Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO means landing the Poké Ball inside the colored target circle while that circle is at its smallest Excellent-size range. The smaller ring makes the throw harder than Nice or Great, but it awards more XP and improves catch odds, especially when combined with a Curveball and a strong Poké Ball.
Hold the ball to control the circle
Touch and hold the Poké Ball without throwing. The colored target ring shrinks, resets and begins shrinking again.
For an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO, release your finger from the ball when the ring is very small. The circle stays at that size until you touch the ball again, which lets you prepare the target before deciding when to throw.
Large Pokémon give you more physical screen area to hit even when the Excellent circle is small.
Learn the circle-lock technique
The most consistent method is often called circle lock. Hold the ball until the target reaches the Excellent size you want, then let go without throwing. Wait for the Pokémon to start an attack animation.
During the attack, spin and throw the ball so it arrives just as the animation ends. The target ring returns at the size you previously set, giving you a much safer chance at an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO without the Pokémon attacking the ball mid-flight.
Use Curveballs at the same time
Curveballs add their own catch bonus and can be combined with Excellent accuracy.
Spin the ball, aim to the opposite side and let the curve bring it through the center of the small ring. An Excellent Curveball is one of the strongest normal catch combinations available before Berries and Ball type are considered.
If you are still learning, master Curveballs on Great-size circles first and then shrink the target further.
Pick easy Pokémon for practice
Some species are far easier for an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO because their catch circle is large, centered and at a comfortable distance.
Slowpoke, Wailmer, Snorlax and many large raid bosses are usually easier practice than tiny or constantly moving Pokémon. Spotlight Hours and Community Days can be excellent training sessions because the same species appears repeatedly, letting you learn one distance and animation instead of recalibrating every encounter.
Watch the distance, not only the circle
A perfect target size does not matter if the ball falls short. Close Pokémon need a shorter swipe, while distant Pokémon require a longer, faster motion.
Flying Pokémon can also change height during the encounter. For an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO, wait until the Pokémon returns to a familiar position rather than throwing while it is drifting upward or sideways.
Consistency comes from repeating the same release point for the same species.
Use Nanab Berries for practice
Nanab Berries reduce a Pokémon’s movement and attack frequency. They do not increase catch chance like Razz or Golden Razz Berries, but they can make an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO easier when the goal is completing a research task rather than securing a rare catch.
For important Legendary encounters, Golden Razz Berries are usually better because catch probability matters more than making the target completely calm.
Excellent Throws give more XP
An Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO also gives a valuable XP bonus, which is one reason the technique is worth learning. During events with boosted catch XP, consistently landing Excellent throws can turn ordinary catching into a major leveling method.
That does not mean you should miss ten balls trying to force one Excellent. If a Pokémon is difficult, a reliable Great Curveball can be more efficient than repeatedly failing an Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO.
Do Excellent Throws guarantee a catch?
No. Even a perfect Excellent Curveball can fail because catch chance also depends on the species, Pokémon level, Berry, Ball, medals and other modifiers.
An Excellent Throw in Pokémon GO improves the odds; it does not override the underlying catch rate. Legendary raid bosses can still break free from several excellent throws in a row.
The practical goal is consistency. Set the circle, wait for the attack, throw a Curveball through the center and practice on large common species. Once the timing becomes automatic, Excellent Throws stop being a research-task headache and become another normal part of catching.
Official site: Pokémon GO
