Candy Crush Saga boosters are power-ups that help before, during or at the end of a level. The important thing in 2026 is that not every booster works the same way: some are selected before you press Play, some can be activated while the board is live, and some are timed rewards that automatically stay active for a limited period.
Candy Crush is a live-service game, so King changes rewards, events and booster availability over time. This guide focuses on the boosters King currently documents rather than old unlock-level lists that can become inaccurate.
| Booster | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Lollipop Hammer | In-level | Smashes a chosen candy, blocker or obstacle without using a normal move |
| Free Switch | In-level | Swaps two adjacent candies without needing to create a match |
| Striped Brush | In-level | Turns a regular candy into a striped candy and lets you choose stripe direction |
| UFO | In-level | Places three wrapped candies on the board and sets them off |
| Party Booster | In-level | Clears the board once, then places four random boosters that explode |
| Color Bomb | Pre-game | Starts the level with a Color Bomb on the board |
| Striped & Wrapped | Pre-game | Starts with a striped candy and a wrapped candy |
| Fish | Pre-game | Adds fish that can target useful areas, especially on jelly levels |
| Coconut Wheel | Pre-game | Rolls across candies and creates striped candies |
| Lucky Candy | Pre-game | Can transform into an item needed for the level objective |
| Extra Moves | Pre/in/end-game | Adds extra moves; the exact version depends on where it appears |
| Super Charger / Super Color Bomb | Timed | Boosts the first three Color Bombs you use in a level with an extra blast |
King’s own current references are the best place to check a mechanic that suddenly looks different in your game: see What are Boosters? and What types of Boosters are available?.
Lollipop Hammer
The Lollipop Hammer is the precision tool. Tap the booster, then tap the candy, blocker or other removable target you want to hit. It does not require you to make a normal match first.
Best use: save it for a level where one awkward blocker or candy is preventing the win. Using it early often wastes the value of being able to target exactly one troublesome square.
Free Switch (Hand)
The Free Switch lets you swap two adjacent candies even when that swap would not normally form a match. It also does not consume a normal move.
That makes it especially useful for setting up a Color Bomb combination, lining up a final order item or moving a special candy into position.
2026 note: King has been changing how often the Free Switch appears as a reward. A King Community manager said in April 2026 that it had been removed from some features such as the Daily Booster Wheel and Sweet Cinema for some players while the studio experiments with a simpler booster set. Existing Free Switches in your inventory still work.
Striped Brush
The Striped Brush turns a regular candy into a striped candy. King’s current help page says you can choose the stripe direction, which makes it one of the best precision boosters when you need to clear a particular row or column.
Use it when the direction of the blast matters more than simply removing one square.
UFO Booster
The UFO places three wrapped candies on useful positions around the board and activates them. It is a powerful option when several separated areas need clearing and a single hammer would not be enough.
Because it is relatively valuable, it usually makes sense to keep a UFO for genuinely difficult levels rather than spending one to rescue an attempt you could simply restart.
Party Booster
The Party Booster is one of the most dramatic in-level tools. According to King, it clears the board once and then places four random boosters on the board, which explode.
That makes it a last-resort board reset rather than a precision tool. If a Lollipop Hammer or Free Switch can solve the final problem, use the cheaper targeted option and save the Party Booster.
Color Bomb Booster
The pre-game Color Bomb booster places a Color Bomb on the starting board. A Color Bomb removes candies of the colour you combine it with, and combinations with other special candies can be much stronger.
Best use: start with it when a level benefits from a large opening clear, or when you can combine it with another special candy early.
Striped & Wrapped Booster
This pre-game booster starts the level with a striped candy and a wrapped candy. If the board lets you combine them, the resulting blast clears multiple rows and columns and can open a cramped level very quickly.
It is particularly useful when the opening board is packed with blockers.
Fish Booster
Fish are most useful on levels where targeted clearing matters, especially jelly. Their exact behaviour can depend on the board and current game version, so do not assume a fish will always choose the square you would have chosen yourself.
Think of Fish as guided help rather than a fully controllable precision booster.
