How to soft reset Pokemon Sword and Shield

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A little trick to farm shinies, high IV Pokemon, items and more… potentially

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Soft resetting has been a gameplay tactic for trainers since the very first Pokemon games because players not only want to catch 'em all, but they want to catch the best of 'em all. The best starters, the shinies, the ones with the best IV and more. And a cheeky soft reset or 100 would be the way to do that. Which is why a lot of people are wondering how to soft reset Pokemon Sword and Shield. 

Well, I have a bit of a sad tale to tell you folks. Whereas the last few main series' entries had a sequence of buttons you could press to head back to the title screen, it looks like there's no shortcut for Pokemon Sword and Shield.  Instead, here's what you need to do if you want to know how to soft reset Pokemon Sword and Shield

How to soft reset Pokemon Sword and Shield

(Image credit: Nintendo)

To soft reset Pokemon Sword and Shield you'll need to physically close down the game and boot it back up again by doing the following sequence. 

Hit the home button > Hover over the game's icon > Press X > Choose to close the software > Restart your Pokemon Sword / Shield game

So, it's not technically a soft reset at all anymore, but rather a restart without having to shut down your entire Switch console. It's one of the things that has changed with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but there are also other elements that make the soft reset less essential than before. 

For example, the Pokemon Sword and Shield starters cannot be shiny when they first spawn. Instead, if you want to get a shiny Scorbunny, Sobble or Grookey you're going to have to breed them at the Daycare centre on Route 5. 

Why would I need to soft reset in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Well, according to Reddit user BenignLarency, using the soft reset you can effectively get infinite shiny Raid Pokemon, along with infinite high IV Pokemon, items and more. 

To do this you'll need to:

1. Save before each raid until you find a shiny raid

2. Reset once you've found the shiny

3. Invite up to three friends to the determined shiny raid

4. Have friends catch shiny

5. Reset console (and go back to step 2)

Just remember that Raids reset at midnight, and that you might want to turn off the autosave feature to give you full control of when you save in the game. 

Want your Pokemon dressed properly? Find out how to get the Pokemon Sword and Shield fiery outfit for Ballonlea here!

Sam Loveridge
Sam Loveridge
Brand Director, GamesRadar+

Sam Loveridge is the Brand Director and former Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar. She joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.