Slide the tiles
Swipe on the board or press an arrow key. Every tile slides as far as it can in that direction, and a new 2 or 4 appears after each move.
Play 2048 Online
Slide the tiles with a swipe or the arrow keys. Two equal tiles merge into one. Undo a slip, try bigger boards, or play today’s daily challenge.
Open 2048 →How to play 2048
Merge equal tiles
Two tiles with the same number merge into one with their sum, and the sum is added to your score. A tile merges only once per move.
Reach 2048
Keep merging until you make a 2048 tile. Then keep going for a bigger tile, or start again. The game ends when no move is left.
2048 strategy that works
Keep your biggest tile in a corner
Pick a corner and build around it. Moving the big tile out of its corner is the most common way games fall apart.
Mostly use two or three directions
If your corner is bottom-left, slide left and down most of the time, right when you must, and up only as a last resort.
Build a chain
Line tiles up in falling order along the edge, like 512, 256, 128, 64, so one move can merge them all into the corner one after another.
Keep the edge row full
A full bottom row can’t shift sideways by accident. That keeps your chain and your corner tile in place.
Think one spawn ahead
A new tile appears on a random empty cell after every move. Avoid moves that leave a single gap right next to your corner.
Use undo to learn
Undo shows what a different move would have done. Switch to hardcore mode once your corner strategy holds up without it.
Manlin services
Make space for what matters
Use Manlin to reflect, plan and take your next step.
2048 FAQ
Is this 2048 game free?
Yes. Play as many games as you like with no account, no ads and no limits.
How do tiles merge?
When you slide, two touching tiles with the same number merge into one with their sum. A tile can merge only once per move, and the tiles nearest the wall you slide towards merge first: 2 2 2 2 slid left becomes 4 4, not 8.
What tiles appear after a move?
After every move that changes the board, one new tile appears on a random empty cell: a 2 nine times out of ten, otherwise a 4.
Can I undo a move?
Yes. Choose 3 undos per game, unlimited undo, or hardcore mode with none. Undo also brings back the tile that was going to appear, so you can’t undo until you get a lucky spawn.
What happens when I reach 2048?
You win. You can keep going for 4096 and beyond, or start a new game. On the small 3×3 board the goal is 512, since 2048 is out of reach there.
What is the daily challenge?
Each day (UTC) everyone gets the same starting tiles and, for the same moves, the same new tiles. It is played without undo, so your score compares fairly with friends. Share your result with one tap.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. Swipe on the board to move; the page doesn’t scroll while you swipe on it. Tap the buttons below the board to undo or start again.
Which board size should I try?
4×4 is the classic. 5×5 and 6×6 give you more room and much bigger tiles, and 3×3 is a tight puzzle where every move counts.
Is there a colour-blind mode?
Yes. The colour-blind-safe tile colours change steadily from light to dark as the numbers grow, so you can tell tiles apart without relying on red and green.
Are my scores saved?
Your best scores, best tile, recent games and the game in progress are saved in this browser. Clearing your browser data removes them.
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