To get Umbreon in Pokémon GO, make Eevee your buddy, walk 10 km with it, keep it as your buddy, and evolve it at night for 25 Eevee Candy. Before you tap Evolve, check that the evolution button shows Umbreon’s silhouette. If it shows a question mark or a different Pokémon, stop. Something is missing.
TLDR: The safest Umbreon method is the buddy evolution: walk an Eevee for 10 km, earn the required buddy progress, then evolve it at night while it is still your buddy. You also need 25 Eevee Candy. For example, if a player walks 5 km on Monday and 5 km on Tuesday, then evolves after 8 p.m. with Umbreon shown on the button, the result should be Umbreon. The name trick, using “Tamao”, works too, but only once per account.
Method 1: Get Umbreon with the Eevee name trick
The fastest way to get Umbreon is the nickname method. Rename your Eevee to Tamao, then evolve it with 25 Eevee Candy. This should produce Umbreon.
Here is the exact process:
- Choose the Eevee you want to evolve.
- Tap the pencil icon beside its name.
- Rename it Tamao.
- Close and reopen the Pokémon’s page to refresh the game.
- Check that Umbreon appears on the evolution button.
- Tap Evolve.
This trick only works once per account. If you used “Tamao” years ago, even by accident, it will not work again. The game may let you enter the name, but that does not mean the result is guaranteed. That part catches many returning players.
Do not spend candy until the evolution preview shows Umbreon. If the button still shows a question mark, you are probably about to get Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon instead.
Image not found in postmetaMethod 2: Get Umbreon with the buddy evolution requirement
The regular and repeatable way to evolve Eevee into Umbreon is through the buddy system. This is the method most players should use after the name trick is gone.
You need all of the following:
- One Eevee selected as your buddy.
- 10 km walked with that Eevee as your buddy.
- 25 Eevee Candy.
- Nighttime in Pokémon GO.
- The same Eevee must still be your active buddy when you evolve it.
In practice, this means you should buddy the exact Eevee you plan to evolve, walk until the game credits the distance, and wait until the map is in night mode. Then open the Eevee page and look at the evolution button.
If the preview shows Umbreon, you are safe. If it shows Espeon, it is daytime in the game. If it shows a question mark, the buddy requirement is not complete or the Eevee is not currently your buddy.
It drives me crazy that the game does not always explain this clearly on the evolution screen. A player can do most of the work, swap buddies for a raid task, and then ruin the evolution because that Eevee is no longer active. Check the silhouette every time.
Does Eevee need to be your buddy during the evolution?
Yes. For the standard method, Eevee must still be your buddy when you evolve it. Walking 10 km and then removing it as your buddy is not enough.
This matters because players often switch buddies for hearts, candy, or event tasks. If you do that before evolving, put the Eevee back as your buddy first. Then open its page and confirm that Umbreon is shown.
The game’s preview is your best protection. Treat it as the final confirmation. Do not rely only on memory or distance shown in your buddy history.
When is “night” for Umbreon in Pokémon GO?
Umbreon requires nighttime inside Pokémon GO, not just what your clock says. The map should look dark, and the evolution preview should show Umbreon.
Night timing can vary slightly based on season, location, and game data. Sunset in the real world is a good clue, but it is not perfect. If you are unsure, wait a little longer and check again.
Best rule: evolve only when the button shows Umbreon. That removes the guesswork.
Image not found in postmetaWhy did my Eevee become Espeon instead?
If your Eevee became Espeon, the buddy requirement was probably met, but the evolution happened during daytime in the game. Espeon and Umbreon share the walking requirement. The time of day decides which one you get.
- Daytime plus buddy requirement: Espeon.
- Nighttime plus buddy requirement: Umbreon.
This is why the silhouette matters so much. If Espeon appears on the evolve button, wait until night. Do not assume the game will “know” you wanted Umbreon.
Why did my Eevee evolve into Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon?
If you got one of the original Kanto evolutions, the special Umbreon requirement was not active. That usually means one of these happened:
- You did not walk the full 10 km with that Eevee.
- The distance had not synced yet.
- The Eevee was not your buddy at evolution time.
- You evolved it while the button still showed a question mark.
- You tried the Tamao name trick after already using it once.
Expect to waste time on a few sync delays if you rely on Adventure Sync. Sometimes the distance appears a bit later than expected. Open the buddy screen, restart the app, and wait a minute before spending candy.
Can shiny Eevee evolve into shiny Umbreon?
Yes. A shiny Eevee will evolve into a shiny Umbreon if the Umbreon requirement is met. The method is the same. Walk 10 km, evolve at night, keep it as your buddy, and confirm the Umbreon silhouette.
This also applies to many event Eevee forms, as long as that costume Eevee is allowed to evolve. Some costume Pokémon cannot evolve, so always check the available evolution button first.
Is Umbreon worth getting?
Umbreon is one of the better Eevee evolutions in Pokémon GO, especially for PvP. It is known for strong bulk in the Great League and can also be useful in Ultra League with high investment. It is not a top raid attacker, so do not build it for raid damage.
If you care about PvP, check IVs before evolving. Umbreon often performs well with lower Attack and higher Defense and HP in Great League. For Ultra League, it usually needs a high level and can become expensive, especially if XL Candy is involved.
Move choice also matters. Snarl is commonly used as the Fast Attack. Charged Attack options often include Foul Play and Last Resort or Psychic, depending on format and availability. Last Resort usually requires an event evolution window or an Elite Charged TM.
Image not found in postmetaChecklist before evolving Eevee into Umbreon
Use this quick checklist before pressing the button:
- Do you have 25 Eevee Candy?
- Is the correct Eevee your current buddy?
- Has it walked 10 km as your buddy?
- Is it nighttime in the game?
- Does the evolve button show Umbreon?
If every answer is yes, evolve it. If any answer is no, wait. Umbreon is easy to get once the conditions are clear, but Pokémon GO is not forgiving when you tap the wrong evolution button.