Understanding Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO
Weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm local time, the mobile AR game Pokémon GO runs a special event called Spotlight Hour. During this one-hour window, one specific Pokémon sees a greatly increased spawn rate in the wild, and a bonus (for example, double Candy, double Stardust, or double XP) is active for all Trainers.
For example, on June 17, 2025 the featured Pokémon was Solosis and the bonus was 2× Candy when transferring Pokémon.
Why It Matters & How to Make the Most of It
Spotlight Hour may seem like a modest event, but it packs real value: the boosted spawns plus bonus mechanics mean you can stack up Candy, XP or Stardust more efficiently than during regular play. For Trainers working toward evolving Pokémon, filling out the Pokédex, or hunting Shiny versions, this hour is prime time.
Since the featured Pokémon is more common during the hour, your chance of finding its Shiny variant also increases (simply because you’ll see more of them).
To make the most of Spotlight Hour:
Plan ahead: clear your storage and prepare enough Poké Balls and resources before the hour starts.
Use items like Incense, Lucky Egg, and Lure Modules if you want to maximise catches and XP.
Prioritise evolving or transferring Pokémon during the bonus-type hours (for example, if 2× Evolution XP is the bonus, do mass evolves while it’s active).
Focus on the featured species if you need its Candy or a Shiny version; if not, still benefit from the bonus by catching whatever spawns heavily.
What’s Next & What to Watch
Each month, the schedule of Spotlight Hour events (which Pokémon and which bonus) is published ahead of time. For Sep 2025 the lineup included Pokémon like Gothita and the special bonus is 2× Catch XP.
Trainers should keep an eye on official Pokémon GO announcements or resources like LeekDuck and The Silph Road for last-minute changes or bonus tweaks.
Final Thoughts
If you’re an active Pokémon GO player who wants to improve quickly—whether through Candy, Stardust, XP or Shiny hunting—Spotlight Hour is one of the best recurring opportunities. It requires only one hour but rewards strategic planning and effective play. Make sure you’re ready by 6:00 pm Tuesday, and you’ll make the hour count.
