Pokémon Sword and Shield Applin evolution method: how to use the Sweet Apple and Tart Apple to evolve into Applin into Flapple or Appletun explained

Where to find Applin in Pokémon Sword and Shield

Applin can be found on Route 5 and within several sections of the Wild Area - Dusty Bowl, Giant's Mirror and Stony Wilderness.

In all of these areas Applin appears as a random encounter when walking through the grass. This means you need to keep your eyes peeled for those exclamation marks and your hopes high.

How to evolve Applin into either Flapple or Appletun in Pokémon Sword and Shield

Once you have your Applin, it's time to travel to the city of Hammerlocke.

You can access this city after you beat the third Gym leader and receive the Fire Badge.

In Hammerlocke, follow the road around to the left, past the clothing shops and the second Pokémon Centre.

Just before you cross the last drawbridge, you'll come across a man with brown hair, wearing a red jacket.

Talk to him and give him your Applin - don't worry, you'll get it back.

After you watch the cutscene, the man will return your Applin, but he will also give you an extra present.

In Pokémon Sword, he will give you a Tart Apple and, in Pokémon Shield, he will give you a Sweet Apple.

No matter which apple you receive, you'll always find it in the 'Other Items' section of your bag.

Whichever apple you have and use it on your Applin to begin their evolution.

If you give Applin a Tart Apple it will evolve into Flapple, while if you give it a Sweet Apple it will evolve into Appletun.

You can also find another apple once you unlock the ability to ride your bike on water.

Head back to the very first section of the Wild Area you ever ventured into and visit the area called Axew's Eye. This is a lake with an island in the middle of it.

Journey to this island and beneath the tree you'll find another Sweet or Tart Apple, depending on which version of the game you are playing.

What's the difference between Flapple and Appletun in Pokémon Sword and Shield?

While Flapple and Appletun are both grass and dragon-type Pokémon, they are about as different as they look.

Flapple is the far more aggressive Pokémon, learning a variety of useful dragon-type moves, including Dragon Breath and Dragon Pulse. It can also learn some useful grass-type moves, such as Grav Apple. Not only does this attack damage your opponent, but it will also lower their defence.

Trained correctly Flapple can be a deadly fighter.

Appletun's attacks, however, are more focuses around being a defensive Pokémon, learning more grass-type attacks, then dragon. A lot of its attacks have the added bonus of lowering the opponents stats.

It can also learn Recover, which will help you stay in the battle for far longer.

Ultimately your choice comes to whether you want a Pokémon that is focused more around the dragon-type, Flapple, or grass, Appletun.

With it finally in the wild, here's how to start the Crown Tundra DLC and our full Pokémon Crown Tundra walkthrough. Plus, here's how to catch Calyrex, Glastrier and Spectrier, the Regieleki and Regidrago puzzle solution and Regirock, Regice, Registeel locations, details on how to catch Legendary Birds Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres in the Crown Tundra, the Ultra Beasts and Necrozma adventure, Dynamax Adventures, including the legendries you can catch on these adventures, and the new Crown Tundra Pokédex and returning Pokémon explained. For Isle of Armor players, here's how to find the Slowpoke, where to find Max Mushroom locations, and how to get Kubfu, become best friends and evolve it, plus all Diglett locations too! For the base game, here's info on the ability to transfer Pokémon to Pokémon Home, the Wild Area, lists of all TM locations and TRs, all Galarian forms and finally our main Pokémon Sword and Shield walkthrough for the whole game.

How useful are Flapple and Appletun in Pokémon Sword and Shield?

Flapple and Appletun are both incredibly useful Pokémon, thank to their dual type of grass and dragon, which was only previously used for Mega Sceptile. This makes it a great grass-type Pokémon to add to your team if you didn't choose Grookey as your starter Pokémon.

The trick is to evolve your Applin early, so that it can take advantage of all the moves that either evolution can learn. Especially since Applin will only either learn Astonish and Withdraw from levelling up and that's at Level 1.

While you are confined slightly by whether your playing Pokémon Sword or Shield, you can trade with either a friend or online to get Flapple or Appletun.

If you're looking for more advice on the unique evolution methods for Gen 8 Pokémon, then check out our guide on evolving Sinistea, Sirfetch'd, Toxel, Milcery and Yamask.