Pokémon GO Spotlight Hour Schedule: June 2026

Every Thursday, Pokémon Go features a Spotlight Hour, a weekly event that dramatically increases the spawn rate of a specific Pokémon. Beyond the abundance of these featured creatures, these sessions typically include lucrative gameplay bonuses—such as doubled experience points or candy rewards—making them a must-play event for any trainer.

We have two exciting Spotlight Hours scheduled for June 2026, each paired with its own set of thematic rewards.

Update (June 10): Following a brief hiatus that began in March, we are thrilled to see Spotlight Hours make their return to the game. We have refreshed this guide with the confirmed schedule for June 2026.

When do Pokémon Go Spotlight Hours occur?

Spotlight Hours take place every Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. This is an ideal window to farm candy for specific species you are looking to evolve or power up, and it serves as a fantastic opportunity to hunt for rare shinies.

While research from the Silph Road confirms that shiny rates are not officially boosted during these events, the sheer volume of spawns significantly increases your odds. By maximizing the number of encounters within that hour, you naturally improve your chances of stumbling upon a shiny variant.

If you recall these events taking place on Tuesdays, you aren’t mistaken! Before their temporary suspension in March 2026, Spotlight Hours were indeed a Tuesday tradition. Since their June 2026 revival, they have permanently shifted to Thursdays.

June 2026 Spotlight Hour Schedule

Because these events were reintroduced mid-month, we have two sessions to look forward to for the remainder of June:

• June 18: Swinub* (Double Transfer Candy)
• June 25: Wingull* (Double Catch Stardust)

*Denotes a Pokémon that can appear in its shiny form.

Maximizing Your Spotlight Hour Efficiency

The generous bonuses provided during these hours offer a strategic advantage for savvy players. Timing your inventory management and evolutions can lead to massive gains.

For instance, if you are planning a mass evolution session to farm XP or complete Pokédex entries, consider holding off until a Spotlight Hour that offers a double evolution XP bonus. Activating a Lucky Egg during that window will effectively supercharge your progression. Similarly, if your storage is overflowing with redundant legendary Pokémon, waiting for a double transfer candy event allows you to maximize your candy return, providing much greater value for your collection cleanup.

Source: Polygon