes.

Turn on your other Nintendo DS or 3DS that has the Pokémon Platinum cartridge in it, then choose DS Download Play from the menu (if using a 3DS, Download Play is in the home screen. Look for the orange icon with a DS on it. When prompted, choose to download Nintendo DS software). Select the game that has the ID number that is displayed in your Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 game, then say Yes to download. After it downloads, choose exactly six pokémon that you want to transfer, and say Yes when asked if you want to transfer those pokémon. Say Yes if the game tells you that held items will be put into the bag.

After you have chosen the pokémon, you will play a minigame in Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 where you throw pokéballs at pokémon that move around the screen. To throw the pokéballs, drag the stylus on the touchscreen to pull the Pokéball downward, and watch the top screen to see where the pokéball will land. Take the stylus off of the screen to throw the pokéball. If a pokémon is hiding in a bush, throw a pokéball at the bush to make the pokémon jump out. Throw a pokéball at a jumping pokémon to catch it. Near the end of the time limit, a pink cloud of Sleep Powder will float across the screen. Hit the pink cloud with a pokéball to make the pokémon fall asleep. Then throw pokéballs at the sleeping pokémon. If a pokémon is not on the screen when you hit the pink cloud, you won't be able to catch that pokémon until it wakes up and comes back onscreen.

If there are any pokémon that you do not want to send from Pokémon Platinum to Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2, just don't catch those pokémon. Uncaught pokémon will go back to Pokémon Platinum.

After the time runs out, you will be asked if you want to transfer the caught pokémon. If you say No, the pokémon will go back to Pokémon Platinum. Otherwise, say Yes to transfer them. The game will be saved. You will be asked if you want to use the Poké Transfer again. Choose No if you are done, or choose Yes if you want to transfer more pokémon. If you are done, the game will ask you to turn off the power.

In Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2, the caught pokémon will be sent to your PC Box.

Trade from Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 to Pokémon Violet

Make sure that your Nintendo 3DS has wireless turned on and can connect to the Internet.

Get your Pokémon Ready to Transfer

If your copy of Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 is on a cartridge, put the cartridge into your Nintendo 3DS. Open the game, choose the pokémon that you want to transfer, then move them to Box 1 in your PC Box. If there are any pokémon in PC Box 1 that you do not want to transfer, move them to a different box in your PC Box. Save the game, then go back to the 3DS home screen.

Use Pokémon Bank

If this is the first time that you have used Pokémon Bank, Brigette will introduce herself. She explains that you can't store held items in the Pokémon Bank, so they will be sent back to the Bag if you store pokémon in the Bank. But if the Bag is full, the item will disappear.

Use Poké Transporter

Go to the home screen and open Poké Transporter. If this is the first time that you have used it, it will explain that if the pokémon in Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 are holding any items, those items will go back to your bag in Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2.

After you have read all the messages, you will see the pokémon in Box 1 of your Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 game. If you want to transfer ALL the pokémon from your PC Box 1 in Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 to the Pokémon Bank, choose Yes. If there are some pokémon that you do not want to transfer, you will need to open Pokémon Black/Pokémon Black 2/Pokémon White/Pokémon White 2 and move those pokémon from PC Box 1 to a different PC Box, then repeat this step.

Move Pokémon Out of the Transport Box

Go to the home screen and close Poké Transporter. Open Pokémon Bank. If you are prompted for your password, enter it and sign in. Choose "Use Pokémon Bank" in the Pokémon Bank menu. Use the cursor to choose any of the games in the top screen, then choose "Use this game".

If a message says that your Pokémon Link is full, you will be asked if you still want to use Pokémon Bank. You won't lose your gifts if you say Yes. You can get your gifts by opening the game that you selected and choosing Pokémon Link in the game select menu to receive your gifts from Pokémon Bank.

Back in Pokémon Bank, after you select a game and choose "Use this Game", use the control pad or circle pad (the stylus cannot be used in Pokémon Bank) to move the cursor to the first box in the top screen. Press left to go to the Transport Box. Pokémon need to be moved out of the Transport Box before they can be moved to Pokémon Home, so use the cursor to move the pokémon from the Transport Box to any of the other boxes in Pokémon Bank. Make sure that the pokémon that you want to move to Home are not in the same boxes with pokémon that you do not want to move. You can press START to switch between a red cursor, which shows you several options when you select a pokémon with it; a blue cursor, which picks up one pokémon at a time without showing any options; and a green cursor, which allows you to select multiple pokémon at a time.

When you are done moving your pokémon to other boxes, press the X button to save your changes and return to the title screen.

Download Pokémon Home for Nintendo Switch

If you haven't already, go to the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch and search for Pokémon Home, then download it.

Purchase the Premium Plan

To move pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home, you will need to pay for the Premium Plan. In Pokémon Home on the Nintendo Switch, choose the 3DS icon. If you haven't purchased the Premium Plan, it will say that it requires a subscription. Choose the "Nintendo eShop" button in the corner. It will ask how long you want to subscribe for (1, 3, or 12 months). The 12 month option gives you the lowest cost per month. When the Premium Plan expires, you will only have access to the 30 most recent pokémon in Pokémon Home, and the rest of the pokémon will be stored for an unknown amount of time before they are permanently deleted.

Get Pokémon Bank Ready

After you have subscribed to the Pokémon Home Premium Plan, go to Pokémon Bank on the 3DS. From the Pokémon Bank title screen, go to the main menu and choose "Move Pokémon to Pokémon HOME". After you read the information and scroll down, select "Begin" to proceed. The boxes from Pokémon Bank will be displayed. Use the cursor to select all of the boxes that you want to move to Pokémon Home. THIS IS A ONE-WAY TRANSFER! POKÉMON SENT FROM POKÉMON BANK TO POKÉMON HOME CANNOT BE SENT BACK TO POKÉMON BANK! You can press R or use the cursor to select the "All" button to select all boxes, and you can press X or use the cursor to select the "Reset" button to unselect all boxes. If you are ready, press Y or use the cursor to select the "Done" button. You will be asked for the Moving Key.

Get the Moving Key

In Pokémon Home, if you have a Premium Plan subscription (see above), choose the 3DS icon and choose Begin Move. read the information on the screen, then if you are ready, choose "Ready!" Read the information, then choose "Display". The moving key will be displayed, along with a countdown showing when the moving key will expire.

Enter the Moving Key

In Pokémon Bank, enter the Moving Key that is displayed on the Nintendo Switch then tap OK or use the cursor to select OK. Make sure to tap OK again, and Brigette will tell you that the pokémon will be moved. If Pokémon HOME is showing the title screen, press Start, and watch the Nintendo Switch for messages about the progress of the transfer.

Transfer the Pokémon to Pokémon Home

Pokémon Home will notify you how many pokémon can be transferred. You have the option to move all pokémon as they are, or one pokemon at a time, or organize boxes.

Move Pokémon from Pokémon Home to Pokémon Violet

From the main menu of Pokémon Home on the Nintendo Switch, choose the Pokémon button, then choose Pokémon Violet from the list of games, and choose Yes to confirm.

You can then move pokémon from the Pokémon Home box to your boxes in Pokémon Violet.