Potion

Overview

A Potion is a basic medicine spray in Pokémon GO that restores up to 20 HP to a single injured Pokémon. It unlocks at Trainer Level 5 alongside Gyms, raids, and Revives. Because it restores a modest amount of health, a Potion is best suited for minor battle damage and low-HP Pokémon where a Super Potion, Hyper Potion, or Max Potion would waste most of its recovery.

It cannot be used on a fainted Pokémon at 0 HP, which must be revived with a Revive or Max Revive first. Using a Potion repairs missing HP without altering a Pokémon’s CP, IVs, or maximum HP.

How to get it

• Spin Gym and PokéStop Photo Discs and open Gifts from friends once you reach Level 5. You can also receive Potions from the Daily Free Box in the Shop and in Presents brought by a Great Buddy (or higher) Pokémon.

• Claim Research and level-up rewards that specifically list Potions. Under the current leveling system, reaching Levels 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, and 15 grants a total of 45 Potions (10 at Levels 5, 10, and 15; 5 at Levels 6, 11, and 13) before level-up rewards switch to Super Potions at Level 16. Raid Battle reward bundles typically award stronger medicine instead, so raids are not a guaranteed source of the basic 20-HP Potion.

How to use it

1. Select Potion from your Item Bag or the pre-battle team selection screen, then tap a conscious Pokémon with missing HP. A fainted Pokémon at 0 HP must be revived first.

Worth knowing

Best for small amounts of damage. Using ten Potions to restore 200 HP spends ten bag items where one Hyper Potion would do.

Trainer Battles do not leave persistent HP damage, so GO Battle League matches do not require Potions or other healing items between battles.

Match the Potion to the missing HP

This Potion can restore at most 20 HP. If a Pokémon is missing only 12 HP, only 12 are restored and the unused healing is not saved for another Pokémon. If it is missing more than 20, one use will not fully heal it.

Damage can persist after a battle, while Trainer Battle damage is temporary. Raids, Max Battles, Gyms, and Rocket encounters can leave your team injured afterward; Trainer Battles do not create the same Potion bill. A fainted Pokémon must first be revived before this item can help.

Using the healing menu

Open the Poké Ball menu, choose Items, and select Potion, or tap the medicine icon directly on the team selection screen before a Gym battle, Raid Battle, Max Battle, or Team GO Rocket encounter. The menu displays all conscious Pokémon with missing HP. Tap a Pokémon once to spend one Potion and restore up to 20 HP.

You can also tap the Heal All button to restore eligible injured Pokémon across your list at once; doing so consumes the required number of healing items from your Item Bag rather than making a single Potion heal your whole team.

Small injuries and bag space

A Pokémon at 83/100 HP needs only one Potion to return to full health. At 43/100 HP, three Potions restore the missing 57 HP, with the final three points of potential healing unused. A Super Potion followed by a Potion can do the same job in two items.

Basic Potions are helpful at lower Trainer levels and for small HP top-ups between Gym defenders. As you level up—especially once level-up rewards switch to Super Potions at Level 16, Hyper Potions at Level 22, and Max Potions at Level 25—saving your Item Bag slots for Hyper Potions and Max Potions gives you far more recovery per item.

When your Item Bag is full, use any basic Potions on lightly injured Pokémon before discarding the rest to free up space, unless you are relobbying during a raid and need a single Hyper Potion or Max Potion to heal quickly.