Games

Pokémon Bank Is Closing in February 2027: How to Move Pokémon to HOME Before the Deadline

Pokémon Bank closes February 26, 2027 at 03:00 UTC. Find the correct Bank-to-HOME transfer route, Moving Key steps, Premium requirement, and no-3DS restrictions before the cutoff.

Published October 17, 2026 Updated October 25, 2026 11 min read
Pokémon Bank logo and transfer arrow pointing to the Pokémon HOME logo, centered on a navy background.
Image: The Pokémon Company, via the official Pokémon HOME Pokémon Bank transfer guide.

Pokémon Bank will close on February 26, 2027, at 03:00 UTC. That is February 25 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. After the shutdown, the official service will no longer allow Pokémon to move from Pokémon Bank on Nintendo 3DS into Pokémon HOME. If you have Pokémon in Bank that you want to preserve in HOME, do the transfer well before the final hours. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company both confirm the deadline. Nintendo support | Official Pokémon Bank notice

This is not a shutdown of Pokémon HOME. It is the end of the Bank-to-HOME bridge for existing Nintendo 3DS collections. The safe move depends on whether you can still access your 3DS and its Pokémon Bank installation, whether your Pokémon are actually in Bank, and whether your Nintendo Network ID is linked to the Nintendo Account used for HOME.

Your best next step depends on where your Pokémon are

Your situation What to do before shutdown Important limitation
You can open Pokémon Bank on your 3DS Use Pokémon HOME Premium and a Moving Key to transfer selected Bank Boxes Transfer is one-way. The key expires in three minutes.
You no longer have your 3DS, but Bank data and account linking are available In Pokémon HOME, use the No Nintendo 3DS route after confirming the correct linked Nintendo Network ID This route moves all Pokémon stored in Bank at once, not selected Boxes.
Your Pokémon are still inside an older game, not stored in Bank First determine whether you still have the required installed legacy transfer software and can get those Pokémon into Bank The HOME transfer cannot retrieve Pokémon directly from a game save through Bank without the required earlier steps.
You never downloaded Pokémon Bank Do not assume you can install it now Nintendo says Pokémon Bank is no longer available for new downloads.
Your Pokémon are already in HOME Review your HOME storage plan and compatible destinations The Bank shutdown does not undo completed transfers.

The first two routes are documented by Pokémon Support and Nintendo’s transfer guide. The last three rows distinguish where Pokémon currently reside from what the Bank service can actually transfer.

What do you need to transfer Pokémon from Bank to HOME?

Before beginning, check four requirements:

  1. Pokémon HOME Premium Plan. A paid HOME Premium membership is required for transfers from Pokémon Bank. The free HOME Basic Plan does not include that feature. You do not need Nintendo Switch Online to use HOME. Nintendo’s US-listed eShop prices are $2.99 for 30 days, $4.99 for 90 days or $15.99 for 365 days, before applicable tax, subject to change and regional differences. The Premium subscription renews automatically unless you turn off renewal in the store that sold it. Official Pokémon HOME plans | Pokémon Support | Renewal instructions
  2. Access to the correct HOME account. On Switch or Switch 2, HOME uses your Nintendo Account. If you use the mobile app as well, link it to the same Nintendo Account during initial setup, before transferring anything. Pokémon Support warns that a HOME account that already has Premium or has been synced across devices cannot simply have its linked Nintendo Account changed afterward. Check the account before starting a one-way transfer. Pokémon Support: shared HOME Boxes | Account-link error guidance
  3. Access to the existing Bank data and the correct Bank version. If you are using a 3DS, Pokémon Bank must already be installed and usable. Nintendo specifies Pokémon Bank version 1.5 or later for the Move to Pokémon HOME feature. Bank has been free to use since March 27, 2023, but new downloads are no longer offered. That is separate from the paid HOME Premium requirement. Check the existing app and updates before purchasing Premium. Nintendo Bank compatibility | Bank update history | Nintendo transfer instructions
  4. A stable connection and enough time. Do not wait until the shutdown hour. The process may involve updating the 3DS or Bank, inspecting Boxes, checking the account connection and moving several groups of Pokémon.

