How to whistle in Pokemon Sword & Shield: How to use it & what it does

Pokemon Sword and Shield includes an often overlooked feature that makes catching nearby Pokemon much easier. So, let’s show you how to use it and we’ll also look at the benefits of doing so. 

Game Freak decided to revamp the crouching tool for their newest games and if you have met your rival trainer in-game, they will have already explained that crouching can be a great way to interact with the world.

All around the Galar Region there are different ways to encounter Pokemon, possibly more than ever before, with some appearing in the water when fishing, some surprising you in the long grass as usual, and much more.

However, whistling allows you to quickly gauge how many Pokemon are in close proximity and that can be really useful, particularly for those who have been running around not finding anything for a sustained period of time. So, here’s a quick guide on the inventive gameplay mechanic and how to use it.

How to use a whistle in Pokemon Sword & Shield

In order to whistle in Pokemon Sword and Shield, you have to press down on the left stick.

Once this has been done, your character will make a whistling noise and you will know it’s worked when question marks start to appear nearby. These question marks are actually Pokemon that haven’t revealed themselves just yet – despite you standing right there next to them.

The whistle encourages them to show themselves, but will not automatically start an encounter – making it a perfect bridge between a long grass encounter and the overworld.

As we know, encounters can be triggered in different ways – whether it’s an overworld encounter (where you can see the Pokemon straight away), battling one in a Max Raid Battle in the Wild Area, or spotting one hidden in the long grass. The whistle also has a pretty long range too, so don’t be surprised if a Pokemon appears from far away and is attracted to your location after the whistle sounds.

For even more on Pokemon Sword & Shield, check out a bunch of other guides we’ve whipped up, especially for Game Freak’s vast open-world Pokemon game:

Which Pokemon are in Max Raid Battles | How to get all three starters without trading | Type chart: strengths and weaknesses | The most expensive Pokemon cards | List of all missing Pokemon in Sword and Shield | Every dog Pokemon in the Pokedex | Every cat Pokemon in the Pokedex | The cutest Pokemon of all time | How to get Remote Raid Passes | Pokemon Go shop: prices, box changes | Pokemon Sword & Shield trade codes