Pokémon HOME: FireRed and LeafGreen Compatible in October
The Pokémon Company has confirmed the date: Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version on Nintendo Switch will be compatible with Pokémon HOME from October 2026. Once the games are linked to the service, Pokémon caught in Kanto can be deposited in the online Boxes and then moved on to other titles in the series. The announcement also brings a gift for completed Pokédex entries, a storage increase for premium accounts and the shutdown date for Pokémon Bank.
Pokémon HOME compatibility arrives in October 2026
The link between the two Kanto games and the cloud service will go live with the October update. Once connected, Pokémon encountered in Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen can be deposited in Pokémon HOME and then brought into other compatible games in the series.
Transfers work in one direction only. Two rules to keep in mind:
- A Pokémon originally from FireRed or LeafGreen that has been moved into another core series game can never return to those two versions.
- Pokémon originally from other core series games cannot be sent into FireRed and LeafGreen.
This choice prevents creatures from later generations reaching games built around the third generation Pokédex.
Celebi as a reward for a completed Pokédex
Trainers who have completed the Pokédex in either game can receive the Mythical Pokémon Celebi as a gift in the mobile version of Pokémon HOME. No Pokémon deposit is required to claim it.
Once FireRed or LeafGreen is synced with the service, registering a Pokémon in the game's Pokédex also registers it in the Pokémon HOME Pokédex. GTS trades remain an option for filling in missing entries.
Pokémon HOME 4.1.0: more storage and Safari Balls
Update 4.1.0, scheduled for October 2026, increases storage capacity for premium accounts. The limit rises from 6,000 to 9,000 deposited Pokémon, with no change to the subscription price.
Another change awaited by Pokémon GO players: Pokémon caught in GO Safari Balls will finally be transferable to Pokémon HOME after the update. On arrival, their Poké Balls will be converted into Strange Balls.
Pokémon Bank service ends on 26 February 2027
Pokémon Bank, the Nintendo 3DS application used to store Pokémon from that console's games, will shut down permanently on Friday 26 February 2027 at 3:00 a.m. UTC. Transfers between Pokémon Bank and Pokémon HOME will no longer be possible after that point.
Affected players need to move their Pokémon into Pokémon HOME before the deadline or lose access to them. The application is no longer available for download, which rules out any last-minute installation.
Frequently asked questions
- When do Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen become compatible with Pokémon HOME?
- Compatibility is scheduled for October 2026, arriving with the Pokémon HOME 4.1.0 update.
- Can a Pokémon be sent back to FireRed or LeafGreen?
- No. Transfers are one way only: a Pokémon deposited in Pokémon HOME and moved into another game cannot return to those two versions.
- How do you get Celebi in Pokémon HOME?
- You need a completed Pokédex in Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version, then claim the gift in the mobile version of Pokémon HOME.
- When does Pokémon Bank shut down?
- The service ends on Friday 26 February 2027 at 3:00 a.m. UTC.
With this compatibility, the two Kanto remakes stop being isolated ports and join the modern ecosystem of the series. Pokémon caught in FireRed and LeafGreen will be able to travel to recent titles, provided players accept that the move is permanent. Between the Celebi gift and the scheduled closure of Pokémon Bank, October 2026 is a date long-time collectors will want to note.
