Pokémon Go XL Candy: What Does It Do and How to Get It?

Walking around with your Pokémon is not the only goal when playing Pokémon Go. You will have to progress, and by that, we mean leveling up your Pokémon. You already know that you will be relying on farming Pokémon Go Stardust for almost your entire playthrough to boost the stats. But did you know that that is not all you need to bring out the best from your buddies? Once your Pokémon are on the last few phases of leveling up, you must also direct your efforts toward getting Pokémon Go XL candy.

Here, we help you familiarize yourself with XL candy and the numerous ways you can obtain it in the game. So, join us in this learning adventure!

What is Pokémon Go XL Candy Used For?

If you have been playing the best Pokémon games of all time, you might already know what XL candy in Pokémon Go does or what it is for. In general, candy in Pokémon games raises Pokémon level instantly, letting you bypass the grind for it.

In Pokémon Go, XL candy has the same function but different usage conditions. The sweet treat that resembles real-life triangular candy corn can be given by you, the trainer, to a Pokémon. The more your Pokémon consumes XL candy, the easier it progresses from level 40 to 50 (the maximum level cap).

Now, here is a quick summary of conditions for getting and using XL candy:

1. XL candy may only be obtained, stocked up, and used by trainers if they are at and beyond level 40.
*It substitutes regular candy, which cannot power up level-40-and-above Pokémon.
2. It only works on a Pokémon based on its type (e.g. Charmander XL candy will only level up a Charmander, Charmeleon, or Charizard).
3. It can raise the Pokémon level by one but not in one go or boost (e.g. The Pokémon needs to power up twice with a certain amount of XL candies to gain an entire level).
4. As the level increases, so is the XL candy amount requirement (more on this in a bit).

How Many XL Candies Are Required to Progress in Pokémon Go?

You already know that it would take more than one XL candy to add one level to your Pokémon. So, before you head out into Pokémon Go’s AR world and collect them, find out how many you would need per boost in advance. Again, remember that two boosts or powerups are required to advance to the next level. Here is a quick reference for you:

With the frequency of boosts per level considered (values multiplied by 2 and summed up), 296 Pokémon Go XL candies are required for your Pokémon to progress from level 40 to 50. If what you want to enhance is a Shadow Pokémon that you have made into Purified Pokémon, you are lucky. You need 24 XL candies less than the usual total for your Purified Pokémon to make the same progress. As for unpurified Shadow Pokémon, they are more challenging to level up; 360 XL candies must be collected and used overall.

How to Farm Pokémon Go XL Candy and How Many You Can Get

Many players, newbie or not, are interested in how to farm Pokémon Go XL candy. But the reality is, although the resource is obtainable, we cannot say it is farmable. Farming implies you are getting an overflowing amount of the item, but that does not apply to XL candy in the game. The said sweets often take a long time to collect.

Despite that, if you want to be the best in Pokémon Go, let us tackle the different ways to obtain XL candy and the tips and possible amount you earn from each.

1. Walk, walk, walk as much as you can

XL Candy Yield: 1 piece
Guaranteed: No

Walking with your Pokémon does not only give you rewarding experiences in the real world (say, the opportunity to travel or lose weight due to the activity). It also yields in-game rewards such as the coveted Pokémon Go XL candy.

The odds of getting one along with your regular candy earnings are not always high and cannot be boosted by a Pinap berry. That said, you are more likely to receive a piece when your buddy is past level 31, according to Pokémon Go expert forums. So, pick a strong walking buddy and walk as much as you can. This is how you get XL candy without feeling you are grinding for it.

2. Catch ‘em all (even the rare ones)

XL Candy Yield: 1 piece (Unevolved, First Evolution, 5-Star Raid Boss), 2 pieces (Second Evolution), 3 pieces (Legendary/Mythical)
Guaranteed: Yes, except for unevolved Pokémon

Indeed, to get XL candy in Pokémon Go, just be the trainer you are supposed to be — catch ‘em all, as the Pokémon franchise tagline says. Unlike the previous method, this has a sure XL candy yield provided that you catch an evolved Pokémon in the field or a 5-star boss in the raids.

But to get the most XL candy in one go, it is best to target Legendary and Mythical Pokémon during raids and the Special Research story quests, respectively. If you find and capture one, you can receive a maximum of three XL candies. We know the said types are rare, but that does not mean you have to be idle while waiting for your chance. You can keep going for evolved species until you get a chance to battle a rare one. This is the fastest way to amass XL candy, keeping your candy count rising steadily.

