How to play 2048
Swipe (or press an arrow key) to slide every tile on the board in that direction. When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one tile worth their total: two 2s make a 4, two 4s make an 8, and so on. After every move a new 2 or 4 appears in an empty spot.
Your score goes up by the value of every merged tile. The goal is to build a 2048 tile before the board fills up.
Strategy tips
- Pick a corner and keep your biggest tile there. Most strong players keep their highest tile in one corner (for example bottom-left) and rarely move away from it.
- Use mostly two or three directions. If your big tile is bottom-left, favour down and left, use right when needed, and avoid up unless you have no other move.
- Build a chain. Line up tiles in decreasing order along the edge (for example 256, 128, 64, 32) so they merge one after another.
- Keep the edge row full. A full bottom row can't slide sideways by accident, which keeps your corner tile locked in place.
- Think before merging small tiles in the middle. Scattered small tiles fill the board fast. Merge toward your corner instead.
Controls
- Phone and tablet: swipe on the board.
- Keyboard: ← ↑ → ↓ or W A S D.
FAQ
How do you win 2048?
You win by creating a tile with the number 2048. After that you can keep playing to reach 4096 and beyond.
What happens when the board is full?
If the board is full and no two neighbouring tiles match, there are no moves left and the game ends.
Can I play 2048 on my phone?
Yes. Swipe up, down, left or right on the board. On a computer, use the arrow keys or W, A, S and D.
Is my game saved?
Yes. Your current game and best score are saved in your browser, so you can come back and continue on the same device.