Spotlight Hour Pokémon GO: The Complete Guide to Every Weekly Event in 2026

If you’re a regular Pokémon GO player, then Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO is probably one of the events you look forward to most every week. And if you’re new to the game, it’s the one event you absolutely need to know about before anything else. Every single Tuesday from 6 PM to 7 PM local time, one Pokémon floods your map in huge numbers, and on top of that, you get a special bonus that can seriously boost your candy, stardust, or XP gains. One hour. One Pokémon. One bonus. Simple, powerful, and genuinely one of the most rewarding weekly routines in mobile gaming.

In this guide, we’re going to cover everything that Spotlight Hour actually is, the full February 2026 schedule, how it connects to the Tales of Transformation Pokémon GO season, how to maximize every minute of that one-hour window, whether shiny rates are actually boosted, and what items you should always have ready. Whether you’re a casual player who wants to grab some extra candy or a hardcore trainer planning every move, this is the guide for you.

What Is Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO?

Spotlight Hour is a weekly one-hour event in Pokémon GO that takes place every Tuesday evening from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM in your local time zone. During this hour, one specific Pokémon appears in the wild at a dramatically increased spawn rate, way more than you’d normally see. On top of the boosted spawns, every Spotlight Hour comes with a special timed bonus, like double candy for catching Pokémon, double stardust, double XP, or double transfer candy.

The event was first announced by Niantic on January 31, 2020, as part of testing new event types. Originally, it ran alongside a separate “Mystery Bonus Hour” on Thursdays. After positive feedback from the community, Niantic combined both into a single Tuesday event and started announcing the featured Pokémon and bonuses in advance, which players loved because it let them actually plan and prepare.

What makes Spotlight Hour so popular is its accessibility. You don’t need to buy anything, you don’t need a Raid Pass, and you don’t need to be anywhere specific. Whether you’re walking through a city, sitting in a park, or just wandering near a few PokéStops, you can fully participate. The spawns appear everywhere, not just near specific locations.

Key Facts About Spotlight Hour: Happens every Tuesday • 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time • Features one Pokémon with boosted spawns • Always includes a timed bonus • Available worldwide • Shiny rates are NOT boosted (but you see more Pokémon, so your shiny odds improve naturally)

Tales of Transformation Pokémon GO How This Season Changed Everything

Before we dive into the current schedule, it’s worth understanding the season that shaped the second half of 2025 and set the stage for where Pokémon GO is right now: Tales of Transformation.

Tales of Transformation was Pokémon GO’s Season that ran from September 2, 2025, to December 2, 2025. It was one of the most ambitious seasons Niantic had ever launched. The theme centered on transformation, evolution, power, and change, and it was packed with features that permanently altered how the game works.

The biggest change was the level cap increase from 50 to 80, which rolled out on October 15, 2025. This was a massive shift for the entire Pokémon GO community. For years, level 50 was the ceiling. Suddenly, there was a whole new progression system, new milestones, new cosmetics, and new rewards for dedicated trainers. For Spotlight Hour players specifically, this meant grinding candy and stardust during weekly events became even more important because powering up Pokémon to higher levels requires far more resources than before.

Tales of Transformation also introduced the Keldeo Special Research, a season-long journey where trainers could evolve Keldeo into its Resolute Form by completing research tasks over the course of the season. This was the first time in Pokémon GO that a Mythical Pokémon could change forms through regular gameplay, and it made the season feel genuinely special. The Special Research was available from September 2, 2025, to December 2, 2025.

Other major additions during Tales of Transformation included Trade Days every Sunday (with bonus trade candy and reduced Stardust costs), Mega debuts for Sharpedo, Camerupt, and Metagross, the arrival of Dynamax Duraludon and Gigantamax Garbodor, and Shadow Groudon making its debut in Shadow Raids. It was a packed season, and it significantly raised the bar for what players expect from Pokémon GO seasons going forward.

Understanding Tales of Transformation matters for Spotlight Hour because many of the season’s bonuses, like guaranteed Rare Candy XL from Raid Hours and 1.5x Friendship XP, stack with weekly event bonuses. Players who understood how to combine these systems during that season got an enormous advantage in resources and progression.

February 2026 Spotlight Hour Schedule Full Breakdown

We are currently in the Precious Paths season of Pokémon GO, and February 2026 has brought a strong lineup of Spotlight Hours. Here is the complete verified schedule for this month:

Date	Featured Pokémon	Bonus	Shiny Available?
Tuesday, February 3, 2026	Whismur	2× Catch Candy	Yes ✓
Tuesday, February 10, 2026	Munna	2× Catch XP	Yes ✓
Tuesday, February 17, 2026	Horsea	2× Transfer Candy	Yes ✓
Tuesday, February 24, 2026	Totodile	2× Catch Stardust	Yes ✓

Every single Pokémon featured in February 2026 has a shiny version available, which is great news for shiny hunters. Let’s break down each one individually so you know what to expect and how to prepare.

