Sidekick
Get the App

How Sidekick Works

Set up Sidekick for Pokémon GO in a minute, and see what it reads, what stays on your phone, and what it never does.

Get Started

Before you start, set Pokémon GO to English. Sidekick reads the game’s English text.

  1. Allow the Overlay

    Sidekick asks Android to let it display over other apps. That’s how cards appear over the game.

  2. Turn on Sidekick

    Tap the Sidekick button and allow screen capture. When Android asks what to share, choose “A single app”, then Pokémon GO.

    On Android 10–13, Android shares your whole screen. Sidekick only uses what it sees in Pokémon GO.

  3. Add the Quick Settings Tile

    Start and stop Sidekick from Quick Settings without leaving the game. This step is optional.

What Sidekick Reads

While Sidekick is on, it reads text and numbers from the Pokémon GO screen, such as Pokémon names, CP, appraisals, and what happens in a battle. It does this on your phone.

A notification shows whenever Sidekick is on. Stop it any time with the Sidekick button or the Quick Settings tile.

Your Screen Stays on Your Phone

No Account
Nothing to sign up for. Sidekick doesn’t ask for your name, email, or game account.
Screen Images
Processed on your phone, never stored or sent.
Battle Notes
Saved on your phone, with opponents recorded only as Pokémon, never by name. Android backup to your own Google account can include them, but never the raw text read from your screen.
Reports You Send
When you report a bug, you choose what to send. Attachments stay off unless you turn them on.
Technical Data
Sidekick’s server sees your IP address and phone model when the app loads. Google’s text recognition sends usage statistics, without images or text.
Read the Privacy Policy

Is Sidekick allowed in Pokémon GO?

Sidekick never asks for your Pokémon GO or Google login. It doesn’t modify the game, doesn’t connect to the game’s servers, and never taps or plays for you. It reads the screen and shows information, much like a guide open on a second screen.

During a battle, Sidekick only takes notes and gives no hints. Your after-battle report comes when the battle ends.

Sidekick isn’t made by or affiliated with Niantic, and it can’t promise how the game’s rules treat third-party apps. You decide whether to use it. Don’t use it in official tournaments.

Game updates sometimes change the screens Sidekick reads, so a feature may stop working for a while until Sidekick catches up.

See It in Action

Turn on Sidekick, appraise a Pokémon, turn it off. That’s the whole routine.