The men's 200 metre freestyle competition of the swimming events at the 2011 Pan American Games took place on October 18 at the Scotiabank Aquatics Center in the municipality of Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico.

[1] The defending Pan American Games champion was Matthew Owen of the United States This race consisted of four lengths of the pool, all in freestyle.

[2] At this race, Benjamin Hockin gave Paraguay its first medal in the history of swimming at the Pan American Games.

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Pan American Games records were as follows: Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) was able to enter up to two entrants providing they had met the A standard (1:51.6) in the qualifying period (January 1, 2010 to September 4, 2011).

NOCs were also permitted to enter one athlete providing they had met the B standard (1:54.7) in the same qualifying period.