How to (Finally) Speed up the Update Rate of Pokémon GO on Your Phone
Pokémon GO continues to gain traction and is a great example of unique mobile gameplay. While the game is more about real-world Pokemon hunting rather than graphics, the game’s frame rates have always lagged behind our smartphones. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as Pokémon GO’s frame rate can now match your smartphone’s own refresh rate.
Pokémon GO handles frame rates differently on iOS and Android
On Android, you have been able to play at 60fps by default for a while now. While many Android phones have displays with 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates, 60fps is still relatively smooth. On iPhones, however, the limit was always 30fps, which meant that Pokémon GO players on iOS had to deal with unnecessarily low frame rates. While the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are the only two iPhones to support 120Hz, all the others support 60Hz, so we had to have at least 60fps as an option.
As Sam Byford of The Verge pointed out , Pokémon GO quietly added a new feature in its latest update that allows users to set the game’s frame rate to match the smartphone’s own refresh rate. This means that if you are using an iPhone with a 60Hz refresh rate, such as the iPhone X, the game will run at 60 frames per second; a 90Hz phone like the Pixel 4 will run at 90fps; and a 120Hz phone like the iPhone 13 Pro will run at 120fps. This is a great option, but it is not advertised or permitted in any way, and it is not enabled by default. Without serious study of the application, you will never know that this feature exists.
How to increase the refresh rate of Pokémon GO
First, make sure your application is updated to at least version 1.191.0. You can check for available updates in the Android Play Store or iOS App Store.
When the app is fully updated, tap on the Pokéball at the bottom of the screen, then go to Settings. Scroll down to the bottom and select Advanced Settings. Here you will find the Native Refresh Rate parameter; just click the circle next to an option to enable it.
Once you return to the game, you will notice a much smoother experience, especially if you are playing on an iPhone or Android device with a 90Hz or 120Hz display. Keep in mind that increasing your frame rate – especially up to 120Hz on supported phones – can increase battery life. If this is more important to you than smooth operation, you may want to disable this feature. However, it is not yet clear to what extent this feature actually affects battery life, or if the impact is different on iPhones and Androids.