Pokemon Go: How to catch a Ditto

Many trainers have yet to figure out how to catch a Ditto in Pokemon Go, and the elusive shapeshifter's current disguises for February 2022 make things even more difficult. Despite its inclusion in Pokemon Go in 2016, Ditto remains one of the most difficult Pokemon to capture. Trainers who need to complete particular Research objectives might not know where to look for the Normal-type amorphous blob.

That's because Ditto can morph into a variety of Pokemon, and the list of who it can transform into is constantly changing. In January 2022, there are a few potential ways to catch the purple Gen 1 monster.

Ditto in Pokemon Go (February 2022)

Before we get started, it's important to note that catching a Ditto in Go requires a combination of patience and luck. The lovable man shapeshifts and disguises itself as different Pokemon, similar to the RPGs, so you won't discover it until you catch one.

The first and most obvious step is to capture every Pokemon listed in the chart below as soon as you see them in the overworld. Players hunting for the cute creature will have to capture a variety of individuals across the map and hope that one of them transforms into the purple blob. As if that weren't difficult enough, Niantic changes the Pokemon that Ditto may transform into on a regular basis, so you'll need to stay on top of the current crop of disguises.

To commemorate the Season of Mischief, Niantic retired a number of Pokemon from Ditto's roster, including Hoothoot and Spinorak, and replaced them with new disguises including Gastly, Drowzee, Dwebble, and more for Trainers to be on the lookout for.

How to catch a Ditto in Pokemon Go

Though the information above will assist you when out in the overworld, Trainers can take the following actions to increase their chances of catching a Ditto:

• Incense: This can be used to increase spawn rates. While this is active, travel around and catch every monster that’s on the list above. For maximum effect, utilize this during a special event that increases the active effect time of Incense.

• Nearby Tracker: This function allows you to see which Pokemon are in your immediate vicinity. If any of the species listed in the table appear, click them and go catch them.

• Lures: Drop one of these at PokeStops once a day. To enhance your chances of catching a Ditto, keep an eye out for any of the monsters on the disguise list and catch them all.

• Pokemon Go groups: Join a group on Facebook or Reddit. When a Ditto is found, players and friends will often let others know, and other Trainers can go to that location for a limited time to find it.

• Catch with friends: Dittos are not unique to an individual player, so playing with friends can help to increase your chances of catching one.

Is Shiny Ditto available in Pokemon Go?

Yes, Shiny Ditto is available in Pokemon Go, in a nutshell. However, encountering a Shiny Ditto, like other Shiny variations in the game, is largely a matter of luck and perseverance.

Shiny Ditto was initially related to Special Research that could only be obtained during the Kanto Tour event, but since its appearance as a Research Breakthrough in September 2021, the variant has become more common (if you're lucky).