THE Explorer Gadget gets a useful upgrade in Pokémon GO! Trainers can now use it to automatically catch Pokémon and spin PokéStops. while actively playing the gamerather than only when Pokémon GO is running in the background.
Alongside the Explorer gadget improvements, several quality of life updates have recently rolled out, including a redesigned catch summary, a dedicated rating button, clearer PokéStop visuals, and changes to Power Spot encounters.
Here’s what’s new and how it works.
The Explorer gadget now works when playing Pokémon GO
Previously, the Explorer gadget could automatically attempt to catch Pokémon and spin PokéStops when Pokémon GO was not actively open on your device. With this update, it can now do both while you play, much like a Pokémon GO Plus+ accessory.
Trainers level 20 and above You can activate the Explorer gadget by tapping its icon in the upper right corner of the Map view or finding it under Key Items in the item bag.
When active, a pink Poké Ball icon will appear above Pokémon or PokéStops that the Explorer gadget is attempting to interact with.
Manual capture and rotation still works
You can still catch Pokémon or spin PokéStops yourself while the Explorer gadget is active.
Simply tap the Pokémon or PokéStop targeted by the gadget to resume the interaction. However, you will only have one limited time window to do so once the pink Poké Ball icon appears.
Limitations of the Explorer gadget
There are some important restrictions to keep in mind:
- The explorer gadget will not attempt to catch certain Pokémonincluding Pokémon not yet registered in your Pokédex and powerful Pokémon.
- You can keep your Pokémon GO Plus+ or other paired accessory, but the Explorer gadget and an accessory cannot be active simultaneously.
- You only have a short window to manually override an interaction with the Explorer gadget.
Check your Explorer gadget activity
Trainers can check which Pokémon the Explorer Gadget has caught and how many PokéStops it has released by opening the Explorer Gadget from the Map View or the Key Items section of the Item Bag.
If you’re unfamiliar with this feature, check out our Explore Gadget guide for more information.
Other Quality of Life Updates
The Explorer gadget isn’t the only one getting attention. Pokémon GO also rolled out several minor gameplay and interface improvements.
Improved capture summary
The screen displayed after catching a Pokémon has been redesigned, with clearer visuals for rewards and catch bonuses. This should make it easier to see exactly what you earned for each capture.
Dedicated review button
Checking a Pokémon’s IV is now easier! A dedicated Rate button has been added to the Pokémon summary screens, just above the Additional Options button.
This removes the need to open the Additional Options menu every time you want to evaluate a Pokémon.
Changes to Power Spot encounters
Visit a Power Spot or place a Pokémon on a Power Spot after winning a Max Battle no longer triggers special wild encounters around the Power Spot.
According to Pokémon GO, this change aims to improve the consistency of wild encounters for all players.
Updated Dating Rings
The visual rings surrounding wild Pokémon attracted to Lure modules or encountered while exploring Itineraries have been updated.
Lighter PokéStop colors
Spun PokéStops now have adjusted color saturation, making them easier to distinguish from non-spun PokéStops.
This is a welcome accessibility improvement, especially for trainers who have difficulty distinguishing similar colors.
Updated mystery box and coin bag effects
The visual effects surrounding the Pokémon attracted to the Mystery box Or Coin bag have also been refreshed.
These are relatively minor changes individually, but together they should make daily Pokémon GO play a little more convenient.
Gn tech