February 3 Whismur Spotlight Hour DONE

Bonus: 2× Catch Candy

Whismur kicked off February’s Spotlight Hours with a solid candy bonus. The 2× Catch Candy bonus applies to every Pokémon you catch during the hour, not just Whismur, which means if you had saved up some rare Pokémon encounters or opened a Mystery Box, you could stack a ton of candy. Whismur’s final evolution, Exploud, is not a strong battler in the current meta, so most players used this hour for the candy bonus rather than specifically grinding Whismur.

Shiny note: Shiny Whismur has been available for a while. Its shiny form changes from pale lavender to a warmer pinkish tone subtle but noticeable once you know what to look for.

February 10 Munna Spotlight Hour DONE

Bonus: 2× Catch XP

Munna was featured with a 2× Catch XP bonus, which coincided with the Valentine’s Day event running from February 10–15. This was actually a great combination the Valentine’s event itself offered 2× XP from catching, so players who had a Lucky Egg active during this Spotlight Hour were earning quadruple XP per catch. If you were grinding XP toward a new level in the updated 1–80 system, this was an hour you absolutely did not want to miss.

Musharna, Munna’s evolution, requires 50 candy and an Unova Stone to evolve. The Spotlight Hour was a great opportunity to stock up on those Munna candies if you were still working toward your Musharna.

February 17 Horsea Spotlight Hour DONE

Bonus: 2× Transfer Candy

Horsea’s Spotlight Hour featured the 2× Transfer Candy bonus, which means every Pokémon you transferred to the Professor during that hour gave you double the usual candy amount. This is one of the most underrated bonuses in the game. The key strategy here is to spend the hour catching as many Pokémon as possible particularly Horsea and then use the final 5–10 minutes of the hour to mass transfer everything, double-dipping on candy for every single transfer.

Horsea’s shiny form changes its typical blue body to a more purple-tinted shade. Seadra needs a Dragon Scale item and a trade to evolve into Kingdra, so candy is always useful to stock up on.

This was also highlighted as the last chance for 2× Transfer Candy before the GO Tour: Kalos event, making it especially valuable for trainers who had been holding onto lots of Pokémon to transfer.

February 24 Totodile Spotlight Hour UPCOMING

Bonus: 2× Catch Stardust

This is the most exciting Spotlight Hour of February 2026 by a wide margin, and it’s coming up on Tuesday, February 24. Totodile is one of the most beloved starter Pokémon from Generation 2 (Johto), and it’s appearing with a 2× Catch Stardust bonus, one of the best possible bonuses in the game, given how Stardust-hungry the new level 50–80 progression system is.

Totodile’s shiny form is easy to spot; its blue body turns green. If you haven’t caught a shiny Totodile yet, this is your best opportunity in a long time. Stock up on Poké Balls, activate a Star Piece before 6 PM (Star Pieces multiply your Stardust gains by 1.5×, which stacks with the 2× event bonus to give you effectively 3× Stardust per catch), and get ready for a very productive hour.

Feraligatr, Totodile’s final evolution, is a strong Water-type attacker and a solid gym defender. Having a deep candy reserve for it is always worthwhile.

How to Maximize Every Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO

One hour goes by fast, especially when you’re catching Pokémon. Here’s exactly how to make the most of every Spotlight Hour, no matter which Pokémon or bonus is featured.

Prepare Your Items Before 6 PM

Don’t waste a single second of your hour doing admin work. Check your Poké Ball supply the day before. You want at least 100–150 Poké Balls, Great Balls, or Ultra Balls ready to go. If you’re running low, spin PokéStops before the event starts. Also, clear out your Pokémon storage if you’re close to the cap; you don’t want to hit the storage limit mid-event and miss catches.

Use the Right Items for the Right Bonus

This is where a lot of players leave free rewards on the table. Match your items to the bonus:

For 2× Stardust bonuses, activate a Star Piece right before 6 PM. It lasts 30 minutes, so you may need two for the full hour. The Star Piece’s 1.5× boost stacks with the 2× event bonus for an effective 3× Stardust rate that’s huge.

For 2× XP bonuses, pop a Lucky Egg. It also lasts 30 minutes. Combined with the event bonus and throw bonuses (Great and Excellent throws give extra XP), you can earn an enormous amount of XP in 60 minutes.

For 2× Catch Candy bonuses, use Pinap Berries on every catch. Pinap Berries already double the candy from a catch, so combined with the event bonus, you’re pulling in 4× the base candy per Pokémon. Also, have a Mega-Evolved Pokémon active that shares a type with the featured Pokémon this gives even more bonus candy per catch.

For 2× Transfer Candy bonuses, focus on catching as many Pokémon as possible during the hour, then batch-transfer them in the last 5–10 minutes while the bonus is still active.