3. Hatch eggs for the ‘eggcellent’ surprise

XL Candy Yield: 1 piece (2km egg), 3 pieces (5 or 7km egg), 4 pieces (10 or 12km egg)
Guaranteed: Yes

Eggs do not only reveal adorable baby Pokémon once they hatch. Hatching them by walking around can surprise you with some XL candy in Pokémon Go.

In this method, the farther the required walking distance is for an egg, the better the XL candy yield. Thus, you would want to get eggs of the higher tiers, particularly the 5, 7, 10, and 12-km ones. The 7-km eggs can be received when you unravel gifts from your friends. The 5 and 10-km ones are from spinning PokéStops while the 12-km eggs are rewards for defeating Team Go Rocket leaders Cliff, Arlo, and Sierra.

Out of those, the 12 and 7-km variants (yielding four and three XL candies, respectively) are better to obtain than the 10km egg to save time gathering XL candy. That is due to the 10km egg from PokéStops not being a sure drop; you might get the 2-km version (giving the least possible XL candy yield) from those places instead. Nonetheless, you still get an XL candy if you receive and hatch a 2-km egg, which is not bad anyway.

4. Know that the trick is the trade (or the transfer)

XL Candy Yield: 1 piece
Guaranteed: No

Trading your Pokémon with friends or other trainers might leave a sad feeling, especially if you have been fond of your pocket monsters. Nonetheless, each trade with a friend who is 100-km or farther from where you are is the trick to occasionally getting one XL candy. In long-distance trades, you and sometimes even your friend may get a piece. If it is a short-distance trade, whether you will receive one XL candy is not guaranteed.

If you find it easy to engage in long-distance trades, initiate and accept trades regularly for the Pokémon you want to improve. It can keep your XL candy stock going, albeit slowly.

If you cannot find trades or afford to give away some of your strong Pokémon, the best alternative is to transfer them. Transferring one to Professor Willow, usually to free up slots for more Pokémon, might yield an XL candy. Now you might be thinking that this alternative process is also slow, possibly gaining only one piece per transfer. Thankfully, Pokémon Go lets you transfer many Pokémon simultaneously. If you try that, you might get more XL candy quicker.

5. Give in to the expensive candy deal

XL Candy Yield: 1 piece
Guaranteed: Yes

If you have already gotten tired of getting Pokémon Go XL candy through the previous methods, there is a workaround. It is an in-game deal that lets you exchange common candy for XL candy.

Upon finding out about it, you will be thankful that Pokémon Go has this god-send RPG-like barter system. But given that you need 100 candies (usually received when completing raids) to earn one XL candy, you will now think it is a bummer. Nevertheless, it is your choice to give in to the expensive deal if you want it or have plenty of extra candies to spare.

6. Join the fun activities in Pokémon Go events

XL Candy Yield: Depends on the event
Guaranteed: If stated on the event reward brief that it is

Pokémon Go XL candy is not only obtained through the previous methods discussed. You may source it from special or limited in-game events too. So, experience the fun, and you might just get guaranteed XL candy along the way.

Events do not necessarily highlight XL candy as the main reward. Most of the time, they have the said treat as one of the event bonuses. Of course, you will have to engage in some quests to get XL candy in Pokémon Go events. Those may involve walking, catching specific Pokémon, and winning battles. Nonetheless, this method is good because events can run for days – letting you earn more XL candy faster than usual, of course.

To stay updated on when and where the next big events are going to happen, take a look at the schedule of events on the official Pokémon Go website.

What Are the Differences Between XL Candy and Rare XL Candy?

Besides XL candy, you might come across rare XL candy in Pokémon Go. Thus, we will already share the differences between the candies here.

XL candy and rare XL candy do not come in the same hue. The former comes in the color scheme of the Pokémon it can be used for, while the latter has a sparkling pink-red-yellow-green-blue (almost rainbow) hue. Moreover, rare XL candy is more difficult to obtain because you can only get a few as a Level 40-trainer milestone reward. The perk you get with a rare XL candy, though, is that it can be turned into the XL candy type a specific Pokémon requires. It is helpful when you are having trouble getting the last few XL candies to max out a Pokémon.

Make Your Pokémon Strong with a Sweet Treat

Pokémon Go XL candy, be it the regular or rare version, is a treat you will want your Pokémon to indulge in. XL candy makes them level up as high as possible with ease — which you will also need to become the best trainer in the game. Prepare a bag of persistence, though, so you can master the candy-gathering methods and make your Pokémon strong through the sweet treat!