How to Sign Up for Pokémon Go

By Corbin HartwickUpdated on June 10, 2018

Okay, so you've downloaded and installed the Pokémon Go app. But how do you create an account for it? You can use an existing account from Google, or sign up for the Pokémon Trainer Club on the official Pokémon website. This tutorial will show you how to sign up for the Pokémon Trainer Club, as well as both ways of signing into Pokémon Go.

To sign up for Pokémon Go:

1. Turn on your device and find Pokémon Go in your app manager. Tap it to open it.

2. On the title screen for Pokémon Go, you will be presented with the choice to sign up with Google or with the Pokémon Trainer Club. Assuming for the time being that you don't have a Google account, tap the second option.

3. You will be taken to a log-in screen. As you likely don't have a Pokémon Trainer Club account yet, tap Register.

4. You will be taken to the official Pokémon website to complete the sign-up process. Start by tapping the box marked "Date of Birth" and scrolling through the month, date, and year options until you have the correct settings. Then tap Set.

Next, tap the box labelled "Country" and scroll down the list until you find yours, and then tap it to select it. Finally, tap Continue.

5. On the next screen, tap in the box labelled "Username" and use your device's (virtual) keyboard to type in a memorable name for yourself that doesn't contain too much personal information (I used "CorbinTech1" because my name's Corbin and I work for TechBoomers). You can tap the Check Availability button to see if your user name is unique. If it isn't, try another one.

After you sort out your user name, tap in each of the boxes below it and use your device's (virtual) keyboard to type in:– a password to protect your account with:

  • a copy of the password that you picked
  • your email address
  • a copy of your email address

You may also want to tap the check box below these fields if it's marked to unmark it if you don't want to receive marketing messages from The Pokémon Company.

6. Next, scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap the check box there to say that you agree to the rules of using the official Pokémon website and its associated functions. Then tap Continue.

7. On the next screen, scroll to the bottom and tap the check box there to say that you agree to the rules of using Pokémon Go. Then tap Continue.

8. The last step is to verify your email address. Go to your email client, log in, and find the email from Pokémon Customer Service titled "Pokémon Trainer Club Activation". Click or tap it to open it, and then click or tap the Verify Your Email button. There! You're all set with a Pokémon Trainer Club account!

To sign into Pokémon Go:

1. Find Pokémon Go in your mobile device's app manager and tap it to open it.

2. From the title screen of Pokémon Go, you can tap Google to sign in with a Google account, or tap Pokémon Trainer Club to sign in with your new Pokémon Trainer Club account. We'll go over both ways of signing in.

3. If you choose to sign in with a Google account by tapping Google, you will be asked to select which Google account you wish to use. Chances are that you've already registered a Google account on your device, so tap the account that you wish to use, and then tap OK.

4. If you wish to sign in with your Pokémon Trainer Club account instead by tapping Pokémon Trainer Club, tap in the box labelled "Enter Your Username" and use your device's (virtual) keyboard to type in the user name that you picked for your account. Then, tap in the box labelled "Enter Your Password" and use your device's (virtual) keyboard to type in the password that you chose to protect your account. Finally, tap Sign In.


There! You're all signed up for — and all signed into — Pokémon Go! Our next lesson is the one that you've been waiting for… we'll explain everything you need to know about how to play Pokémon Go!