Use Incense and Lures

Activating an Incense during Spotlight Hour dramatically increases the number of the featured Pokémon that spawn directly on your character, even if you’re not moving. If you’re somewhere with PokéStops nearby, drop a Lure Module on one to pull even more spawns to your location. Note that Lure Modules only last 30 minutes during regular events (unlike Community Day, where they last longer), so activate yours about 30 minutes into the hour if you want a fresh one for the second half.

Don’t Ignore Other Pokémon

While the featured Pokémon spawns at a much higher rate, other Pokémon still appear on the map. If you’re running a 2× Catch Candy or 2× Stardust bonus, catching anything and everything counts, not just the featured Pokémon. This is especially useful if you’re working on candy for a rare Pokémon that occasionally appears in your area.

Check Shiny Status Before Committing

During Spotlight Hours with high spawn rates, it’s easy to panic-catch everything without checking. Tap each Pokémon before throwing your first ball to see if it’s shiny. The shiny indicator appears immediately when the catch screen loads. If it’s not shiny and you’re not interested in the candy, consider fleeing to save balls for the next spawn.

Pro Tip: Set your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode during Spotlight Hour. Notifications, calls, and messages can pull you out of the app mid-catch and cost you valuable time. That one hour is precious, protect it.

Are Shiny Rates Boosted During Spotlight Hour?

This is the most common question players ask about Spotlight Hour, and the answer is: no, shiny rates are not directly boosted. The base shiny rate for most Pokémon is roughly 1 in 500, and Spotlight Hour does not change that number. For Pokémon that have been out longer and had their shiny rate adjusted (like starters and event regulars), the rate sits around 1 in 125 or 1 in 105.

However, and this is important, your practical shiny odds improve significantly during Spotlight Hour because you’re encountering far more Pokémon than normal. If you normally see 5 Horsea in an hour while walking around, your shiny odds are very low. But if Spotlight Hour puts 80–100 Horsea in front of you in that same hour, your chances of encountering a shiny one are much higher simply due to volume. The math works out in your favor even without a rate boost.

Think of it like rolling dice. The odds of any single roll don’t change, but the more rolls you get, the more likely you are to hit what you’re looking for. Spotlight Hour gives you significantly more rolls.

Spotlight Hour vs. Community Day: What’s the Difference?

New players often confuse Spotlight Hour with Community Day, and it’s worth clearing this up because they’re quite different events with different purposes.

Community Day runs once a month, typically for three hours (2 PM to 5 PM local time). It features boosted spawns, a guaranteed exclusive move for evolutions done during the event, and significantly increased shiny rates (roughly 1 in 25 during Community Day for the featured Pokémon). Lures last three hours instead of the normal 30 minutes. Community Day is the bigger, more important event for competitive players who want strong movesets on their Pokémon.

Spotlight Hour runs every week, lasts only one hour, does not increase shiny rates, and does not grant exclusive moves. However, it happens far more frequently, and its weekly bonuses (stardust, candy, XP, transfer candy) are genuinely useful for everyday progression. You don’t need to plan as aggressively just show up, have your items ready, and enjoy the hour.

In short, Community Day is about getting a perfect, powerful Pokémon with the best moves. Spotlight Hour is about stacking resources and grinding efficiently week after week.

Can You Participate in Spotlight Hour Remotely?

Pokémon GO is fundamentally a game built around real-world exploration, and Spotlight Hour is no exception. You do need to be physically moving around with the app open to make the most of it. The boosted spawns appear on your local map based on your real-world location, so there is no way to participate fully from home without moving.

That said, using an Incense item can bring Pokémon to you even if you’re relatively stationary so if your mobility is limited, activating Incense during Spotlight Hour will still generate a reasonable number of encounters at your location. It won’t be as effective as walking a busy area near multiple PokéStops, but it works.

Remote Raid Passes do not apply here since Spotlight Hour is not a Raid event. This is simply a wild spawn event, so the traditional GO Plus or Pokémon GO Plus+ wearable devices are actually a great tool for this event they can auto-catch Pokémon. At the same time, you walk, saving you screen time and letting you cover more ground.

Final Thoughts on Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO

Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO is one of the most consistently rewarding features in the entire game. It’s free, it’s weekly, it’s accessible to everyone, and the bonuses genuinely matter especially now that the level cap has been raised to 80 following the Tales of Transformation season and resource demands are higher than ever.

The key to getting the most out of Spotlight Hour is preparation. Know the schedule in advance, stock up on the right items for the specific bonus, have your storage cleared out, and don’t waste time during the actual hour doing things you could have done beforehand. That one hour can net you thousands of extra stardust, hundreds of extra candy, or a shiny you’ve been hunting for months.

February 24th’s Totodile Spotlight Hour with 2× Stardust is the one to circle on your calendar right now. Grab your Star Pieces, load up on Poké Balls, and be ready at 6 PM sharp. Totodile is a fan-favorite starter with a great shiny form, and its final evolution, Feraligatr, is a solid battler there’s no reason to miss this one.

See you out there, Trainer. Good luck on the shiny hunt.