The Timed Incubator is used for hatching an additional Egg in Pokémon Go.
First introduced in September 2025, it debuted as part of the Deluxe premium track in that month's Go Pass, replacing the Lucky Trinket as an exclusive unlock.
This page explains what a Timed Incubator is in Pokémon Go, when it's been made available so far, and how best to use one.
Update (27th May): Updated the 'how to get' section as a Timed Incubator appears in June's Go Pass.
What is a Timed Incubator in Pokémon Go?
The Timed Incubator essentially adds a second 'infinite' use Incubator to your inventory, joining the one you get by default from the very start of the game.
However, as the name suggests, though its uses are infinite, it only lasts a certain amount of time. In other words, though you can use it as many times as you like within a set period.
Each Timed Incubator has a set expiry date. In the case of its debut as part of 2025's September Deluxe Pass, it was available from September 2nd and expired on October 14, meaning you get six weeks of use, provided you obtain it on (or close to) its debut.
If you want to know how long you have left, you get a reminder whenever you visit your item inventory - with it appearing at the top of the screen for the duration - as well as whenever you use it next in your Egg inventory.
How to get a Timed Incubator in Pokémon Go
Timed Incubators are rewarded every few months in the monthly Go Pass at rank 20 for those who purchase the Deluxe premium track for £7.99 / $7.99.
To date, the Timed Incubator has been available during the following Go Passes:
- September 2025
- December 2025
- March 2026
- June 2026 (most recent)
Based on the above timings, the next Timed Incubator will be available in September 2026.
When it is in a Go Pass, Rank 20 can be unlocked within a day or two, provided you earn points from all available Pass Tasks available to you (Weekly and Daily Tasks, as well as the 'bonus points' available from catching, hatching Eggs, and winning raids). This means you can get the Timed Incubator pretty soon after the Go Pass debuts for a given month.
It's possible the Timed Incubator might be available through other means in the future - but as with the Lucky Trinket, it so far remains exclusive to the Go Pass Deluxe.
Timed Incubator best use in Pokémon Go
The best use of a Timed Incubator is to use it on 2km and 5km eggs. Since you have unlimited uses within a time period, it's perfectly placed to help get through your backlog of of smaller distance eggs. (The inverse applies to one-off Egg Incubators and Super Incubators: they are best reserved for 10km and 12km eggs, giving you more value for money.)
As such, if you're like me and constantly have 2km and 5km and want to make room for longer distances, having a second 'infinite' Incubator on the go is an effective means to do that.
Here's some other tips and things to know when using a Timed Incubator in Pokémon Go:
- Long-time Pokémon Go players will likely have an intuitive sense of when your regular infinite Incubator has run out, and will know when to queue up the next free Incubator, and you have to remember to do this with your Timed Incubator too. In the first few weeks, there were a number of times it was left sitting in my inventory when it could have been put to good use because I forgot it was there, so that's something you'll have to adapt to.
- If possible, syncing both 'infinite' Incubators with the same distance Egg - so they hatch at the same time - can help.
- If you are on the fence about whether you need a Timed Incubator, it's worth looking ahead to what's happening in Pokémon Go in the weeks ahead. Factor in any Egg-specific events such as Hatch Days, bonuses from hatching eggs that you want to double down on, or whether you have any lingering Special Research with lengthy Egg-related steps (such as 'A Precious Catch's hatch 20 Eggs). Either way, with a fixed expiry date, picking one up as close to its debut in a given month's Go Pass Deluxe track means you can use it as much as possible before it disappears.
- As with all items that expire, the Timed Incubator will be a constant fixture at the top of your item inventory while it's in your possession. Though this is an altogether harmless trade-off for using one, it is annoying - and if this is something that might bother you, it could be worth avoiding picking one up all together.
Hope this guide helps you make good use of your Timed Incubator!
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