How To Evolve Inkay In Pokemon Go – Complete Guide

What Inkay Is and What Makes It Special

Inkay is a Dark/Psychic-type Pokémon from the Kalos region that has a special way of evolving in Pokémon GO. Its method is different from the usual candy-only evolution; it is more like the main series games. This distinction makes it one of the most memorable evolutions in the program.

Inkay turns into Malamar, a powerful Dark/Psychic Pokémon that may do well in raids, Gym offense, and some PvP scenarios. Many trainers want to obtain at least one high-IV Malamar and a shiny version, if possible, due to the significant differences in its stats and type.

Basic Steps to Evolve Inkay:

For Inkay to change into Malamar in Pokémon GO, two things must happen at the same time.

The main requirements are:

1) You need to have 50 Inkay Candy.

2) When you press evolve, your phone must be upside down.

3) When both are happy, the evolve button becomes active, and you can start the evolution animation as you normally would.

How to Evolve Inkay in Pokémon GO: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these exact steps carefully:

1) Catch or obtain an Inkay: Inkay can appear in the wild, in particular event spawning, field research, or special research dependent on ongoing events. Check the game’s Today view and news for any events related to Kalos or Psychic that will increase its spawn rate.

2) Get 50 pieces of Inkay Candy

• Catch additional Inkay, especially with Pinap Berries to double candy.​
• Walk Inkay as your buddy (3 kilometers per candy in Pokémon GO Hub data).
• Use Rare Candy if you are short, especially for a high‑IV or shiny Inkay.​

3) Open the screen that shows details about your Inkay: Look for “Inkay” in your Pokemon store and choose the one you wish to evolve. Pick one with high IVs or special features like “lucky,” “purified,” or “shiny” to get the most value over time.

4) Turn your phone over down with your hands: The game reads the gyroscope and accelerometer when you spin the device 180 degrees and updates the evolution need indicator. The design of the evolve button may appear upside down or undergo a color change to indicate the fulfillment of specific criteria.

5) While the phone is upside down, tap the evolve button: Tap evolve while the phone is still upside down. The animation should start normally, even though the interface may look flipped. If this is your first Malamar, it will be added to your Pokédex after the animation.

Why the Evolve Button Has a Question Mark?

A lot of trainers become confused when they see the Inkay evolve screen that says “50 Candy + ? ” instead of a detailed explanation. The “?” sign stands for the phone-flip rule that the game doesn’t explain in words.

You can only see the red or disabled evolve button when the phone is upright, even if you already have 50 candy. You can use the evolve button as soon as you turn the device upside down, and the criterion is met.

Problems and Fixes That Happen Often

When trainers try to evolve Inkay, they often run into a few distinct problems:

1) Problem: There is enough sugar, but the evolve button is still grey.

Solution:

• In the system settings, make sure that your phone’s motion and rotation sensors are turned on.
• You need to turn the phone all the way around, not just a little bit, and hold it for a second.

2) Problem: The lock on screen rotation is on

Solution: The game might not be able to figure out that the screen is upside down if auto-rotate or orientation is locked. For a short while, turn off rotation lock and try again.

3) Problem: No evolution even after turning

Solution:

• Close Pokémon GO and then open it again. Do this over and over.
• If your hardware is broken, try using a different device with working motion sensors.

When and where to get more Inkay

Inkay isn’t usually in the standard wild spawn pool; it’s often linked to special events. Inkay may mostly be found in wild spawns, research jobs, and sometimes raids at events like Psychic Spectaculars or Kalos-focused festivals.

Trainers say that Inkay can show up in regular wild spawning or as prizes for certain field research assignments when they are active. Foggy and windy weather that enhances Dark or Psychic types can make it a little more likely that you’ll run into Inkay.

Inkay and Malamar that are shiny

In Pokémon GO, you can get shiny Inkay and shiny Malamar. The shiny version has a different color and is often farmed a lot during special events that make it look better.

If you want a shiny Malamar, evolve one of your best shiny Inkay instead of a random one. You might want to wait for a double-catch-candy event or an Inkay-focused event day to farm a lot of candy and shiny checks.

Is Malamar a Good Fighter?

Malamar preserves the Dark/Psychic typing and has better stats than Inkay, with a greater Attack and total CP. This makes it useful in GO Battle League formats that like movesets and resistances that aren’t common.

But most analysis sites don’t think Inkay or Malamar are the best raid attackers or gym defenders; they’re more for collecting, spicy picks, and having fun. The main draw is the strange evolution mechanic and filling out the Pokedex.