Animal Crossing: How to Get More Villagers (New Horizons)

A lively island needs lovely neighbors. If you’re wondering how to get more villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, here’s every method — plus how to make room for them.

First, make room

New Horizons supports up to ten villagers at once. Before inviting anyone, you’ll need an open housing plot:

Talk to Tom Nook and choose to sell a housing kit / set out a plot. You’ll place the plot, and it can then be filled by a new resident.
You can have several empty plots waiting at once, ready for new arrivals.

Ways to invite new villagers

1. Mystery Island tours (the main method)

Buy a Nook Miles Ticket from the Nook Stop terminal, then fly to a random “mystery island” from the airport. If a villager is there, talk to them and invite them to move in (you’ll need an open plot). Repeat for more chances.

2. The campsite

Once you’ve built the campsite, visitors will occasionally stop by. Chat with them and you can invite them to live on your island.

3. amiibo cards

Use amiibo cards or figures at the campsite to invite specific villagers you want. This is the only reliable way to get an exact character — great for fan favorites.

4. Villagers who ask to move in

Occasionally a villager you meet (on a tour or via friends’ islands) will be open to moving, so always say hello.

5. Visiting friends’ islands

If a friend has a villager in boxes (packed up to move), you may be able to invite them to your island instead.

Tips for a happy island

Raise your island rating. A higher star rating (via décor, flowers, and tidiness) helps attract residents and unlocks features.
Keep a plot open whenever you’re island-hopping, or you can’t invite anyone you meet.
Be patient with tours. Mystery islands are random, so finding the right villager can take several Nook Miles Tickets — stock up first.
Want a specific dream villager? amiibo cards are the fastest, surest route.