What Is Pokémon GO Cooldown Time and How Does It Work

Updated by Megan Brooks on May 29, 2025 • Category: Change Location
3 mins read

Pokémon GO implements a cooldown time to prevent players from spoofing, a method used to manipulate the game by changing GPS locations without physically moving. The cooldown system enforces a waiting period between actions (like catching Pokémon or spinning PokéStops) based on the distance between spoofed locations.

This is a form of anti-cheating that ensures fairness by discouraging players from teleporting long distances instantly, which would provide an unfair advantage over others. The cooldown ensures the integrity and balance of the game. In this post, you will learn what is Pokémon GO cooldown time.

pokemon go cooldown time

Part 1: Everything You Should Know about Pokémon GO Cooldown

1.1 What Is Pokemon GO Cooldown Time?

In Pokémon Go, cooldown time refers to the period after performing certain actions like catching Pokémon or spinning PokéStops, especially when spoofing or teleporting. The length of the cooldown depends on the distance between your last and new location, ranging from a few minutes to two hours.

During the cooldown, attempting actions like catching Pokémon or spinning PokéStops will result in a "soft ban," where you won't be able to catch any Pokémon or collect items. To avoid this, players must wait for the cooldown period to expire before resuming activities.

1.2 How Does Pokémon Go Cooldown Time work?

Cooldown time in Pokémon GO is a mechanic that prevents players from performing actions in one location and then quickly performing actions in a distant location, especially when teleporting using GPS spoofing. It's Niantic's way of mimicking real-world travel time and detecting unnatural gameplay behavior.

Cooldown is based on distance traveled, the farther you teleport, the longer you must wait before interacting again in-game. Niantic assumes players are walking or traveling normally, so rapid jumps raise red flags.

1.3 Pokémon GO Cooldown Chart to Avoid Soft Ban

The Pokémon Go cooldown chart outlines the waiting period you need to observe after performing an action in one location before you can perform another action in a different location. The cooldown time depends on the distance between the two locations. For instance, if you move 1-5 km, the cooldown is 2 minutes, while moving 125 km or more results in a maximum cooldown of 2 hours. Cooldown is important for avoiding penalties related to location spoofing in the game.

Distance Cooldown Distance Cooldown Distance Cooldown
Pokémon GO Cooldown Chart 1 km 1 min 25 km 15 min 345 km 50 min
3 km 2 min 40 km 19 min 500 km 60 min
5 km 2.5 min 75 km 25 min 700 km 75 min
10 km 7 min 100 km 35 min 820 min 85 min
20 km 10 min 250 km 45 min 1500+ km 2 hours

1.4 What Action Will Trigger Pokémon GO Cooldown

In Pokémon Go, cooldown time is triggered by performing certain in-game actions when spoofing or using GPS-based features in different locations within a short timeframe. The key actions that trigger a cooldown include:

  • Catching a wild Pokémon, including those from Incense, Lures, or Meltan Boxes.
  • Dropping a Poké Ball on the encounter screen, even accidentally.
  • Feeding a wild Pokémon or raid boss a berry.
  • Spinning a PokéStop, regardless of whether you've reached the spin limit.
  • Placing a Pokémon in a Gym.
  • Feeding a Gym defender within screen radar.
  • Participating in Gym battles.
  • Attempting to catch a Pokémon that flees.
  • Using an auto-catcher device (e.g., Gotcha) to spin PokéStops or catch Pokémon.

These actions will enforce a waiting period, based on how far you've jumped between locations, during which you cannot perform further in-game activities.

1.5 What Action Won't Trigger Pokémon GO Cooldown

Actions that will not trigger a cooldown in Pokémon Go include:

  • Teleporting without interacting with the game (as long as you don't perform an action in the new location).
  • Encountering a wild Pokémon without catching it.
  • Feeding a Gym defender remotely (from a distance).
  • Using the Pokémon Go Shop or Inventory.
  • Trading Pokémon (locally).
  • Using berries on your own Pokémon in a Gym.
  • Hatching eggs or evolving Pokémon.
  • Claiming quest and weekly rewards.
  • Catching reward Pokémon from quests.
  • Changing your Buddy Pokémon.
  • Gaining Buddy candies.
  • Using items (healing items, evolution items, TMs) on a Pokémon.
  • Using Incense, Lucky Eggs, or Star Pieces.
  • Deleting items from storage.
  • Participating in PvP battles.
  • Battling Team Leaders.
  • Placing a Lure Module or Special Lure on a PokéStop.
  • Purchasing coins and shop items.
  • Changing avatar items or clothes.

These actions allow for safe gameplay without incurring a cooldown period.

1.6 FAQs About Pokémon GO Cooldown Time

  • Q1: What should I avoid doing while in cooldown?

    If your Pokémon GO is in cooldown, you should avoid catching Pokémon, spinning PokéStops, and gym battles until the cooldown ends.

  • Q2: Can I play in another location without triggering a cooldown?

    Yes, but avoid actions that affect gameplay such as catching Pokémon or spinning PokéStops until the cooldown timer expires.

  • Q3: How do I calculate my cooldown time?

    Cooldown time depends on the distance teleported; use online cooldown calculators for accuracy.

  • Q4: How Can I Avoid a Ban While Spoofing?

    Always follow cooldown rules.
    Avoid fast teleporting between continents.
    Use tools that simulate realistic movement (like joystick movement).
    Don't perform cooldown-triggering actions immediately after teleporting.

Part 2. Best Tool to Spoof Location on Mobile Device - TunesKit Location Changer

TunesKit Location Changer is a multifunctional iOS/Android location changing tool that can help users teleport to anywhere of the world in one second. By using TunesKit Location Changer, users can play geo-based game without going out, and it enables you to catch rarest Pokémon in Pokémon GO. It can save your favorite or frequently visited Pokémon GO hotspots, and it's designed to simulate realistic GPS movement to stay under Niantic's radar.

Besides changing location on your phone directly, TunesKit Location Changer provides 4 effective location changing modes, including two-spot movement, multi-spot movement, jump teleport, and joystick movement. What's more, you will not need to jailbreak or root your device to use TunesKit Location Changer.

location changer

Why choose TunesKit Location Changer?

Instantly spoof your GPS location to anywhere in the world. It's ideal for reaching rare Pokémon spawns or regional exclusives.

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The following steps will show you how to spoof location by using TunesKit Location Changer.

Step 1. Connect Your Phone to Computer

Download and install TunesKit Location Changer on your computer. Launch it and connect your phone to the computer. You can select the GPS movement mode you want to change your GPS movement.

connect device to computer

Step 2.Change Location

TunesKit Location Changer will locate your destination. Now, you can set up a destination on the map and change the GPS location on your iPhone. You can zoom in the map to make your destination more precise.

device location changed

Part 3: Conclusion

That's all about Pokémon GO cooldown time while using location changing. If you are finding ways to change location on your phone, you can try using TunesKit Location Changer. TunesKit Location Changer has a built-in Pokémon GO cooldown timer that can help you play Pokémon GO with better experience.

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