Pokémon Scarlet and Violet guide: How to use trade link codes

There are certain Pokémon that are exclusive to either Pokémon Scarlet Or Pokémon Violet — Pokémon you can’t get unless you trade with someone who has the opposite version of the game. Getting version exclusives isn’t a huge pain if you’ve got friends who are willing to breed and trade their extra pocket monsters. But what if you don’t have friends playing Pokémon? It makes life difficult.

Thankfully, industrious Pokémon fans have created a trade link code system for exclusive Pokémon or other creatures people can’t get from their own games, such as foreign Dittos, which are useful for breeding, and the starters. Most of the codes were created by Austin John Plays, a YouTuber. He’s posted a video online and has also published a handy chart that makes trading easy.

Here’s how it works: Open the Poké Portal and click the Link Trade option. From there, you’ll have the option to Set Link Code, which is where you’ll input the code associated with the Pokémon for which you’re looking to trade. You’ll get matched with someone who input that code, too.

It is hoped that as these codes become more common, enough people will enter the numbers to facilitate trades. There’s a chance you’ll get matched with someone who has the same Pokémon that you’re trading, and in that case, you’ll just choose not to trade. So for example, if you have a Sprigatito and want a Fuecoco, you’ll enter 0001-0004. You can also trade for Sprigatitos with Fuecocos. The codes work the same so you can be matched up either with a Fuecoco, or with a Sprigatito. Simply enter the code until the one you want is found.

The numbers are aligned with each Pokémon’s regional Pokédex entry to make it easy. This process was tested by Polygon multiple times. There are codes for all starters, version exclusives, Paradox Pokémon, and the legendary ride-on Pokémon.

The complete list of codes for trade can be viewed here on Austin John Plays’ Twitter.