On 13 Aug 2026, the shutdown of the 3DS application Pokémon Bank was announced for 26 February 2027. After that date, players will no longer be able to move Pokémon from the 3DS to the Nintendo Switch (via Pokémon HOME).
This page will attempt to maintain a comprehensive list of Pokémon that, as of this writing, cannot be obtained in Pokémon HOME (or in specific Pokémon games) except for through Pokémon Bank. This is an active document and I welcome any and all updates as I research the situation. Contact me, submit a pull request, or post on Smogon forums to alert me to Pokémon I should add to this list or ask questions.
Although Spinda can be captured in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl or Pokémon GO - both of which can transfer Pokémon to HOME - Spinda itself cannot be transferred, due to some differences in how those games handle Spinda's spot patterns compared to the "expected" process. Currently, transferring a Spinda through Pokémon Bank is the only way to get one into Pokémon HOME.
If Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are rereleased for the Nintendo Switch and have HOME compatibility, this should solve the issue. Until then, however, it is currently impossible to complete the National Pokédex in Pokémon HOME without transferring a Spinda through Bank.
This is a special Greninja that was only ever made available in the demo of Sun and Moon. It was transferable to the full version of Sun and Moon once received in the demo, and could be transferred from Sun and Moon to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon or Pokémon HOME via Pokémon Bank. It has the special ability Battle Bond, which allows it to transform into the Ash-Greninja form upon defeating a Pokémon. The Ash-Greninja form of Greninja cannot be seen by any other means, and Ability Capsules and Ability Patches cannot change a regular Greninja's ability to Battle Bond.
The Poké Ball pattern of Vivillon was distributed to XY in local events in France, Japan, and Germany in 2014, ORAS in a local event in Japan in 2016, and was available for XY via a Nintendo Network event in the American and PAL regions between August and September 2014. It has not been released in any game since then, so Pokémon Bank must be used to move it to Pokémon HOME.
Type: Null (and its evolution Silvally) can only be obtained natively in a Switch game in Sword and Shield. This Type: Null cannot be Shiny. Therefore, a shiny Type: Null or Silvally must come from Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon via Pokémon Bank. A shiny Silvally was also distributed digitally for Sun and Moon between September 2017 and February 2018.
Poipole (and its evolution Naganadel) can only be obtained natively in a Switch game in the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass. This Poipole cannot be Shiny. Therefore, a shiny Poipole or Naganadel must come from Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon via Pokémon Bank. A shiny Poipole was also distributed digitally for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon between March and December 2018.
The Partner Cap Pikachu was made available to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon via a QR code released between November and December 2017. Due to a bug, it can be Shiny. The Partner Cap Pikachu released to Sword and Shield in 2020 cannot be shiny. Therefore, a shiny Partner Cap Pikachu must come from Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon via Pokémon Bank.
A few Pokémon cannot legitimately be obtained, as an actual Pokémon individual, in their shiny form. However, using the QR code scanner in Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon would allow the player to register some Pokédex entries in such a way that the entry is transferred to HOME when a connection with HOME is made. This only affects the Pokédex entry for the Pokémon in HOME - the player is still not able to get an actual individual of the species using this trick.
The following shiny entries are exclusive to this method:
There is also a small number of Pokémon whose Shiny forms could theoretically be added using this method, but the encryption key needed to make valid QR codes for them is not currently known to the fans. If it is discovered after 26 February 2027, these Pokémon could then have their Shiny entries added for Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, but not Pokémon HOME.
The following achivements in HOME require a Pokémon to have been transferred from an earlier game to register.
Only the first achievement is permanently missable. The others can be obtained by trading with a person who was able to meet the requirement prior to the shutdown.
These achievements may become available again if Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are rereleased for the Switch.
Additionally, the Time Travel Award in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl requires a Pokémon from Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum to obtain.