Quick Answer
Make sure your Nintendo Switch user profile is linked to the same Nintendo Account as your Pokemon HOME subscription. Open Pokemon Champions, go into the in-game menu, choose the HOME link option and confirm with the linked Nintendo Account. Your eligible HOME boxes then appear inside Champions automatically.
The whole link is account-based, so there is no QR code to scan. If both apps are signed into the same Nintendo Account, the handshake is one tap.
What Pokemon Champions actually is
Pokemon Champions is the new battle-focused Pokemon game from The Pokemon Company. It launches worldwide on Nintendo Switch on 8 April 2026 (confirmed by the official press release and the Nintendo eShop listing). It is not a full RPG; it is a dedicated competitive battling app built around the core type, ability and move mechanics, and it works on both Switch and Switch 2.
The headline feature for collectors is that it talks directly to Pokemon HOME. Eligible creatures you have stored in HOME (from Scarlet and Violet, Sword and Shield, BDSP, Legends Arceus, GO and the older Virtual Console games) can be pulled into Champions for battle use without having to grind a brand new team.
What you need before you start
- A Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 with Pokemon Champions installed (download from the eShop).
- The Pokemon HOME app on the same Switch user profile.
- A Nintendo Account linked to that user profile.
- An active Pokemon HOME Premium plan if you want to use more than 30 Pokemon (the free tier still works but caps how many creatures you can move).
- An internet connection on the Switch.
You do not need the mobile version of HOME to be involved. Pokemon Champions links to HOME through the Switch, not through your phone.
Step 1: confirm the Nintendo Account link
On your Switch, go to System Settings, choose your user from the top of the screen, then User Settings. Look for Linked Nintendo Account. It should show your Nintendo Account email or nickname. If it shows Not linked, tap it and log in with the Nintendo Account you use for HOME.
This is the step that trips people up. If you have two accounts (a UK Nintendo Account and a US one, for example), you have to use the exact account that your HOME subscription is on. The two apps will not see each other otherwise.
Step 2: open Pokemon HOME first
Launch the Pokemon HOME app on your Switch and log in once. This confirms to Nintendo's servers that the user profile and the HOME account are bound together. Close HOME when you see your storage boxes.
Step 3: link from inside Pokemon Champions
Launch Pokemon Champions from the Switch home screen on the same user profile. From the main menu, go to the in-game Settings menu (the cog icon) and choose the Pokemon HOME option. The game will ask for permission to talk to your HOME account; confirm yes.
You will be sent to a quick browser sign-in screen that asks you to confirm the same Nintendo Account. After a few seconds the link is registered server-side and Champions reloads with your HOME boxes visible inside it.
Step 4: pull Pokemon across for battle
Inside Champions, open the Pokemon storage screen. You will see two columns: your Champions roster on one side and your linked HOME boxes on the other. Tap a Pokemon in HOME and choose Send to Champions to copy a battle-ready version of it across.
Important detail: Champions stores its own battle-ready instance of the Pokemon, so the original stays safe in HOME. Stats, abilities and held items are recreated according to Champions' own balancing rules. This is intentional. It keeps the competitive scene fair while still letting you battle with creatures you spent years collecting.
Common error messages and fixes
"Unable to connect to Pokemon HOME" usually means the Switch is not signed into the right Nintendo Account. Close the game, go to System Settings, confirm the linked account, and try again.
"This Pokemon cannot be sent to Champions" means the creature is one of the small list that is not yet supported (a few event-locked or move-locked forms fall into this bucket). Pick a different Pokemon from the same box.
"Your HOME subscription has expired" means the Premium plan has lapsed. The free tier still works but caps you at 30 creatures across all boxes; if you want more, renew Premium from the HOME app.
Will my mobile HOME data sync?
Yes, automatically. Pokemon HOME on mobile and on Switch share the same cloud account. Anything you deposited from the mobile app, including transfers from Pokemon GO, is already in your Switch HOME boxes, so it is already available to Champions the moment the link is live.
The takeaway
Linking Pokemon Champions to Pokemon HOME is really one job: get both apps signed into the same Nintendo Account on the same Switch profile. Once they are, open HOME once, open Champions, tap the HOME link option in settings, and pull whatever you want into your competitive roster. The whole setup takes about three minutes.
