2048: the classic number puzzle, free online
2048 is a simple, addictive sliding puzzle. Move all the tiles at once, merge matching numbers and build your way up to the 2048 tile. Play the classic 4×4 board or try 3×3, 5×5 and 6×6, with three undos per game, smooth animations and your best scores saved automatically. It works on phones, tablets and computers, with no download and no sign-up.
How to play 2048
- Swipe on your phone, or press the arrow keys or W A S D on a keyboard, to slide every tile on the board in that direction.
- When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one tile with their sum: 2 + 2 = 4, 4 + 4 = 8, and so on.
- After every move a new tile, a 2 or sometimes a 4, appears in a random empty spot.
- Keep merging to build bigger numbers. Make the 2048 tile to win, then keep going for a higher score.
- The game ends when the board is full and no neighbouring tiles match.
Every tile is a power of two. The ladder to victory looks like this:
- 2
- 4
- 8
- 16
- 32
- 64
- 128
- 256
- 512
- 1024
- 2048
- 4096
Controls
- Phone and tablet: swipe up, down, left or right anywhere on the board.
- Keyboard: ← ↑ → ↓ arrow keys or W A S D. Press U to undo and N for a new game.
- Mouse: click and drag across the board in the direction you want to move.
Strategy tips to reach 2048
- Pick a corner and keep your biggest tile there. Most strong players use a bottom corner. Every big merge should end up in that corner.
- Use mostly two or three directions. If your corner is bottom-left, play down and left most of the time, right when needed, and up only when you have no other move.
- Build a chain. Line up tiles in decreasing order along the edge next to your corner, like 512, 256, 128, 64, so that one merge triggers the next.
- Keep the edge row full. A full bottom row cannot shift sideways by accident, which keeps your big tile locked in place.
- Do not chase small merges. Merging two 2s in the middle of the board is rarely worth breaking your structure.
- Think one move ahead. Look at where the new tile could appear and avoid leaving a single empty gap next to your corner.
- Save your undos. Use them to fix a real mistake, such as an accidental up-swipe that pulls your big tile out of the corner.
Board sizes
- 3×3 Mini: only nine squares. Very tricky; reaching 256 or 512 is a real achievement.
- 4×4 Classic: the original 2048 board and the one most people play.
- 5×5 Big: more room to recover from mistakes, so 4096 and 8192 become realistic goals.
- 6×6 Huge: a calm, long game where tiles can climb into the tens of thousands.
Each board size keeps its own saved game and best score, so you can switch between them at any time.
History of 2048
2048 was created by Italian web developer Gabriele Cirulli and released in March 2014 as a free, open-source browser game. It was inspired by an earlier game called 1024 and by the mobile puzzle Threes!. Within weeks it became one of the most played puzzle games in the world, and countless versions and variants followed. This version by Util.Ninja is written from scratch, with its own design, extra board sizes and undo.
Frequently asked questions
Is 2048 free to play here?
Yes. This version of 2048 is completely free, with no sign-up and no download. It runs in your browser on phones, tablets and computers.
How do you win 2048?
You win when you create a tile with the number 2048 by merging two 1024 tiles. After that you can keep playing to reach 4096, 8192 and beyond for a higher score.
How is the score calculated?
Every time two tiles merge, the value of the new tile is added to your score. Merging two 512 tiles into 1024 adds 1,024 points.
Is my game saved?
Yes. Your current game, best scores and settings are saved automatically in your browser, separately for each board size. Close the page and you can continue later on the same device.
How does undo work?
You get three undos per game. Each one takes back your last move, including the tile that appeared after it. Undo is a good way to recover from a single slip, but you cannot undo twice in a row.
What is the biggest possible tile?
On the classic 4×4 board the theoretical maximum is 131,072, but reaching even 8,192 takes great skill. Bigger boards like 5×5 and 6×6 make larger tiles much easier.
Who invented 2048?
2048 was created by Italian web developer Gabriele Cirulli and released in March 2014 as free, open-source software. It was inspired by the game 1024 and by the mobile game Threes!.