How to Evolve Inkay into Malamar in Pokémon GO

Inkay has one of the most unusual evolution requirements in the entire game, and if you’re trying to turn yours into Malamar, you may notice that the evolve button doesn’t behave like it normally does. Here’s exactly how the evolution works and what to do if it doesn’t trigger.

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What You Need to Evolve Inkay

To evolve Inkay into Malamar, you’ll need:

• 50 Inkay Candy

Once you have enough candy, the evolution option will appear — but there’s an extra step before the button turns active.

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How to Trigger the Evolution

Inkay’s evolution requires you to invert your mobile device.

1. Open Inkay’s page in Pokémon GO.
2. Hold your phone upside down.
3. The evolve button will change appearance to show that the requirement has been met.
4. Tap the button to evolve Inkay into Malamar.

If the device orientation is detected correctly, the evolution should go through immediately.

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Troubleshooting Tips

If the evolution doesn’t activate when the phone is upside down, try the following:

• Toggle your phone’s rotation lock on or off.
• Close and fully restart Pokémon GO.
• Ensure your device’s orientation sensors are functioning normally.

For devices that don’t include a gyroscope or orientation sensor, the game may allow the evolution to proceed with only the candy requirement.

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Why Inkay Evolves This Way

This unusual method references Inkay’s original evolution mechanic from its debut in the main series games. In Pokémon X and Y, players had to flip their Nintendo 3DS system upside down to trigger Inkay’s evolution. Pokémon GO mirrors that unique behavior as a fun callback to its origins.

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Final Thoughts

Inkay’s evolution is simple once you know the trick: gather 50 candy, turn your device upside down, and watch it transform into Malamar. If your phone struggles to detect the orientation, a quick settings adjustment or app restart usually fixes it.

Happy evolving, Trainers!