Pokémon GO Buddy: Full Guide to Your Adventure Companion
In Pokémon GO, the Buddy system lets you team up with your favorite Pokémon and turn them into your adventure p artner as you explore the world. But your buddy in Pokémon GO isn't just for show, it can help you earn Candy, catch Pokémon, and even boost your Pokémon's power in battles once your bond grows strong enough.
In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about Pokémon GO Buddy system - from choosing the perfect partner to the Buddy Level and Mood system.

- Part 1. What Is Pokémon GO Buddy and Its Role
- Part 2. Get Started: How to Choose and Change Buddy in Pokémon GO
- Part 3. Buddy Level: How to Become Best Buddy in Pokémon GO
- Part 4. Buddy Mood: How to Excite Pokémon GO Buddy
- Part 5. Bonus Tip: Level Up Pokémon GO Buddy without Leaving Home
- Part 6. FAQs on Pokémon GO Buddy
- Part 7. Conclusion
Part 1. What Is Pokémon GO Buddy and Its Role
Your Pokémon GO Buddy is the special Pokémon you choose to walk beside you on the map. This feature, known as Buddy Adventure, allows you to form a closer bond with your Pokémon through daily activities and interactions. Beyond just looking cute on your screen, your buddy in Pokémon GO plays an important role in helping you progress and earn valuable rewards.
Here are the main ways your buddy can help you:
- Earn Candy/Mega Energy: As you walk with your buddy, it will collect Candy/Mega Energy of its own species. This is perfect for powering up or evolving rare Pokémon.
- Unlock Perks: As your friendship level increases, your buddy will start helping you in more ways - from assisting in catching Pokémon to finding bonus items during your adventures.
- Aid Evolution: Some Pokémon can only evolve after completing specific tasks with them as your buddy.
In short, taking the time to nurture your Pokémon GO Buddy is more than just fun - it's a smart strategy for building stronger Pokémon and getting the most out of your game.

Part 2. Get Started: How to Choose and Change Buddy in Pokémon GO
Setting up your first Pokémon GO Buddy is simple and fun! When you begin your journey, the game might prompt you to pick your first buddy as part of the tutorial or early tasks. But if you ever want to switch things up, learning how to change buddy in Pokémon GO only takes a few taps.
How to Change Buddy in Pokémon GO
Step 1. On the game screen, tap the Buddy profile next to your Trainer Profile.
Step 2.
Once you open the Buddy Adventure screen, scroll down to the bottom and tap the "Swap Buddies" button and confirm with Yes.
Step 3. Then, choose any Pokémon from your collection to become your new adventure partner.

Remember that you can change your buddy up to 20 times per day. Besides, swapping your buddy will not reset your friendship level or affection hearts, but it will reset the Mood and candy distance progress.
How to Choose Your Buddy Strategically
Not sure which Pokémon to pick? Here are a few helpful tips depending on your goals:
1. For Emotional Value:
- Choose your favorite Pokémon
- Choose the one you want to show for friends
- Choose the one you think it's cool, cute, or else
2. For Farming Candy:
- Pick rare, Legendary, or Mythical Pokémon, which often need 20 km per candy
- Select your Hundos (100% IV Pokémon) to make them even more powerful.
3. For Boosting Combat Power (Best Buddy):
- Make your best battlers your Best Buddy.
- Pick Pokémon with high CP or ones you want to strengthen further.
4. For Special Evolution Requirements:
- Choose Pokémons like Eevee, Munchlax, Feebas, Pancham, or Galarian Farfetch'd, as they have unique evolution conditions tied to your buddy relationship and activities.
Part 3. Buddy Level: How to Become Best Buddy in Pokémon GO
So, what exactly is a Best Buddy in Pokémon GO? In simple terms, a Best Buddy is the highest friendship level you can achieve with your chosen companion. It's the ultimate symbol of your dedication and bond - and it comes with awesome rewards, too!
In details, your Pokémon GO Buddy friendship grows through four stages, starting from Good Buddy and ending at Best Buddy. Each level unlocks new perks and benefits that make your adventure even more rewarding. To rank up, you'll need to collect Affection Hearts by completing certain daily activities with your buddy.
Pokémon GO Buddy Levels and Rewards
| Buddy Level | Affection Hearts Needed | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Good Buddy | 1 | Your buddy's mood appears, and it will walk beside your avatar on the map. |
| Great Buddy | 70 | Your buddy may assist you in catching Pokémon and even send you gifts. |
| Ultra Buddy | 150 | Your buddy can alert you to PokéStops with special items and bring back souvenirs. |
| Best Buddy | 300 | Your buddy earns a Best Buddy Ribbon and gains a CP boost in battles. |
Achieving Best Buddy status takes time and consistency, but it's absolutely worth the effort - especially if you want to power up your favorite Pokémon for battles or raids.
How to Earn Affection Hearts in Pokémon GO
The question is, how to collect the "Affection Hearts" to level up your Buddy friendship? Actually, the answer lies in your daily activities. Do you notice that there is a Today's Activities section on your Buddy screen? Yes, that's all things you can do to collect Hearts to level up your friendship with the Pokémon.

