How to catch Unown in Pokemon GO, and what you get for it

Unown isn’t a powerful Pokemon, but its unique gimmick makes it one that many Pokemon GO players want to get their hands on. Catching every Unown is easier said than done, however.

There are 28 versions of Unown with each one representing a letter of the alphabet or punctuation mark. This makes it a highly collectible Pokemon as players will need to be aggressive in completing their collection. In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Unown served as a collect-a-thon side mission but things are very different in Pokemon GO.

Unown is very rarely made available and how it pops up varies each time. That makes completing the full alphabet almost impossible for any but the most dedicated players. Here’s how to collect every Unown and where they pop up.

How to get Unown in Pokemon GO

Players can get Unown in Pokemon GO by catching it in the wild, defeating it in raids, or hatching it from eggs. However, Unown are only available on rare occasions.

It first appeared in Pokemon GO in 2017 with the introduction of Pokemon from the Johto region. The Pokemon could be found in the wild during that time but was eventually cycled out. Since then, Unown has become available only on a limited basis. It has appeared as part of multiple Pokemon GO Fests, as well as in eggs and at other special events such as E3.

During some of these occasions, only specific versions of Unown have been made available. Players have to be dogged in their pursuit of Unown in order to actually complete their collections. Unown most recently appeared as part of Pokemon GO Fest 2022.

What happens when you catch all the Unown in Pokemon GO?

Players who collect 26 Unown in Pokemon GO will receive a gold medal for their efforts.

There is a dedicated medal for collecting Unown in Pokemon GO, which unlocks after you get three different forms of the Pokemon. It’s upgraded after collecting 10, and then is maxed out after catching all 26 versions.