How to get a free shiny Keldeo and Meltan in Pokémon Home

Shiny Pokémon are some of the most coveted creatures in the series, with players spending hundreds of hours hunting the rare and elusive creatures. No matter how hard they hunt, though, there are some Pokémon they’ll never find shiny in the wild. These are typically special Pokémon, like Mythical Pokémon or box legendaries that are shiny-locked in their debut games, and only become available years after the fact with event distributions.

There is another way to get some shiny Pokémon, though, and that’s through Pokémon Home. Last year, The Pokémon Company started distributing free shiny Pokémon through Pokémon Home for players who have completed Pokédexes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with more rare Pokémon being distributed via Home earlier this year for players of Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends Arceus. Now, players of Sword, Shield, and the Let’s Go games are getting rare shiny Pokémon for their Pokédexes.

Meltan has been available in its shiny form in various limited-time events in Pokémon Go, but Keldeo has never been available shiny before, having been shiny-locked in every prior game it’s appeared in, and never distributed in its shiny form.

How to Claim Shiny Meltan in Pokémon Home

Claiming your shiny Meltan is only possible through the Pokémon Home Mystery Gifts function, so this is not a regular distribution via console game Mystery Gift codes.

Follow these steps to get shiny Meltan via Pokémon Home:

1. Complete the Kanto Pokédex for Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee by transferring the required Pokémon from the game into Pokémon Home to register them there. Please note that this can only be done on the Nintendo Switch version of Home.
2. Download the Pokémon Home app on iOS or Android – you need the mobile version of Pokémon Home, since it’s the only one that has the Mystery Gifts function.
3. Make sure that the same Nintendo account you use for Home on the Switch is linked to your Pokémon Home mobile app.
4. Use the Mystery Gifts feature in your Pokémon Home mobile app to receive your free Pokémon.

Please note that only Pokémon actually caught in Let’s Go count towards this purpose. If you have, say, a Pikachu from Brilliant Diamond registered in Home, it won’t count towards your progress in the Let’s Go Pokédex. You will have to actually go and catch a Pikachu in Kanto – specifically in Let’s Go Pikachu or Eevee, not transferred from prior generations – for it to contribute to the completion of that Pokédex in Home.

How to Claim Shiny Keldeo in Pokémon Home

Claiming your shiny Keldeo is only possible through the Pokémon Home Mystery Gifts function, so this is not a regular distribution via console game Mystery Gift codes.

Follow these steps to get shiny Keldeo via Pokémon Home:

1. Complete the Galar, Isle of Armor, and Crown Tundra Pokédexes for Pokémon Sword and Shield by transferring the required Pokémon from the game into Pokémon Home to register them there. Please note that this can only be done on the Nintendo Switch version of Home.
2. Download the Pokémon Home app on iOS or Android – you need the mobile version of Pokémon Home, since it’s the only one that has the Mystery Gifts function.
3. Make sure that the same Nintendo account you use for Home on the Switch is linked to your Pokémon Home mobile app.
4. Use the Mystery Gifts feature in your Pokémon Home mobile app to receive your free Pokémon.

Please note that only Pokémon actually caught in Pokémon Sword and Shield count towards this purpose. If, for example, you have a Roserade from Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl registered in Home, it won’t count towards your progress in the Galar Pokédex. You will have to actually go and catch a Roserade in Galar for it to contribute to the completion of that Pokédex in Home.