The Best Way to Avoid the New AR Mapping Tasks in Pokémon GO

Niantic recently added a new Field Research task type called AR Mapping that challenges players to capture video footage of PokéStop landmarks and upload them. In return, players receive rewards in the form of in-game items.

What probably sounded like a small ask for players has been met with a mild backlash in the community. The scanning task puts players in the position of pointing their smartphones awkwardly at seemingly random public places for an extended amount of time in return for that are worth pennies based on the exchange rate of real currency to PokéCoins.

Here's what you need to do if you want to avoid these arduous tasks.

• Don't Miss: What the New AR Mapping Task in Pokémon GO Means for the Future of Augmented Reality Gaming

Step 1: Spin a PokéStop with the AR Mapping Designation

Find a PokéStop near you and spin it as per usual. PokéStops that deliver the AR Mapping Field Research task are noted above the name of the landmark. After spinning a qualifying PokéStop, you'll see a toast message showing that the task has been added.

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Step 2: Keep the Task in Your Field Research Queue

After you spin, you'll find the task in your Field Research. You may be tempted to delete to make room for other tasks. However, when you spin subsequent PokéStops with the task, you'll receive another one. So, just leave it and ignore it and it won't count towards your quota. If you happened to tap the trash can icon to delete, just hit cancel to keep it.

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It's not a particularly elegant solution. In fact, there's a setting to disable PokéStop scanning, but this only clears out scanned data, not the assignment of tasks.

H/T to Reddit user u/Shadow2606 on r/TheSilphRoad for this insight.

Cover image and GIFs by Tommy Palladino/Gadget Hacks