How to Play Pokémon Go on PC in 2020: The Ultimate Guide

Playing Pokémon Go on a PC in 2020 became a popular topic for players who wanted to experience the augmented reality game on a larger screen with better hardware. While Niantic officially released the game for iOS and Android, the desire to play on Windows or Mac machines led to the development of various unofficial methods. This process typically involved emulating a mobile operating system on the computer rather than running the game natively.

Why Play Pokémon Go on a PC?

The primary motivation for playing on a PC revolves around screen real estate and input precision. Navigating the game on a small smartphone screen can be cumbersome for extended periods, especially during intricate tasks like curveball throws or managing items. A mouse and keyboard offer significantly more control and accuracy than touchscreen gestures, leading to a more comfortable and efficient grinding experience.

Additionally, PCs provide the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously. Players could keep a map analysis tool or a spreadsheet open while playing, which is difficult to manage on a phone. This multi-tasking capability is a significant advantage for players looking to optimize their gameplay routine without constantly switching between apps.

Understanding the Emulation Requirement

Because Pokémon Go is designed for mobile operating systems, you cannot simply download an .exe file to run it on your Windows or Mac computer. To bridge this gap, you need an Android emulator. This software creates a virtual Android device on your PC, allowing you to install and run mobile apps as if they were on a physical phone.

Popular Emulators in 2020

During 2020, several emulators stood out for their performance and compatibility with location-based games. The choice of emulator often depended on the user's specific hardware and desired balance between performance and features.

The General Setup Process

The typical workflow for playing the game on a PC involved a few critical steps that needed to be followed in sequence. First, you had to install the chosen emulator, which would allocate virtual resources on your machine. Second, you needed to configure the emulator settings, particularly location settings, to match your intended play region.

Once the emulator was running, you would access the Google Play Store within the virtual environment. Logging in with your Google account allowed you to download and install Pokémon Go directly onto the emulator. After installation, you would open the app and sign in to ensure your account data was synchronized.

Location Spoofing and GPS Configuration

The most technical hurdle involved faking the GPS location of the emulator to match where the player intended to "be" in the real world. Pokémon Go utilizes the GPS coordinates of the device, so the emulator's location had to be spoofed. In 2020, this required specific software tools that could feed fake coordinate data to the emulator.

Some emulators had built-in mock location features, but these were often unreliable or easily detected by Niantic's servers. Many players relied on third-party spoofing applications that ran in the background, tricking the game into thinking the player was moving around a real city while they remained stationary at their desk.

Risks and Account Security

It is important to note that playing Pokémon Go on a PC using emulators and spoofing tools operated in a gray area regarding the game's Terms of Service. Niantic actively worked to detect and ban accounts that used unauthorized third-party software to gain an advantage.

Players considering this method had to weigh the benefits of a larger screen against the risk of losing their progress. To mitigate potential issues, many users maintained a separate account specifically for PC play, ensuring that their primary progress remained safe on their mobile device.