Catch Pokémon (Google)
Catch Pokémon is a feature added to Google Search for April Fools' Day 2025. It was announced in a YouTube Short on the official Pokémon YouTube channel on April 4, 2025.[1]
Gameplay
When using Google Search from mobile (and later desktop) browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and the Google Search app, entering the name of a Pokémon will cause a Poké Ball to appear at the bottom right of the screen (bottom center on desktop). If the Pokémon searched was one of the 151 species from Generation I, the user can tap the Poké Ball to catch it. The capture animation can be skipped using a button at the top right (bottom center on desktop). Searching for a Pokémon-related topic (for example, the title of a game) sometimes shows the Poké Ball, but does not catch any Pokémon.
Inexact terms and foreign names are sometimes recognized, but this depends on the species. Appending other words or phrases to the search, such as "Evolution" or "Alola Form", generally prevents the name from being recognized; however, appending "Pokémon" to the beginning or end of a search will still allow the Pokémon to be caught. This is necessary for certain Pokémon like Gloom and Persian, whose names are English words with other meanings. This is also necessary to catch Nidoran♀, as searching for "Nidoran" only allows Nidoran♂ to be caught.
The feature includes a Pokédex of the first 151 Pokémon for the user to fill out, which can be viewed after catching a Pokémon. Searching Pokémon from later generations still displays the Poké Ball, but tapping it only brings up the information screen without catching the Pokémon.
The five Legendary and Mythical Pokémon of this generation can only be caught using Master Balls, which are awarded after catching specific numbers of Pokémon. Each Master Ball is tied to a specific Pokémon. For example, if the user has only obtained two (by catching between 20 and 49 Pokémon), they can only be used on Articuno and Zapdos; searching for any of the other three will display a regular Poké Ball, which will fail to catch it.
| Number caught | Pokémon unlocked |
|---|---|
| 5 | Articuno |
| 20 | Zapdos |
| 50 | Moltres |
| 100 | Mewtwo |
| 150 | Mew |
Progress can be linked to a Google account if the user is logged in, and appears to be saved per device otherwise.
In the Pokédex menu, an uncaught Pokémon may be shown as a hint, with a silhouette alongside a piece of information such as its evolved or pre-evolved form, its category, or a part of its Pokédex entry.
Users can catch the same Pokémon repeatedly, though this does not increase the capture counter used to grant Master Balls.
Gallery
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Searching for Bulbasaur -
Using a Poké Ball
