Trainers, Silver Bottle Caps finally arrived in Pokémon GO during the Into the Wild event in November 2025, giving us a way to improve one of a Pokémon’s IV stats through Hyper Training.
Unlike a Gold Bottle Cap, which can train multiple stats, a Silver Bottle Cap focuses on one stat: Attack, Defense or HP. This makes it ideal for a valuable Pokémon that is only one stat away from perfection.
However, it is not an instant hundo button. Each IV point must be earned by completing a Hyper Training task, and there are several important restrictions to consider before choosing your trainee.
A Silver Bottle Cap is an extremely rare, single-use item that allows an eligible Pokémon to begin Hyper Training for one selected IV stat.
When using the item, you choose:
- The Pokémon you want to Hyper Train
- Attack, Defense or HP
- How many points you want to add to that stat, up to the maximum of 15
Each completed Hyper Training task permanently adds one point to the chosen IV. The Pokémon’s CP may also increase as its stats improve.
For example, raising a Pokémon’s Attack IV from 14 to 15 requires one task. Raising it from 10 to 15 requires five tasks.
There is currently no active way to obtain a Silver Bottle Cap in Pokémon GO.
The only Silver Bottle Cap released so far was available through the paid GO Pass Deluxe: Into the Wild in November 2025.
- The GO Pass ran from 10 November to 16 November 2025.
- The GO Pass Deluxe cost US$14.99, or the equivalent local price.
- Trainers had to purchase the Deluxe pass, earn enough GO Points and claim the Silver Bottle Cap before the rewards expired.
- The Silver Bottle Cap itself expired on 24 November 2025.
The Silver Bottle Cap was not included on the free reward track.
Important: Bottle Caps only remain in your Item Bag for a limited time. Any future Silver Bottle Cap will have its own expiry date, so check the Expiring Soon section of your Item Bag and use it before the deadline.
The item’s expiry date and the Hyper Training deadline are separate. Once the Bottle Cap has been used, it is consumed and the Pokémon can continue its Hyper Training course for up to one year.
Using a Silver Bottle Cap only begins the training process. We have a separate, detailed Pokémon GO Hyper Training guide, but the basic process works like this:
- Choose your trainee: Select an eligible Pokémon that has reached Good Buddy or higher.
- Use the Silver Bottle Cap: Open the item from your bag, select your Pokémon and choose Attack, Defense or HP.
- Set your training goal: Choose how far you want to increase the selected IV, up to 15.
- Make the Pokémon your Buddy: Your trainee must be your active Buddy for Hyper Training progress to count.
- Complete the tasks: Each completed task permanently adds one IV point. A new task will then appear until the chosen training goal is reached.
You have up to 365 days to finish the Hyper Training course after using the Bottle Cap.
Hyper Training Tasks by Stat
The tasks depend on the stat being trained.
- Attack: Battle in Gyms and raids, and defeat Team GO Rocket members with your trainee.
- Defense: Play with your trainee, take snapshots, catch Pokémon and power up Pokémon that share its type.
- HP: Explore with your trainee, spin PokéStops, complete Field Research, hatch Eggs and earn Buddy Candy.
The amount of work depends on the Pokémon’s starting IV. A Pokémon going from 14 to 15 only needs one task, while a Pokémon going from 5 to 15 needs ten.
Restrictions and Limitations
Before using a Silver Bottle Cap, keep the following rules in mind:
- The Pokémon must be a Good Buddy or higher before Hyper Training can begin.
- The trainee must be your active Buddy to make progress on Hyper Training tasks.
- Shadow Pokémon cannot undergo Hyper Training.
- Pokémon that already have a 4-star, 15/15/15 IV spread are not eligible.
- A Silver Bottle Cap can only train one stat at a time.
- Multiple Silver Bottle Caps can be used on the same Pokémon, but the Pokémon must finish its current Hyper Training course before another can be used.
- Completed stat increases are permanent and cannot be reversed.
- Increasing a Pokémon’s IVs can increase its CP.
- Pokémon that have undergone Hyper Training cannot be transferred to Pokémon HOME.
You can adjust a Pokémon’s unfinished training goal, but it cannot be lowered below the stat points it has already earned.
The Silver Bottle Cap is a precision tool. It offers the most value when a rare, powerful or personally important Pokémon has one stat that genuinely needs improving.
Whether the paid GO Pass was worth buying depended on the rest of its rewards, not just the Bottle Cap. However, if you already have an unused Bottle Cap approaching its expiry date, it is certainly better to choose a sensible trainee than allow the item to disappear.
- For casual players: A single IV point will rarely transform how a Pokémon performs. Choose a favourite or a rare Pokémon you know you will keep.
- For collectors: This is an opportunity to perfect a prized shiny, costume Pokémon or Special Background Pokémon. Just remember that it will never be eligible for transfer to Pokémon HOME.
- For Raid and Max Battle players: Attack is normally the most valuable stat to improve. Moving from 14 to 15 Attack can reach a damage breakpoint in certain matchups, although it will not always change the Pokémon’s damage.
- For Master League players: This is one of the strongest uses for a Silver Bottle Cap. Attack can affect Charged Attack Priority, while Defense and HP may influence specific bulkpoints or survival scenarios.