Check your Bank Boxes, not just your old game library. A Pokémon sitting in a game save is not automatically in Bank. The exact supported route depends on the title and which software is already available on your 3DS. If required legacy software is missing, do not assume a new download or recovery path is available.

Which older games need Poké Transporter first?

Nintendo’s official Bank and Poké Transporter compatibility list draws a useful line:

Pokémon currently in Official path toward HOME Required existing software
Pokémon X/Y, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Sun/Moon or Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Deposit into Pokémon Bank, then move onward to HOME Bank, updated to version 1.5 or later for the HOME step
Pokémon Black/White or Black 2/White 2 Use Poké Transporter to bring eligible Pokémon into Bank, then Bank to HOME Compatible Poké Transporter plus Bank
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Red/Blue/Yellow Poké Transporter to Bank, then HOME Poké Transporter version 1.2 or later, plus Bank
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Gold/Silver/Crystal Poké Transporter to Bank, then HOME Poké Transporter version 1.4 or later, plus Bank
Another older game or original cartridge Check the game’s exact supported route into one of the above titles before proceeding Nintendo’s Bank compatibility list does not establish a direct route from every historical game

This is a compatibility map, not a guarantee that software is currently obtainable. Nintendo’s 3DS eShop discontinuation FAQ distinguishes downloading previously obtained software/updates from acquiring new software. In particular, Bank itself is no longer offered for new downloads. Inspect your existing Bank and Poké Transporter installations before spending money on HOME Premium.

How to transfer when you still have your Nintendo 3DS

If your 3DS and Pokémon Bank still work, you can choose which Boxes to move.

  1. Open Pokémon Bank on the 3DS and select Move Pokémon to Pokémon HOME.
  2. Choose the Bank Boxes you want to move. Press Y, then confirm Yes.
  3. On Pokémon HOME for Switch or Switch 2, select Move, then Begin Move, Begin, Ready! and Display. On the HOME mobile app, open the menu, choose Options, then Move Pokémon, and follow the prompts to display the Moving Key.
  4. Enter that Moving Key into Pokémon Bank on the 3DS within three minutes. If the key expires, request a fresh one in HOME rather than trying the old code.
  5. Wait for the transfer, then open HOME to confirm the Pokémon have arrived in the intended Boxes before continuing with any other transfers.

Nintendo notes that a Moving Key never contains the letters O, I or Z. Use its official Switch/phone/3DS transfer instructions if your screen labels differ from those above.

Do not treat the move as a backup-and-restore operation. Pokémon transferred from Bank to HOME cannot move back to Bank or into Nintendo 3DS titles. Check which Pokémon you intend to move before confirming. Pokémon Support: one-way transfers

Can you transfer without the Nintendo 3DS?

Yes, in a specific account-linked situation. Pokémon Support says HOME can retrieve Bank-stored Pokémon without the 3DS when the Nintendo Network ID associated with Bank is linked to the Nintendo Account used for HOME. This is not a general way to extract Pokémon from physical cartridges, unlinked accounts, or lost game saves.

In the Switch or Switch 2 version of HOME, choose Move, then No Nintendo 3DS, check the Nintendo Network ID linked to the account, and confirm the transfer. In the mobile version, open Options, choose Move Pokémon, then No Nintendo 3DS and follow the account-confirmation steps.

Critical difference: this method transfers all Pokémon currently in Bank at once. You cannot use it to pick individual Bank Boxes. It does not retrieve Pokémon still in a cartridge or local game save. Confirm that the linked account and stored collection are correct first. Pokémon Support: linking and full transfer

If the accounts are not linked yet, Nintendo still documents a way to check and link a Nintendo Network ID from Nintendo Account > User information > Linked apps and services. Use its official NNID linking instructions. An account-linking failure can involve a birth-date mismatch, country mismatch, or restricted off-device NNID use. Nintendo’s account-linking troubleshooting guide explains those limits. Do not confuse the separate March 2024 end of eShop fund-balance merging with a documented end of all NNID account linking.

If you are unable to establish the required account link, the official support material does not guarantee recovery. Contact Pokémon Support for account-specific guidance rather than trying unverified transfer workarounds.

Can you still use Pokémon Bank if its old subscription expired?

