How to turn off AR+ mode in Pokemon Go

A new feature showing up in Pokemon Go is frequently cause for celebration, but not everything appeals to everyone. This is especially true of the new AR+ mode for catching Pokemon. It takes a moment to set up, doesn't work exactly the same way everywhere, and makes you look a little on the silly side if you're trying to play in a public place.

These are the best places to use AR+

It's not for everyone, which is why Niantic included multiple ways to disable the feature in the Pokemon Go app. Here's how they work!

In the capture screen

When trying to toss a PokeBall, there's a small toggle in the upper-right corner of the screen labeled "AR+" and you can use that to turn this new feature on or off. If the toggle is on the left, the feature is off. If the toggle is on the right, you'll see the camera in the background of your app because the feature is on.

This is the easiest way to jump back and forth between AR+ and fully animated catch modes if you're planning to switch back and forth. An important thing to note here is whatever mode you leave the game in when you finish catching something is the mode the game will be in the next time you try to catch something.

In the Settings screen

If you'd rather not mess around with AR+ while trying to catch something, you can use the Settings panel to disable the feature entirely. To do this:

  1. Tap the PokeBall on the main screen of your app
  2. Tap the Settings gear in the top right of the screen
  3. Uncheck the bubble labeled AR+ on the settings page

When unchecked, AR+ will not enable while trying to catch a Pokemon and you'll be able to use the fully animated catch method each time, just like you were able to do before this feature became available.

Enjoy!

Russell Holly

Russell is a Contributing Editor at iMore. He's a passionate futurist whose trusty iPad mini is never far from reach. You can usually find him chasing the next tech trend, much to the pain of his wallet. Reach out on Twitter!