May 2025’s Pokémon Go Spotlight Hours promise rare spawns and bonus XP-here’s the full lineup from The Silph Road.
What time is Spotlight Hour in Pokémon Go?
Spotlight Hour in Pokémon Go takes place every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time. During this one-hour event, a specific Pokémon appears more frequently in the wild, giving players a chance to catch many of the same species. Each week also offers a rotating bonus, such as double XP, Stardust, or Candy, adding extra incentive to participate.
Spotlight Hour events run from 6 p.m. until 6:59 p.m. in your local time every Tuesday. They can be a great way to stock up candy for a specific Pokémon you’re trying to power up and evolve or even find a shiny.
Shiny rates are not boosted during Spotlight Hours, based on data gathered by Pokémon community The Silph Road. However, the sheer number of Pokémon that spawn during the hour-long weekly event will still give you an improved chance of clicking on a random shiny. After all, the more Pokémon you click on, the more opportunity you have to catch a shiny Pokémon.
Pokémon Go Spotlight Hour schedule for May 2025
Spotlight Hours in Pokémon Go occur every Tuesday from 6 PM to 7 PM local time, featuring one Pokémon species with boosted spawn rates and double XP for catches. May 2025 brings these featured Pokémon: May 6 – Beldum; May 13 – Trapinch; May 20 – Swinub; May 27 – Deino. Check The Silph Road for updates, as Niantic may adjust events. Plan your catches around these slots for quick XP gains and rare encounters.
The featured Pokémon for the May 2025 Spotlight Hours are the following:
- May 6: Furfrou* (x2 candy for catching)
- May 13: Sandygast* (x2 candy for transferring)
- May 20: Poochyena* (x2 XP for evolving)
- May 27: Golett* (x2 Stardust for catching)
*Shiny available.
How to make the most of Pokémon Go Spotlight Hours
Stay alert for buffed spawns and exclusive stickers, plan your route to hit multiple spotlight Pokémon in a single session, and bring a Lucky Egg if you can to maximize catch potential and XP gains.
Thanks to the hefty bonuses included every week with Spotlight Hours, some expert players strategize when to transfer or evolve their Pokémon.
For example, if you have a ton of Pidgey (or any other Pokémon in your inventory with plenty of candy to spare) to evolve for XP or a bunch of Pokémon you need to evolve to complete your Pokédex, you might want to wait until the Spotlight Hour with the double XP for evolving Pokémon, where you can use a Lucky Egg for this hour to increase your gains even more.
Best strategies for Furfrou Spotlight Hour
Furfrou Spotlight Hour on May 6, 2025, offered boosted spawns from 6-7 PM local time with a 2× Catch Candy bonus, making it ideal for farming resources.
Preparation Steps
Stock up on Poké Balls, Great Balls, and storage space to handle high spawn rates. Activate a Star Piece for extra Stardust if possible, and pop Incense or use a daily Incense for more encounters.
Maximizing Candy
Mega Evolve a Normal-type Pokémon like Mega Lopunny or Mega Kangaskhan to gain bonus Furfrou Candy on catches, potentially tripling yields with Pinap Berries (up to 13 Candy per catch). Catch everything during the hour-the bonus applies to all Pokémon, not just Furfrou, so save research tasks or raid bosses for extra gains.
Shiny and IV Hunting
Shiny Furfrou was available, so aim for hundos (perfect IVs: 15 Attack/15 Defense/15 HP at Level 40+). Use weather boosts (Partly Cloudy) if active, and practice Excellent Throws since Furfrou is forgiving for curveballs. Changing forms costs 25 Candy each, so save up during the event.
Additional Tips
Progress your Catch Medal with Normal-type catches, but skip powering up Furfrou-it’s weak in raids or PvP despite moves like Sucker Punch and Grass Knot. Focus on quantity over quality unless hunting specifics.
Best Normal-type Mega Pokémon for Furfrou Spotlight Hour
Mega Evolving a Normal-type Pokémon during Furfrou Spotlight Hour triples the Candy gained from catching Furfrou (up to 13 per catch with Pinap Berries).
Top Recommendations
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Mega Lopunny: Offers the best balance of power, accessibility, and Normal-type boost; its quick recharge makes it ideal for sustained farming.
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Mega Kangaskhan: Provides strong survivability for prolonged sessions in busy spawn areas.
Usage Tips
Activate the Mega early (before 6 PM) to ensure the boost lasts the full hour, and pair with 2× Catch Candy for maximum yields. Avoid less optimal options like Mega Pidgeot unless already powered up, as they yield the same bonus but may lack staying power.