Here's a breakdown of how it works:
| Activities | Max Hearts per day | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Walk 2km together | 3 | Earn 1 heart for every 2 km walked with your buddy. |
| Give your buddy a treat | 3 | Feed your buddy 3 Berries for 1 heart, or use a Poffin to instantly earn 3 hearts. |
| Play together | 1 | Tap Play on your Buddy screen, then interact until you see heart bubbles appear (by tapping on your buddy's face or else). |
| Battle together | 3 | Join Gym, Raid, Trainer battles, or other battles with your buddy for up to 3 hearts a day. |
| Take a snapshot | 1 | Snap a photo of your buddy for an easy heart. |
| Visit a new place | 1 | Spin a PokéStop or Gym you've never visited before while buddy is on the map. |
| Follow a Route together | 1 | Complete a Route on the map with your buddy by your side. |

By completing these activities regularly, you'll steadily earn hearts and build your bond. Once you've earned 300 Affection Hearts, your Pokémon will officially become your Best Buddy - gaining both the adorable ribbon and that valuable CP boost.
Part 4. Buddy Mood: How to Excite Pokémon GO Buddy
Once you reach the Good Buddy level, you'll unlock the Buddy Mood system - a fun feature that lets you see how your Pokémon feels throughout your adventures together. You can find your buddy's current mood at the top-right corner of its profile screen.
There are seven mood levels your Pokémon GO buddy can display: Tired, Dull, Normal, Happy, Smile, Fun, and finally, the ultimate state - Excited.
When your buddy becomes Excited, great things happen! You'll get these powerful bonuses:
- Half walking distance needed to find Candy.
- Double affection hearts earned for the day.
So, if you're wondering how to excite your Pokémon GO buddy, here are two effective methods to do it:
Method 1: Use a Poffin (Instant Excitement)
The easiest way to excite your buddy is by feeding it a Poffin. This special premium treat can be purchased from the in-game shop with 100 Coins or occasionally earned as a task reward. Once fed, your buddy will instantly become Excited for six hours.
A Poffin not only boosts your buddy's mood but also makes it stay on the map longer and helps you earn more hearts faster - perfect if you're trying to reach Best Buddy status quickly.

Method 2: The Free Interaction Method (No Poffin Needed)
Don't want to spend coins? No problem - you can excite your buddy for free by earning hidden Emotion Points through interactions.
Here's how it works:
- Do various activities like playing, feeding, taking snapshots, and battling with your buddy.
- Each unique interaction earns 2 points with a 30-minute cooldown.
- After building up enough points (usually 32), your buddy will enter the Excited mood naturally.
Pro Tip
Following a Route gives 4 points instantly and doesn't require a cooldown.
Part 5. Bonus Tip: Level Up Pokémon GO Buddy without Leaving Home
Your Pokémon GO Buddy is a great companion for earning Candy and helping with evolutions, but it usually requires time and outdoor walking. What if the weather's bad or you can’t go out? The good news is that you can still play with many spoofing tools. Among them, TunesKit Location Changer is a good choice. It is a powerful tool that lets you change your GPS location instantly to any place in the world.
With TunesKit Location Changer, you can
- Simulate walking routes at adjustable speed to earn Buddy Candy or hatch eggs without moving.
- Explore rare Pokémon habitats and global events in other regions.
- Complete location-based tasks effortlessly to boost your buddy's affection.
Whether you want to collect Candy faster, become Best Buddy with your favorite Pokémon, or experience new adventures around the globe, TunesKit Location Changer makes it simple - all it takes is a few clicks!
Level Up Your Pokémon GO Buddy with TunesKit Location Changer
Simulate routes, hatch eggs, and collect Buddy Candy from anywhere - play smarter, not harder, and reach Best Buddy status effortlessly.
👉 Download, connect, click, and explore - your next Pokémon Buddy adventure starts anywhere you choose!

Part 6. FAQs on Pokémon GO Buddy
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1. How many times can you swap buddies a day?
You can swap your buddy up to 20 times per day. The counter resets at midnight (local time), giving you a fresh set of swaps daily.
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2. Can you have multiple best buddies in Pokémon GO?
Yes! You can have as many Best Buddies as you're willing to work with. There's no limit to how many Pokémon can earn the Best Buddy Ribbon, so feel free to train all your favorites. And you'll get the Best Buddy medal when you collect 200 best buddy.
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3. Does the Best Buddy CP boost work in GBL and Raids?
Absolutely. The Best Buddy CP boost is active in all battle types, including GO Battle League, Raids, and Gym battles. However, keep in mind that the CP bonus only applies to the Pokémon that's currently set as your active buddy.
Part 7. Conclusion
The Pokémon GO Buddy Adventure is an engaging system that rewards consistent play and strategic thinking. By understanding how to choose, interact with, and level up your companion, you unlock a powerful set of tools to help you evolve rare Pokémon, farm essential candy, and gain a critical advantage in battles. Start your adventure today and see how strong your bond can become.