Pokemon GO Weird Avatar Bug
Screenshot by Prima Games

How to Fix the Visual Avatar Bug in Pokemon GO

No Heartless were injured in the latest Pokemon GO bug.

Pokemon GO players are encountering a weird visual glitch that changes the appearance of their avatar to a dark shadow. Whilst this has happened previously, this time rebooting the game has had no impact on the avatars’ appearance, and players have been stuck looking like they’re competing for the best budget Kingdom Hearts cosplay. If this isn’t your style, below, you can find a method to correct the bug so that you can show off your avatar again.

Recommended Videos

Fixing the Avatar Glitch in Pokemon GO

Just like many others in the community, we have also been impacted by the strange avatar bug that has been widespread as of the latest Pokemon GO update. Fortunately, I have come up with a fix that has restored the game to its original state.

To fix the avatar glitch in Pokemon GO, you will first need to be connected to Wi-Fi, and then you will need to follow the below steps.

  • Open the Pokemon GO app.
  • Go to the Settings menu.
  • Go to Advanced Settings.
  • Under Quality, click on Download all Assets.
  • Make sure that you are on Wi-Fi and confirm the download.
  • When the download is complete, exit out of Pokemon GO completely.
  • Restart the app to see that your character is back in all of its glory.

Related: What Does Cheugy Mean in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? – Answered

  • Pokemon Go Visual Avatar Glitch Fix
  • Pokemon Go Visual Avatar Glitch Fix
  • Pokemon Go Visual Avatar Glitch Fix
  • Pokemon Go Visual Avatar Glitch Fix
  • Pokemon Go Visual Avatar Glitch Fix

It seems that this bug has become a widespread problem as of the latest update. My husband being impacted allowed me to experiment with his app until I came across a solution that worked. Forcing the game to download assets that may have not downloaded with the latest update seems to have corrected it as of now.


Prima Games is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy

About the Author

Priscilla Wells

Priscilla is both the weekend editor and a freelance writer at Prima Games. She began working at Prima Games in early 2023. Prior to this, she spent nine years writing for both her own personal gaming blog, and other related websites. Priscilla has grown up playing video games, and most often plays her PS5 and Nintendo Switch consoles. You can find her playing Final Fantasy XIV, RuneScape, Pokemon GO, or lost in the latest RPG to release. She is an Australian living in the United States with her American husband, three children, and her Basset Hound. Before moving to the United States, Priscilla obtained a Bachelors of Secondary Education majoring in English and Japanese Language. This allowed her to teach English and Japanese in a high school setting. You can follow her on Twitter/X at @Cilllah