Exotic matter (typically called XM) powers your scanner. You need XM to do almost any action in the game.
XM Reserves
The purple meter around your icon at the top left of your scanner’s screen shows your XM reserves; you can tap this meter to see the exact amount. Your XM reserves are also visible on the intel map. As a level 1 agent, your XM capacity is only 3,000 XM. Your XM capacity increases every time you level up: +1,000 XM for reaching levels 2 through 8, and +1,500 XM for attaining levels 9 and above. A hypercube can extend your XM capacity by providing a temporary secondary reserve from which your main reserves will draw XM automatically as it is used. A hypercube’s capacity is also dependent on agent level. The table below shows XM reserves and hypercube capacities at each level:
| Level | XM Capacity | Hypercube Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,000 XM | 18,000 XM |
| 2 | 4,000 XM | 20,250 XM |
| 3 | 5,000 XM | 22,500 XM |
| 4 | 6,000 XM | 24,750 XM |
| 5 | 7,000 XM | 27,000 XM |
| 6 | 8,000 XM | 29,250 XM |
| 7 | 9,000 XM | 31,500 XM |
| 8 | 10,000 XM | 33,750 XM |
| 9 | 11,500 XM | 36,000 XM |
| 10 | 13,000 XM | 38,400 XM |
| 11 | 14,500 XM | 40,800 XM |
| 12 | 16,000 XM | 43,200 XM |
| 13 | 17,500 XM | 45,600 XM |
| 14 | 19,000 XM | 48,000 XM |
| 15 | 20,500 XM | 50,400 XM |
| 16 | 22,000 XM | 52,800 XM |
Obtaining XM
There are four ways you can obtain XM:
Collecting XM in the Field
XM shows up in your scanner as glowing dots scattered over the land. The density of XM is directly related to the “heatmap” of agent locations: the more frequently agent scanners ping Niantic servers in a location, the more XM will appear there. It is also densely clustered around portals. The color of these dots can vary in response to in-game or real-world events. To pick up XM, move near it (within 40 meters). You will only pick up XM if your reserves aren’t full. Note that XM is global: once you pick it up, in about 15 seconds it will become unavailable for others to pick up until it respawns. Keep this in mind when out with other agents from your faction: by walking around in a group, you can all pick up the same XM before it disappears. Otherwise, you may end up starving a friendly agent for XM.
Power Cubes
Power cubes are items that give you XM when consumed, and the hypercube variant provides supplemental XM to replenish your reserves automatically. You can quickly access them using the quick cube button just below your XM meter.
Recycling
You can also get XM from recycling items in your inventory.
Passcodes
Passcodes sometimes grant XM when redeemed.
When using a power cube, recycling items, or redeeming passcodes, make sure your have enough space in your reserves for the XM, as any that you receive in excess of your scanner’s capacity is lost.
Using XM
Nearly every action you take in the scanner uses XM. The required amount is drawn from your reserves. If your reserves get too low, the screen will distort and a message will appear saying “Scanner disabled; Collect more XM.” At that point, you will not be able to do any action which requires XM until you collect more.
| Action | XM Cost |
|---|---|
| Deploying a resonator | resonator level × 50 XM |
| Hacking a portal | portal level × 50 XM (+ enemy portal zap) |
| Installing a mod (C/R/VR) | 400/800/1,000 XM |
| Creating a link | 250 XM |
| Upgrading another agent’s resonator | reso level × 50 XM |
| Recharging resonators (slow) | up to 1,000 XM |
| Firing an XMP or ultra strike | weapon level × 50 XM |
| Using a flip card | portal level × 1,000 XM |
| Forging an item with a kinetic capsule | 8,000 XM |
| Recharging resonators (quick) | up to 15,000 XM |
History
- XMPs cost no XM to fire until 18 April 2013.
- Recycling was introduced on 24 April 2013. Before then, the only way to get rid of an item you didn’t want was to drop it on the ground, resulting in ridiculous amounts of “litter.”
- Certain actions, such as deploying resonators and installing mods, started costing more XM on 25 April 2013.
- On 12 March 2015, agents at level 9 or higher got an increase in their XM reserves capacity.
- On 9 December 2015, recycling portal keys became worth 500 XM instead of only 20 XM.
- On 19 February 2016, recycling power cubes granted the same amount of XM as using them. Before, they granted only 20 XM per level when recycled. Accidentally recycling a L8 power cube instead of using it was downright tragic.
- Portals started emitting much more XM on the ground around them starting on 13 May 2016.
- The quick cube button was introduced with the release of Ingress Prime on 5 November 2018.