- For Great and Ultra League players: Be careful. Increasing an IV also increases CP and could push the Pokémon over the League limit. A higher Attack IV can also reduce the overall stat product available beneath the CP cap.
For PvP candidates, always run the original and proposed IV spreads through a battle simulator before committing the Bottle Cap.
Because Silver Bottle Caps only train one stat, the best candidate is not necessarily the Pokémon with the worst overall IVs. It is usually a Pokémon that is already excellent and has one specific weakness that can be corrected.
1. One Stat Short of a Master League Hundo
A valuable Master League Pokémon with a 14/15/15, 15/14/15 or 15/15/14 IV spread is an obvious candidate.
Attack is often the priority because a higher Attack stat can influence Charged Attack Priority in mirror matches. Defense and HP can also matter, but their value depends on the Pokémon and matchup.
Do not assume that every 98% Pokémon needs fixing. Check whether the missing IV actually changes any important matchups first.
2. Mythical and Other Limited Pokémon
Mythical Pokémon, limited research encounters and other Pokémon that cannot simply be raided or traded repeatedly are excellent candidates.
If you only received one opportunity to obtain the Pokémon, Hyper Training may be the only realistic way to improve a disappointing IV.
3. Top Raid, Mega and Max Battle Attackers
A top attacker with 14 Attack and perfect Defense and HP can be a sensible choice, particularly if you have already invested Candy XL and Stardust into it.
The difference between 14 and 15 Attack is usually small, but it may reach a Fast Attack breakpoint against certain bosses. This becomes more useful for Trainers who regularly short-man difficult raids or optimise Max Battle teams.
4. Prized Shinies and Special Background Pokémon
Sometimes the best choice is simply the Pokémon you value most.
A rare shiny, costume Pokémon, location card or Special Background Pokémon may be impossible to replace. If Hyper Training makes that Pokémon feel complete, that is a perfectly valid use of the item.
It will technically become a Hyper Trained hundo or shundo once all three stats reach 15, with the Hyper Training symbol remaining visible on its appraisal screen.
5. Carefully Selected Great or Ultra League Pokémon
A Silver Bottle Cap can improve the Defense or HP of a PvP Pokémon without touching its Attack stat. You can also set a training goal below 15, which creates some interesting possibilities.
However, this is an advanced use. Check the resulting CP, stat product, breakpoints and matchups before beginning. Once an IV point has been added, it cannot be removed.
We have a separate Bottle Cap Pokémon tier list with recommendations for Raid and Max Battle attackers. It is a useful starting point, but the Silver Bottle Cap changes the question slightly: look for a top Pokémon with one important stat that needs fixing.
Before Choosing, Ask Yourself
- Is this Pokémon rare or difficult to replace?
- Will I actually power it up and use it?
- Does the missing IV change any meaningful matchup or damage breakpoint?
- Am I prepared to complete every required training task?
- Am I certain I will never want to transfer it to Pokémon HOME?
Avoid Using It On
- Anything you may eventually want to transfer to Pokémon HOME
- A common Pokémon that can easily be replaced through catching, raiding or trading
- A Great or Ultra League Pokémon without checking its resulting CP first
- A Pokémon you do not plan to power up or use
- A stat that makes no meaningful difference to the Pokémon’s performance
In raids and PvP, a breakpoint is the point where an additional stat causes an attack to deal one extra point of damage.
Moving from 14 to 15 Attack does not automatically increase every attack. Pokémon GO rounds damage to whole numbers, so the additional IV only matters when it crosses a specific breakpoint against a particular opponent.
In PvP, Attack can also affect Charged Attack Priority, while Defense and HP may produce important bulkpoints. These differences can matter at the highest level, but they should be checked individually rather than assumed.
Can a Silver Bottle Cap Turn a Pokémon Into a Hundo?
Yes. If the Pokémon’s other two IV stats are already 15, raising the remaining stat to 15 will give it a 15/15/15 appraisal.
The stat will not jump immediately to 15. You must complete one Hyper Training task for every IV point added.
Can You Use More Than One Silver Bottle Cap on the Same Pokémon?
Yes. A Pokémon can receive another Silver Bottle Cap after it has finished its existing Hyper Training course.
This means three Silver Bottle Caps could eventually train all three stats, although a Gold Bottle Cap would be more efficient if one were available.
Does the Silver Bottle Cap Expire?
Yes. Bottle Caps only stay in the Item Bag for a limited time, and each release has its own expiry date.
Once the item has been used, the trainee receives a separate Hyper Training deadline of up to 365 days.
Can Hyper Trained Pokémon Be Sent to Pokémon HOME?
No. A Pokémon that has undergone Hyper Training cannot be transferred to Pokémon HOME. Treat this restriction as permanent when choosing your trainee.
The Silver Bottle Cap is one of the rarest and most powerful upgrade items released in Pokémon GO, but its real value comes from using it precisely.
It is best saved for a rare, heavily invested or personally important Pokémon with one stat worth fixing. Master League Pokémon, limited Mythicals, top attackers and cherished shinies are all strong candidates.
Do not use one simply because it is rare. Use it on a Pokémon you know you will keep, power up and enjoy. Most importantly, remember that the Bottle Cap’s Item Bag expiry and the trainee’s one-year Hyper Training deadline are two different clocks.
