Short answer: Pokémon GO's referral program lets you share a personal code with a brand-new player, or one who hasn't played in 90+ days. If they redeem it within 72 hours of creating or logging into their account, you both start earning milestone rewards - Pokémon encounters, Rare Candy, Incubators, and stickers - as they progress. Rewards aren't automatic; you redeem them from the referred friend's profile.
Trainer school
Pokémon GO referral program — how to invite a friend and what you both get
This is separate from a trainer code (the 12-digit code this site collects) and from the friendship system you build by trading and sending Gifts. A referral code only works once, on one specific kind of friend: someone new to the game or coming back after a long break.
Who you can refer
Your referral code can only be used by:
- A player creating their first-ever Pokémon GO account, or
- A returning player who hasn't played in at least 90 days
An existing active player can't redeem your code - there's no reward for referring someone who's already mid-game. Child accounts are also excluded entirely: Niantic's help center states trainers with child accounts can't send or redeem referral codes, even with social permissions enabled through the Niantic Kids Parent Portal.
How to get and share your code
- Open your Trainer Profile and go to the Friends tab.
- Tap Invite to generate your personal referral code.
- Share it with your friend using Share Referral Code (opens your phone's share sheet) or Copy Referral Code to paste it anywhere yourself.
Your friend enters the code while creating their account, or later from their own Friends screen if they're returning after a break. They must do this within 72 hours of creating or logging into the account - miss that window and the code can't be applied.
What you both get
The referred player gets 100 Poké Balls right away for using the code; you get 50 Stardust. From there, you both earn further rewards as they hit milestones on their journey - reported examples include a Pokémon encounter for defeating three Team GO Rocket grunts, Super Incubators for reaching Ultra Buddy with a Pokémon, and Rare Candy for purifying 20 Shadow Pokémon, alongside exclusive Pidgey and Pikachu stickers and a "Friend Finder" badge for the referrer. Niantic hasn't published the complete milestone list, and rewards don't land in your Item Bag automatically - you have to open the referred friend's profile and claim each one manually as it unlocks.
Why a full friend list breaks it
If your Friend List is already full when your friend redeems your code, Niantic's help center is explicit: you won't receive the friend invite, won't become friends, and neither of you can claim any referral rewards. Check your friend count before sending a code to someone you actually want the rewards from - see managing your friend list if you need to clear space first.
How this differs from a trainer code
A trainer code (the kind listed on the homepage and by country) adds any player as a friend and builds friendship levels through gifts, trades, and raids - it works with strangers, repeatedly, forever. A referral code is a one-time bonus layer on top of that: it only pays out when the person on the other end is brand new or has been gone 90+ days, and once redeemed, it's spent. Swapping trainer codes is still how you'd actually become friends with someone first - see every way to add friends.
FAQ
Can I use my referral code on an existing active friend? No. The code only works for a first-time account or one inactive for 90+ days; Niantic has no reward path for referring an active player.
What happens if I don't claim a milestone reward right away? Rewards aren't automatic, but nothing in Niantic's help center says they expire - they sit available on the referred friend's profile until you open it and claim them.
Can a referral code expire before my friend uses it? The 72-hour window is on your friend's side - they must redeem it within 72 hours of creating or logging into their account. Niantic doesn't state a separate expiry for an unshared code sitting on your own screen.
Does referring someone count toward friendship level or the Lucky Friends chance? No - referral rewards are a separate system. Friendship level still builds the normal way, through daily interaction, gifts, trades and raids together; see friendship levels & XP for how that works.
Can I refer more than one person? Niantic's help center doesn't publish a cap on how many people you can refer, only that each individual code redemption needs an eligible (new or 90+ day inactive) player and room on your Friend List.