Coconut Wheel
The Coconut Wheel rolls across the board and turns candies in its path into striped candies. Direction matters: the way you swap or deploy it determines the orientation of the striped candies it creates.
It is strongest when those stripes line up with the blockers or objectives you actually need to hit.
Lucky Candy
Lucky Candy is tied to objective-based play. When activated, it can transform into an item needed for the level’s order, which makes it useful on levels where creating enough of a particular target is the main challenge.
If you are working through order levels, our Candy Crush order-level guide explains that level type in more detail.
Extra Moves: why you may see +3 or +5
Extra Moves are confusing because King currently documents them in more than one context. The pre-game booster list can show Extra Moves ×3, while in-level and end-game options can offer Extra Moves ×5.
The safest rule is simple: look at the number shown in your own game before using or buying the booster. Do not rely on an old guide that says Extra Moves always gives one fixed amount.
Super Charger / Super Color Bomb
The Super Charger, also called the Super Color Bomb, is a newer timed booster. It does not sit on the board as a separate candy. Instead, it makes the first three Color Bombs you use in a level more powerful by giving them an extra blast.
King says the effect lasts until its timer expires or you lose the level tied to the streak. See the current Super Charger guide.
What are timed boosters?
Timed boosters automatically apply while their countdown is active. King currently documents timed versions of Fish, Color Bomb, Coconut Wheel and Striped & Wrapped.
The important catch is that the timer runs in real time. It keeps counting down while you are away from the game. If you earn additional time for the same timed booster, the time can stack.
If you win a timed reward, it is therefore worth playing while you have lives and time available rather than claiming it immediately before you need to leave. King’s timed booster help page explains the current behaviour.
What is the Daily Booster Wheel?
The Booster Wheel is not itself a booster. It is a reward feature that gives players a chance to collect free boosters. King still documents the wheel as an ongoing source of free rewards.
Do not rely on old articles that list a permanent jackpot bundle. Candy Crush frequently tests reward mixes, and in 2026 King has been changing which boosters appear in some events for different groups of players. Check the reward icons shown on your own wheel.
King’s current reference is The Booster Wheel.
What does the heart with an infinity symbol mean?
The heart with an infinity symbol is about unlimited lives for a limited time. It is not one of the board-clearing boosters listed above.
That symbol belongs in a symbols guide, which is why we have moved the explanation out of the booster list. See our Candy Crush symbol meanings guide for hearts, crowns and other interface icons.
Which Candy Crush booster should you use?
| Situation | Useful booster |
|---|---|
| One final blocker or candy | Lollipop Hammer |
| Need one strategic swap | Free Switch |
| Need to clear a specific row or column | Striped Brush |
| Several separated problem areas | UFO |
| Board is a complete mess | Party Booster |
| Need a strong opening | Color Bomb or Striped & Wrapped |
| Objective/order level | Lucky Candy |
| Jelly targets | Fish |
How do you get free boosters?
Free booster sources change regularly, but common routes include the Booster Wheel, events, streak rewards and other temporary challenges. Some boosters can also be bought with in-game currency.
Because King runs experiments across accounts, two players may not see exactly the same event or reward at the same time. Treat screenshots and reward lists from older guides as examples, not guarantees.
Candy Crush booster tips
- Do not burn rare boosters too early. If the level is obviously lost, restarting may be better than spending a UFO or Party Booster.
- Use precision boosters late. A Hammer or Free Switch is most valuable when you know exactly what is stopping the win.
- Read the level objective first. The best booster for jelly may be poor for an order level.
- Watch timed rewards. Their clocks run in real time.
- Expect the game to change. If a booster disappears from an event, that may be a test rather than a bug.
Bottom line
The easiest way to understand Candy Crush boosters is to split them into three groups: pre-game boosters that shape your starting board, in-level boosters you activate when you need them, and timed boosters that stay active for a countdown period.
That framework is more useful than memorising old unlock levels or fixed reward tables, because Candy Crush keeps evolving. When a mechanic changes, King’s current support pages and the icons shown in your own game are the best source of truth.
