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Separate an unavailable Pokémon from an unavailable game save
There are two checks. A specific Pokémon may not be usable in Scarlet/Violet even when HOME recognizes the game; use the per-Pokémon Connected Games status. Separately, HOME may fail to link Scarlet/Violet if the relevant game's save is not present on that console. On Switch 2, Pokémon Support explicitly requires the save on the same console where HOME is launched. Do not try to fix a grey Pokémon icon by transferring the trainer save or reinstalling the app.
| What you see | Likely gate to inspect | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet/Violet appears in HOME, but this Pokémon's game icon is grey | This Pokémon is not usable in that target game | Check that Pokémon's Connected Games / Games it can travel to; choose a compatible title instead |
| Scarlet/Violet is not available as a connected game on Switch 2 | The game's save may not be present on this console/user | Confirm Scarlet/Violet save data is present on the same console running HOME; follow Nintendo's console transfer steps if moving systems |
| A different user/save appears in HOME | Wrong user context may be selected | Select the intended user and verify the corresponding Scarlet/Violet save before moving anything |
| The Pokémon can travel to Scarlet/Violet, but the move still fails | The eligibility check passed but another prompt/error remains | Record the exact message and app/game versions; consult current Pokémon Support rather than guessing |
References: Pokémon Support: Check Which Games a Pokémon Can Travel To in HOME · Pokémon Support: Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch 2 FAQs · Pokémon Support: About Connecting Pokémon HOME to Different Games
Check an individual Pokémon on either HOME screen
The mobile version exposes a Games it can travel to section on the Pokémon details page. The Nintendo Switch version exposes Connected Games from Check Summary. This per-Pokémon screen is more useful than a static species list because it checks the specific stored Pokémon against linked titles.
- On Pokémon HOME mobile, select the Pokémon and open its details page; scroll to Games it can travel to.
- On Pokémon HOME for Switch, select the Pokémon, choose Check Summary, then press + to open Connected Games.
- If Scarlet or Violet is greyed out, interpret that Pokémon as unavailable in that title. Do not assume a different game cartridge, save, or HOME plan changes the result.
- If the game is absent rather than greyed out, check that the correct HOME user and title save are available on the same console; then reopen HOME and inspect the connection list again.
- Use the in-game HOME box move only after the display identifies the intended Pokémon, destination game and user. Read all prompts before saving changes.
References: Pokémon Support: Check Which Games a Pokémon Can Travel To in HOME · Pokémon Support: Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch 2 FAQs
When moving to Switch 2, check the save location before HOME settings
Pokémon Support says HOME can link to Scarlet/Violet only when that title's save is present on the same console where HOME is launched. The recommended broad route is System Transfer with the same Nintendo Account on the old and new systems; if only selected users or saves should move, Nintendo provides a separate transfer guide. HOME's cloud-stored Pokémon and the console's game save are distinct data. Confirm the Switch 2 save first, then test HOME's connection on that same system.
- On Switch 2, launch the intended Scarlet or Violet title with the user you plan to use; confirm the expected save appears before opening HOME.
- Open Pokémon HOME on that same console and select the Nintendo Switch version. Choose the correct user/save context when prompted.
- If the save is absent, stop and use Nintendo's official System Transfer or Transfer Your Save Data instructions; do not overwrite a target save without confirming it is the intended one.
- After HOME lists the expected game, inspect each Pokémon's Connected Games status individually. This does not establish that every HOME Pokémon is compatible with Scarlet/Violet.
References: Pokémon Support: Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch 2 FAQs · Nintendo Support: Nintendo Switch 2 System Transfer · Pokémon Support: Check Which Games a Pokémon Can Travel To in HOME
Use the compatibility checklist without sharing private data
The local checker below only displays a next step based on self-reported answers. It does not connect to HOME or inspect a Pokémon. For player discussion, report only the title, platform, HOME app version, game save presence and exact non-private error; never publish Nintendo Account credentials, trainer details you wish to keep private, or trade codes.
References: Pokémon Support: Check Which Games a Pokémon Can Travel To in HOME · Pokémon Scarlet and Violet player discussions
Before you play
- Inspect the individual Pokémon's Connected Games / Games it can travel to status, not only a general species list.
- If Scarlet/Violet is missing from HOME on Switch 2, confirm the game save exists on the same console and user context.
- Treat a greyed-out Scarlet/Violet icon as an incompatibility signal for that specific Pokémon.
- Do not confuse HOME Pokémon storage with a backup of trainer, story, map or game-save progress.
- Record app/game version and exact message before asking a community; never share account credentials or trade codes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Pokémon HOME let every stored Pokémon enter Scarlet/Violet?
No. Pokémon Support says to inspect each Pokémon's Connected Games / Games it can travel to status; a greyed-out icon means it cannot be used in that game.
Why does HOME not show Scarlet or Violet after moving to Switch 2?
Pokémon Support says the Scarlet/Violet save data must be present on the same console where HOME is launched. Verify the save/user transfer first, then reopen HOME.
Is HOME the same as backing up my Scarlet/Violet save?
No. These are separate systems: HOME stores Pokémon and exposes title compatibility; the console save holds the game's own progress. Do not rely on HOME to restore story/save state.
Sources & revision notes
Editorial revision: November 6, 2026; not a gameplay test date. The reference notes identify source limits and version differences.
- Pokémon Support: Check Which Games a Pokémon Can Travel To in HOME (Official)
Pokémon Support's HOME compatibility instructions checked November 6, 2026. On mobile, inspect the Pokémon details page's Games it can travel to section; on Switch, select the Pokémon, open Check Summary and press + for Connected Games. A greyed-out game icon means that Pokémon cannot be used in that title.
- Pokémon Support: Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch 2 FAQs (Official)
Pokémon Support's Switch 2 HOME FAQ checked November 6, 2026. It says Scarlet/Violet save data must be present on the same console where HOME is launched for HOME to link to that game. Its transfer note distinguishes local communication from the temporary server route; confirm the current on-screen prompts before moving data.
- Pokémon Support: About Connecting Pokémon HOME to Different Games (Official)
Pokémon Support's cross-game connection overview checked November 6, 2026. It explains choosing a connected game's save/user and that HOME can display an icon for a Pokémon that cannot be moved. Its older examples are not used as a complete current compatibility list; use HOME's live Connected Games status for the specific Pokémon.
- Nintendo Support: Nintendo Switch 2 System Transfer (Official)
Nintendo's Switch-to-Switch 2 System Transfer instructions checked November 6, 2026. They explicitly answer that a non-cloud-save title such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet can be carried over. The all-at-once System Transfer is available during Switch 2 initial setup; read the current local-communication and temporary-server paths separately because their source-console consequences differ.
- Nintendo Support: Transfer Your Save Data to a Nearby Console (Official)
Nintendo's individual-save transfer instructions checked November 6, 2026. They cover Nintendo Switch-family consoles, say Nintendo Switch Online is not required, require the same Nintendo Account linked to users on both systems and an internet connection, and warn that the save is moved rather than copied. If the target already has save data for the title, continuing with overwrite deletes that target save.
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet player discussions (Community)
External player-run discussion; posts and replies are user-generated and not verified by GamerWin, Nintendo, or The Pokémon Company. Use only as a lead after recording the console family, game version, transfer method, HOME app version, selected user and exact message. Do not post account details, Nintendo Account emails, trade codes, or screenshots with personal data.
November 6, 2026: built a per-Pokémon compatibility decision path and a separate same-console save check from Pokémon Support instructions. No Pokémon, account, HOME box, or save was accessed.
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