Meltan is the first and only Pokemon to be first introduced in Pokemon GO. This pure steel-type Pokemon is unique due to only being able to evolve in Pokemon GO as well, despite being able to be transferred to other Pokemon games. While there are multiple ways to find and catch Meltan in Pokemon GO, the fastest and easiest way is through the use of a Mystery Box. This item will cause multiple Meltans to spawn around the player for them to catch freely.
Updated on March 22, 2023: Now that Shiny versions of Meltan have made their way back into Pokemon GO via the 2023 Let's Go event, players are searching for how to get and use the Mystery Box item. The method remains the same, but we've still spruced up this post with headers to better categorize the information, and some links have been switched out for more recent ones.
Getting the Meltan Mystery Box in the first place may be some trouble for certain players, however. This is because trainers will need some games other than Pokemon GO to unlock it.
How to Get Mystery Box in Pokemon GO
There are two options for players wanting to get a Meltan Mystery Box. Players can either have one of the Pokemon Let's Go games, Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go Eevee, or have Pokemon Home.
Considering that players will need to make sizable progress in the Let's Go games first in order to unlock the Meltan Mystery Box and it being far more expensive, players may want to get Pokemon Home if they are looking for a Mystery Box.
Using Pokemon Home
When using Pokemon Home, players will need to download it on their mobile device and link it to their Nintendo account. It needs to be the same one players have on their Nintendo Switch if they want to transfer Pokemon from Pokemon GO to their copies of Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.
After getting Pokemon Home set up on their phones, players will then need to link their Pokemon GO account to their Pokemon Home. To do this, players will need to open up Pokemon GO and go into their settings and find the option for Pokemon Home.
How to Use the Mystery Box in Pokemon GO
After everything is connected, players will be able to transfer Pokemon from Pokemon GO to Pokemon Home. By doing this, they will get a free Meltan Mystery Box. Players will want as many Meltan as possible, as it costs 400 Meltan Candy to evolve Meltan into Melmetal. As mentioned before, it can only be evolved in Pokemon GO, so players won't be able to evolve it if it is transferred over to another game on the Switch.
Melmetal is also a pure steel-type Pokemon. After being transferred to either Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield, Melmetal has to ability to Gigantamax into Gigantamax Melmetal.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.