Wegovy Dosage: Every Dose, When to Increase, and the Highest Dose (Injection and Pill)

The Wegovy injection comes in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg once-weekly doses; the Wegovy pill comes in 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg once-daily tablets.1

The injection is sold as single-dose pens (all six doses), single-dose syringes (0.25 mg to 2.4 mg), and a Wegovy FlexTouch pen that holds four 2.4 mg doses.1

Wegovy starts at 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks and rises every 4 weeks until the maintenance dose.1 The schedule is the same for every approved use in adults and in children 12 and older.1

Source: Wegovy label, Table 1 and section 2.2.1

For weight reduction in adults, the maintenance dose is 2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg.1 Teens 12 and older use 2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg.1 The cardiovascular-risk and MASH liver-disease uses have their own maintenance guidance in the label.1

The Wegovy pill starts at 1.5 mg once daily for 30 days and rises every 30 days to a 25 mg maintenance dose.1

Source: Wegovy label, Table 2.1

Take one tablet each morning on an empty stomach with up to 4 ounces of plain water, swallow it whole, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines.1 Our guide to the Wegovy pill has more detail, and GLP-1 pills vs injections compares the two forms.

Increase the Wegovy injection after 4 weeks on each dose, and the Wegovy pill after 30 days on each dose, as long as the current dose is tolerated.1 The label tells prescribers that if a dose is not tolerated during escalation, they can delay the next increase by 4 weeks.1

The slow climb exists to reduce the risk of stomach side effects.1 Our missed dose tool helps if the schedule slips: if you miss 2 or more weekly injections in a row, the label says to restart escalation at a lower dose.1

The doses from 0.25 mg to 1 mg are escalation steps, not maintenance doses: for weight reduction in adults, the label's maintenance options are 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg.1 Reaching maintenance is the plan, but the pace can slow if side effects require it.1

Expect stomach side effects to be most likely in the weeks after each increase: the label says gastrointestinal reactions were reported most often during dose escalation.1 On 2.4 mg, 44% of adults reported nausea in the trials, against 16% on placebo.1

A pooled analysis of the STEP 1 to 3 trials found these effects were mostly mild to moderate and transient, and occurred mostly during or shortly after dose escalation.3 Only 4.3% of people on Wegovy stopped because of them.3 Our Wegovy side effects guide has the full list.

For weight reduction in adults, the lowest maintenance dose on the label is 1.7 mg once weekly; 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg are only for escalation.1 Your prescriber chooses between 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg based on response and tolerability.1

In a 68-week trial in East Asian adults that tested both maintenance doses, average weight loss was 9.6% on 1.7 mg and 13.2% on 2.4 mg, against 2.1% on placebo.1

The Wegovy pill has one maintenance dose: 25 mg once daily.1 For people who cannot tolerate 25 mg, the label suggests switching to the Wegovy 1.7 mg injection rather than staying on a lower tablet.1

No. New patients start the Wegovy injection at 0.25 mg once weekly.1 The label's one exception is switching from the pill. A person who does not tolerate the 25 mg tablet can move to the 1.7 mg injection the day after stopping the tablets.1

People on the 2.4 mg injection can switch to the 25 mg tablet one week after their last injection.1

The highest dose of Wegovy is 7.2 mg injected once weekly, sold as Wegovy HD.1 The FDA approved it on March 19, 2026, for weight loss and weight maintenance in adults.2

It is not a starting point. The label allows 7.2 mg only for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks when more weight reduction is clinically needed.1 So 2.4 mg is no longer the top dose, but it remains the recommended maintenance dose.1 Wegovy HD comes as a single-dose pen.1 The highest dose of the Wegovy pill is 25 mg daily.1

Yes. In a 72-week trial of adults with obesity, average weight loss was 18.8% on 7.2 mg, 15.5% on 2.4 mg and 3.9% on placebo.1

Source: Wegovy label, Tables 10 and 12.1

Higher doses also brought more side effects. On 7.2 mg, vomiting rose to 22% (16% on 2.4 mg), and altered skin sensations (dysesthesia) to 22% (6% on 2.4 mg).1 The 25 mg Wegovy pill produced an average 13.6% weight loss at 64 weeks, against 2.4% on placebo.1

Yes. In a trial where everyone first reached 2.4 mg over 20 weeks, those who stayed on Wegovy lost a further 7.9% from week 20 to week 68, while those switched to placebo regained 6.9%.1 That trial included only people who tolerated the full escalation, so the label cautions that the result may not reflect everyone starting Wegovy.1

What is the lowest dose of Wegovy? 0.25 mg once weekly for the injection and 1.5 mg once daily for the pill. Both are starting doses only.1

How do I calculate a Wegovy dose by clicks? You should not. The FlexTouch instructions say not to set the dose by counting clicks, and the pen can only select 2.4 mg doses.1 If the counter stops before 2.4 mg, there is not enough medicine left for a dose.1

At what dose does Wegovy start working? The label does not name a dose at which Wegovy starts working. Its weight results are measured after 64 to 72 weeks, with most of that time on the maintenance dose.1 See how long Wegovy takes to work.

What happens if I miss a Wegovy dose? For the injection, take it if the next dose is more than 2 days away; otherwise skip it. For the pill, skip the missed tablet and take the next one the following day.1

Can I change the time or injection site? Yes. The label says the time of day and the injection site can change without adjusting the dose.1

Each dose step can change what you pay. Our Wegovy cost guide shows prices for the injection, Wegovy HD and the pill, and our cheapest Wegovy options compare where to buy. Compare alternatives in Wegovy vs Zepbound and Foundayo vs Wegovy, or browse our best oral GLP-1 options. Our semaglutide units to mg guide covers vial math.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Never change your Wegovy dose or schedule without your prescriber. Wegovy is a prescription drug with real risks and side effects, including a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors.