To play an official Pokémon game directly on your PC, download Pokémon TCG Live for Windows or macOS, install it, and sign in with a Pokémon Trainer Central account. TCG Live is the trading card game, so choose it for card battles. To display a compatible console Pokémon game at your computer, use capture hardware while your Nintendo Switch runs the game.
The short version
- Desktop play: Pokémon TCG Live has an official Windows and Mac application in supported regions.
- Console games: Capture hardware displays compatible Switch games while you play with the console controller.
- Phone games: Phone Link and iPhone Mirroring let you access phone apps on compatible computers, with game compatibility and controls to consider.
- Third-party option: BlueStacks describes a Windows method for Pokémon TCG Pocket, separate from official Pokémon desktop distribution.
| Option | What it does | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon TCG Live application | Runs the card game on your computer | Windows or macOS in supported regions |
| Official TCG Live download page | Provides the desktop installer | Choose your computer’s platform |
| Browser authentication | Signs you into the desktop game | Return to the application after login |
| Apple or Google login | Provides optional account access | Unavailable for child accounts |
| Child account setup | Lets a parent create a child account | Parent or guardian account required |
| TCG Online collection transfer | Moves eligible collection data | Sign in with the same account |
| Switch capture with 4K Pro | Displays a dockable Switch game | Windows desktop and installed capture card |
| Switch 2 capture | Displays a compatible console game | Supported computer and Elgato hardware |
| Elgato software downloads | Provides capture software | Match the software to your hardware |
| Windows Phone Link | Accesses an Android phone’s apps | Phone must support the Apps feature |
| iPhone Mirroring | Accesses iPhone apps on a Mac | Compatible devices outside the EU |
| BlueStacks 5 | Offers a third-party TCG Pocket route | Compatible Windows PC |
| BlueStacks Pocket product page | Provides the emulator download | Third-party software |
| Nintendo web store | Sells console editions | Browser purchases do not provide a Windows game |
Install Pokémon TCG Live on your computer
Open the official Pokémon TCG Live download page. Select Windows Download for a Windows PC or Mac Download for macOS. Install the downloaded application, then launch Pokémon TCG Live.
You can use the desktop application in supported regions. TCG Live is a trading card game rather than a main-series Pokémon RPG, so use the console capture setup below if you want to display a compatible Switch game.
Sign in and return to the game
When TCG Live opens its sign-in flow, complete Pokémon Trainer Central authentication in the browser, then return to the application through the browser redirect. The browser handles your login; the installed application runs the game. This login flow applies to TCG Live version 1.32.0 onward.
If you already have a Pokémon Trainer Club account, sign in with it under the Pokémon Trainer Central name. Pokémon describes Trainer Central as Pokémon Trainer Club with a new look and a new name.
For optional Apple or Google login, select Apple or Google on the Pokémon Trainer Central login page and sign in with that provider. Select Create Account for a new Pokémon account, or select Link Existing Account when you already have one. To finish linking an existing account, enter its Pokémon account credentials.
Set up a child account
For a child below your region’s digital age of consent, you need your own Pokémon Trainer Central account as their parent or guardian. Apple and Google login are unavailable for child accounts.
Sign in at trainer.pokemon.com with your parent or guardian account, open the three dots beside your name, and select Add a Child. Complete Please Verify Your Identity, then select Continue. Fill in the child-account fields, accept the website terms, then select Create Your Child’s Account.
Bring over an older TCG Online collection
Pokémon TCG Online downloads were removed and its servers shut down on June 5, 2023, so install Pokémon TCG Live to continue with eligible collection data. Sign in with the same Pokémon account you previously used for TCG Online. Eligible collection data transfers automatically on your first login, but not every old item transfers.
Display a Nintendo Switch game with a capture card
For a dockable Nintendo Switch and an Elgato 4K Pro installed in a Windows desktop, you can capture a compatible Pokémon game while the console runs it. You continue playing with the Switch controller. The capture hardware displays console gameplay through your computer setup.
On the Switch, open System Settings > TV Settings. Set TV Resolution to 1080p or 720p, then set TV Sound to Stereo. Turn off Match TV Power State.
Connect the dock’s HDMI output to the capture card’s HDMI In, then connect HDMI Out to your monitor. Open 4K Capture Utility or Elgato Studio on the Windows computer. Elgato says 4K Capture Utility is no longer in active development and recommends Elgato Studio whenever possible. If you need the software, open Elgato’s official downloads, select Capture, choose Windows, and obtain the software offered for your capture hardware.
