Powering-up PokéStops is a new Pokémon GO system that allows Trainers to increase PokéStop rewards by using their smart device to scan real-world PokéStop locations.
Powered-Up PokéStops will look different on the map, and any Trainer who spins one will earn extra rewards.
As more Trainers level 20 and above perform AR scans of a PokéStop, the rewards for spinning it will increase, and the PokéStop will be powered up for a longer period of time.
Powered-Up PokéStops
You and other Trainers can temporarily power up PokéStops or Gyms by uploading AR Scans of the location.
- Players can scan PokéStops in order to power them up.
Scanning is creating a 3D model of the PokéStop with your phone. The interaction radius required to scan is 40 meters, not 80 meters. These tasks are known as AR mapping tasks.
- Powered-up PokéStops last for a while, giving bonuses to everyone interacting with the Stop during that time
- Each time you scan a PokéStop, you fill the PokéStop’s power-up bar by 10 Points (you need 50 / 100 / 250 points to reach each power-up level)
Here’s how different levels of PokéStop power-ups look like (the height of the PokéStop changes ever so slightly):
At present, it seems that only 1 PokéStop or Gym per S2 Level 14 cell can be powered-up. Read our comprehensive Guide to S2 Cells and Pokémon GO for more information on the cells.
PokéStop power-up Bonuses
You can power-up PokéStops and Gyms three times, up to Level 3. Each level comes with different rewards for everyone interacting with the PokéStop, and each power-up level lasts differently:
Power Up Level | Scans Required | Duration | Bonuses |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | 48h | Bonus Items on Spin |
2 | 10 | 12h |
|
3 | 25 | 12h |
|
Players have agreed that powering-up PokéStops beyond Level 1 doesn’t make much sense outside of events. Scanning 25 times takes a long time and the bonuses are not worth the hassle.
How to scan a PokéStop
✨ More reading: Pokéstop Scanning: A Step by Step Guide
To scan a PokéStop, go to the PokéStop or Gym’s details page and tap the three dots in the upper right. You must be level 20 or above to complete AR Mapping tasks.
- Tap SCAN POKÉSTOP
- Opt in to the feature via the on-screen prompts if it’s your first time performing a scan.
- Tap the record button to start scanning. Keep the subject within the frame, and slowly walk around the subject if possible.
- Tap Upload Later or Upload Now to upload your scan.
Niantic’s comments on the PokéStop power-up feature
In an interview with Eurogamer, Niantic’s Michael Sterenka shared a bit of the backstory about PokéStop power-up feature:
- Features like the PokéStop power-up will enable Pokémon Go to continue to stay top of mind and the gold standard for AR games.
- Niantic thinks that the augmented reality possibilities that can be unlocked in the future, by leveraging a 3D map of the world is something all Pokémon GO players are actually going to love.
- AR features are always designed with an “optional approach” in mind – don’t force the player to use them if they don’t want to.
Notes
Powering-up PokéStops initially launched in test mode in New Zealand, just as Niantic mentioned in a blog post about “minor gameplay changes” being tested around the globe.