How to Evolve Eevee Into Sylveon

Co-authored by Ethan Dobbs

Last Updated: March 21, 2025 Fact Checked

With the introduction of the new Fairy type in Pokémon X and Y, Eevee has received a brand new evolutionary form, Sylveon. Sylveon is a Fairy-type evolution of Eevee with fairly high stats for Special Defense. The method for evolving Sylveon, which takes advantage of the Pokémon-Amie feature in Pokémon X and Y, is unlike the method for reaching any of Eevee's other evolutionary forms. However, with the right approach, it's actually possible to achieve in as little as 10–15 minutes. Note that this guide is made specifically for X/Y. In general, the steps are the same, however any locations may be inaccurate. See Step 1 below to get started!

Steps

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1
Catch an Eevee if you don't already have one. Because Sylveon is an evolved form of Eevee that can't be captured anywhere else in the game, you'll need an Eevee to start with.^{[1]
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Ethan Dobbs
Pokémon Expert

Expert Interview} If you already have one caught, you can proceed to the next step, but if you don't, you'll need to catch one yourself.
- In Pokémon X and Y, Eevee can be caught on Route 10, which is located between Geosenge Town and Cyllage City.
- In Pokémon Sun and Moon (and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon) you can catch an Eevee on Akala Island (the second island) on your way to the Pokémon Ranch.
- Eevee can also be caught in the Friend Safari, an area that uses another player's 3DS Friend Code to generate an area containing Pokémon of a single type. Because Eevee is a Normal-type, you'll need to use a Friend Code that generates a Normal-type safari.
- Finally, Eevee can also be obtained from a trade with another player.
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Teach your Eevee a Fairy-type move. The first requirement for Eevee to evolve into Sylveon is that it must know at least one Fairy-type move.^{[2]
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Ethan Dobbs
Pokémon Expert

Expert Interview} Unlike other Fairy-type Pokémon like Clefable, no moonstone is needed to evolve Sylveon.^{[3]
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- Eevee learns two Fairy-type moves from leveling up: Baby-doll Eyes at Level 9 and Charm at Level 29.^{[4]
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- Note that Eevee can't learn any Fairy-type moves from TMs.
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3
Gain two affection hearts from Eevee in Pokémon-Amie. The second condition for evolution into Sylveon is that your Eevee must have at least two affection hearts for you in Pokémon-Amie. Pokémon-Amie is a feature new to Pokémon X and Y that allows players to develop a bond with their Pokémon by petting it, feeding it, playing minigames with it, and allowing it to play with other Pokémon on your team. Don't worry, this feature is also available in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire; you can find it in the PlayNav.^{[6]
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- Pamper your Eevee in Pokémon-Amie until it has at least two Affection hearts before proceeding. You can do this either before or after you've taught it a Fairy-type move. Make sure you only get 2-3 hearts, because maxing out Eevee's affection may cause it to evolve into Espeon or Umbreon.
Bond with Eevee for success. "I could never figure out how to evolve Eevee into Sylveon until I read this article. The Pokémon-Amie tips were a game-changer — taking the time to play with Eevee and boost its affection made all the difference. Now Sylveon and I are best buddies!" - Ryu T.

Avoid the rocks. "No matter what I did, my Eevee kept evolving into Leafeon or Glaceon. This guide explained that leveling up too close to moss or ice rocks overrides the evolution. Once I avoided those areas and focused on the steps here, my Eevee finally turned into the Sylveon I wanted. Phew!" - Gwendolyn H.

Be patient. "As a new Pokémon trainer, I found this article super helpful for getting Sylveon. Waiting for Eevee to learn moves and gain affection can be frustrating, but resisting the urge to rush pays off. Taking it slow and steady to nurture our bond made success extra sweet." - Sapphire S.

Use photos to check your work. "The visuals in this guide were so helpful for me as a visual learner. I could follow the pictures to make sure my Eevee was on track and use them to confirm the evolution worked. Having clear images to check my work made things much easier." - Samuel D.

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Once your Eevee has at least two Affection hearts and knows a Fairy-type move, level it up. You can do this through random battles, fights with other trainers, and so on. Once your Eevee levels up, assuming the conditions above have been met, it should immediately evolve into Sylveon. Congratulations!
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Avoid areas with a moss or ice rock when leveling up. While leveling your Eevee up in the vast majority of the areas of the game will cause it to evolve into a Sylveon once the conditions above are met, there are several important exceptions that you'll want to be aware of. Failing to observe these exceptions can cause your Eevee to evolve into an undesired form! Two of Eevee's evolved forms, Leafeon and Glaceon, require you to level up the Eevee near a moss rock or an ice rock respectively to achieve the evolution.^{[7]
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Research source} If you level up your Eevee near either of these, it will evolve into one of the other forms no matter whether or not you met the conditions for Sylveon above. In Pokémon X and Y, the spots to avoid are:
- Route 20, which contains a moss rock.^{[8]
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- Frost Cavern, which contains an ice rock.^{[9]
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- In Pokémon Sun and Moon (and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon), you'll want to avoid the northern part of Lush Jungle, where the Moss Rock is located, as well as the cave on Mount Lanakila.^{[10]
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Community Q&A

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Question

Does Eevee evolve into Sylveon at level 20, or does it just it evolve when Eevee hits the next level?

Community Answer

It evolves when it reaches any new level, as long as it knows a Fairy-type move and has at least two hearts of affection in Pokemon-Aime.

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How much time should I expect it to take?

Community Answer

You will need an Eevee with at least two or three hearts of affection. Additionally, your Eevee must know a Fairy-type move, which it typically learns around Level 8 or 9. Once these conditions are met, your Eevee will evolve into Sylveon upon gaining its next level. The entire process usually takes approximately 15-30 minutes.

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What if my Eevee already knows a Fairy-type move?

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If your Eevee already knows a Fairy-type move, you are all set. Do not delete the Fairy-type move, as it is a prerequisite for evolution.

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