Play using the Switch controller and the monitor connected to HDMI Out. If the PC preview feels delayed, use the monitor’s passthrough view for more responsive play.
Connect a Nintendo Switch 2 for capture
On Switch 2, open System Settings > Display > TV Resolution, then choose a resolution supported by your capture equipment. This console uses a different settings path from the original Switch.
Connect the Switch 2 dock’s HDMI output to the capture card’s HDMI In. Connect HDMI Out to the monitor. For an external card such as the 4K S or 4K X, connect its included USB-C cable to your PC or Mac; a 4K Pro instead installs in a desktop PC’s PCIe slot rather than connecting over USB. Install and open Elgato Studio, and continue controlling the game with the console controller.
To obtain the software, open Elgato’s downloads page, select Capture, then choose Windows or macOS for your computer. Get the software offered for your capture hardware, since software and operating-system compatibility vary by model.
Access an Android game through Phone Link
With a compatible Android phone paired to Windows Phone Link, open Phone Link > Apps and select the installed game. The game continues running on your phone. Your Android device must support Phone Link’s Apps feature for this route.
To reopen a recently used game, open Apps > Recently used, right-click its icon, and select Open. Microsoft cautions that some games require a touch-enabled PC, so mouse and keyboard controls may not be enough.
Phone Link provides app mirroring, but that does not guarantee compatibility with a particular Pokémon game. If your phone does not support Apps, you can use TCG Live for desktop card battles instead. You would be playing a separate desktop game rather than accessing the game on your phone.
Access an iPhone game on a compatible Mac
For iPhone Mirroring, you need macOS Sequoia 15 or later on a Mac with Apple silicon or an Apple T2 Security Chip, plus an iPhone running iOS 18 or later. Apple says iPhone Mirroring is unavailable in the European Union. As with Phone Link, mirroring does not guarantee that a particular Pokémon game will work with the available controls.
Sign into the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication on both devices. Enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, then keep the iPhone nearby and locked. Open iPhone Mirroring from the Mac’s Dock or Applications folder.
Enter the iPhone passcode on the phone if requested, then open the installed game in the mirrored interface. If your devices do not meet the requirements, the separate TCG Live application for macOS offers desktop card battles.
Use BlueStacks for Pokémon TCG Pocket
BlueStacks describes a third-party route for Pokémon TCG Pocket using BlueStacks 5 on compatible Windows PCs. Pokémon lists mobile-device requirements for Pocket, so treat this as an emulator method rather than an official Pokémon Windows edition. Compatibility with the current game build is not guaranteed.
To obtain the emulator, open the BlueStacks Pokémon TCG Pocket product page and select Play Pokémon TCG Pocket - Card Game on PC. This downloads third-party emulator software. These setup steps apply to BlueStacks 5 on Windows.
Launch BlueStacks 5 and search for Pokémon TCG Pocket using the home-screen search bar or BlueStacks Store. Select the matching result, then select Download or Install, whichever appears. Complete Google Play sign-in when requested, then launch the installed game.
If Pocket does not work through the emulator, you can play it on a mobile device that meets Pokémon’s requirements. Choose TCG Live if you want an official desktop Pokémon card game instead. TCG Live and TCG Pocket are different games, so switching applications changes which game you play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a Pokémon game purchased through Nintendo’s website download?
Nintendo says digital purchases download to the associated Nintendo console. Buying a Switch or Switch 2 edition from a PC browser does not turn that purchase into a Windows game.
Can older Windows Subsystem for Android tutorials still be used as a supported route?
Microsoft says Windows Subsystem for Android and Amazon Appstore have been unavailable in Microsoft Store since March 5, 2025. Skip tutorials that present that former Windows 11 subsystem as a current supported installation route.
Are original Ryujinx releases still maintained?
The original Ryujinx project is discontinued, and its original builds receive no updates. Separate forks need individual assessment, and the original project was never an official Nintendo PC distribution.
Which USB connection does Elgato capture hardware need?
Elgato specifies USB 3.0 for the 4K S. Full 4K X performance requires USB 3.2 Gen2, so match the connection to your capture device. The 4K Pro installs in a desktop PC’s PCIe slot instead of connecting over USB.
Can you reopen a Phone Link game from the Windows notification area?
Yes, for a recently used app on an Android phone that supports Phone Link’s Apps feature, select ^ in the Windows notification area. Select the Phone Link icon, then select the recent app.