Complete Guide on How to Get Your Buddy Pokémon Excited in Pokémon GO
How to Get Your Buddy Excited in Pokémon GO Without Using a Poffin
The Buddy System is one of the most rewarding features in Pokémon GO. By interacting with your buddy Pokémon throughout the day, you can earn hearts, unlock useful bonuses, and eventually reach Best Buddy status.
Many trainers use Poffins to instantly make their buddy excited, but did you know that you can achieve the same result completely free?
In this guide, we'll explain how the Buddy Excitement system works, how Affection Points are earned, and the fastest way to get your buddy excited without spending a single Poffin.
What Is Buddy Excitement?
When your buddy becomes excited, it enters a special mood state that provides two major benefits:
Double the number of hearts you can earn that day
Half the walking distance required to earn buddy candy
For trainers working toward Best Buddy Pokémon or farming buddy candy, reaching excited status can be incredibly valuable.
Understanding Affection Points
Every interaction with your buddy grants Affection Points (AP). As you accumulate these points, your buddy's mood improves.
Once you reach 32 Affection Points, your buddy becomes excited.
The key is consistently performing interactions throughout the day.
Activities That Earn Affection Points
Walk 2 km – 4 AP
Walking is one of the most efficient ways to increase your buddy's mood. Every 2 kilometers walked with your buddy earns 4 Affection Points.
Feed a Treat – 2 AP
Giving berries to your buddy when its hunger meter is low grants 2 Affection Points.
Play Together – 2 AP
Rub and interact with your buddy in AR mode until it reacts happily.
Complete a Battle – 2 AP
You can earn points by battling with your buddy in:
Gyms
Raids
Team GO Rocket battles
Trainer Battles (PvP)
Team Leader battles
Take a Snapshot – 2 AP
Simply take a photo of your buddy Pokémon.
Visit a New PokéStop or Gym – 2 AP
Spinning a location that your buddy hasn't previously visited can earn additional Affection Points.
Open a Buddy Gift – 4 AP
As your friendship level increases, your buddy may bring gifts. Opening one provides 4 Affection Points.
Visit an Interesting Location – 4 AP
Certain locations discovered by your buddy can award additional points.
Understanding the 30-Minute Cooldown
Most buddy interactions can only award Affection Points once every 30 minutes.
For example:
Feed your buddy
Play together
Take a snapshot
Complete a battle
After earning points from these activities, you'll need to wait roughly 30 minutes before repeating them for additional Affection Points.
Walking is the exception. As long as you continue covering distance, you can keep earning points through walking.
Fastest Free Method to Get an Excited Buddy
A simple routine can help you reach excited status without a Poffin.
Round 1
Feed your buddy
Play together
Take a snapshot
Complete a battle
This gives you 8 Affection Points.
Wait 30 Minutes
Continue walking with your buddy during this time.
Round 2
Repeat the same interactions:
Feed
Play
Snapshot
Battle
You gain another 8 points.
Continue Throughout the Day
After several cycles, combined with walking distance and any bonus interactions such as gifts or new locations, you'll reach the 32 Affection Point threshold needed for excitement.
See this method to get your Pokemon GO buddy excited in action:
Why You Should Use This Method
Many trainers save their Poffins for special events, Community Days, GO Fest, or rare Pokémon.
Learning how to trigger excitement naturally offers several advantages:
Saves premium items
Helps earn more hearts every day
Speeds up Best Buddy progress
Increases candy farming efficiency
Works with any buddy Pokémon
Final Thoughts
Getting your buddy excited without a Poffin requires a little consistency, but it's completely free and surprisingly easy once you understand how Affection Points work.
By feeding your buddy, taking snapshots, battling, walking, and repeating interactions every 30 minutes, you can regularly reach Excited status and maximize your buddy rewards.
If you're working toward Best Buddy Pokémon, mastering this system is one of the most useful tricks every Pokémon GO trainer should know.
Happy adventuring, and good luck on your journey to Best Buddy status!