Pokémon Bank itself became free to use after the Nintendo 3DS eShop purchasing shutdown in March 2023. If the app still shows an old pass-expired message, Pokémon Support says an existing user can decline the new-pass prompt and continue into Use Pokémon Bank. That does not remove the requirement to subscribe to Pokémon HOME Premium when transferring into HOME. Pokémon Support: expired Bank pass

Be especially careful if you have never installed Bank. Nintendo explicitly says it is not currently available for download. Previously downloaded games or software may have separate redownload rules, but a new Bank installation must not be promised to someone who never acquired the application. Nintendo service closure

What happens to your Pokémon once they reach HOME?

A successful transfer moves the Pokémon to your HOME collection, but it does not guarantee every Pokémon can enter every newer Nintendo Switch game. Pokémon HOME says a Pokémon can move into a game only when that game supports the species and applicable compatibility conditions. You can check a specific Pokémon using Games it can travel to in the mobile HOME app, or Check Summary > + Button > Connected Games on the console version. The game-specific moves displayed in HOME may also change according to destination-game rules. Pokémon HOME compatibility guide | Nintendo game-check instructions | Pokémon Support: changed moves

HOME Premium also changes storage access. The Basic Plan provides 30 slots, while HOME version 4.1.0 raised Premium storage to 9,000 Pokémon on October 6, 2026 (up from 6,000), without a price increase. If Premium expires after you deposit more than 30, Pokémon Support says the most recently deposited or traded 30 remain accessible under Basic; the rest are not viewable or withdrawable until Premium is restored, and the support page describes retention only for a certain period of time. Do not promise permanent retention or a specific grace period. Official HOME plans | Nintendo 4.1.0 release notes | Plan-expiration FAQ

Does the new Switch version of FireRed or LeafGreen avoid the Bank deadline?

The Nintendo Switch releases of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen gained their own HOME connection in version 4.1.0, separate from the 3DS Pokémon Bank transfer path. That does not mean Pokémon from an original Game Boy Advance cartridge or an older 3DS game save can bypass Bank. Nintendo says the Switch versions use GBA games in the console version of HOME, and Pokémon sent from those releases to HOME cannot be returned to those games. The old Bank-to-HOME bridge still has the February 2027 deadline. Nintendo 4.1.0 release notes | Nintendo transfer guide | Official Pokémon August announcement

What happens if you miss the Pokémon Bank closure deadline?

After 03:00 UTC on February 26, 2027, Nintendo says the Bank service and transfers from Bank into HOME will cease. Pokémon that you have already transferred to HOME are not sent back when Bank closes. Pokémon still inside local 3DS games are not automatically erased by this announcement, but the official Bank-to-HOME transfer route will no longer be available. Do not assume a future replacement transfer service will exist: none is promised in the closure announcement. Nintendo end-of-service notice

Before the deadline: a practical checklist

  • Confirm where the Pokémon you want to keep actually live: a game save, Pokémon Bank, or Pokémon HOME.
  • Make sure Pokémon Bank version 1.5+ works if you still have your 3DS. If you need Poké Transporter, check that it is already installed and updated before trying to move Pokémon from an older title.
  • Verify the correct Nintendo Account on HOME mobile and/or console before paying for Premium. If you buy Premium for a short transfer session, check its automatic-renewal settings.
  • If you still have the 3DS, choose the Bank Boxes you want to transfer and use the three-minute Moving Key procedure.
  • Without the 3DS, verify the linked Nintendo Network ID before choosing the all-at-once transfer.
  • Open HOME and verify the transferred Pokémon. Check compatible destination games and storage-plan limitations.
  • Finish well before the stated deadline, not at the final minute.

Bottom line: If your older Pokémon matter to you, the safest course is to check Bank access and transfer eligibility now. The Bank-to-HOME bridge has a confirmed cutoff, the transfer is irreversible, and waiting offers no upside. The official instructions differ depending on whether you still have your 3DS, so follow the route that fits the collection and account you actually have.

Source-review date: October 17, 2026. This is an evidence-based service and transfer guide, not a claim that Instant Game Zone performed a transfer on a physical 3DS. Official instructions, account functions and app compatibility can change before February 2027.

Sources