Puzzles
Play 2048 online
Four directions, a 4×4 board, one new tile after every move. Two equal numbers merge into their double. The target is 2048, but the real game starts after that.
Play 2048 nowFree · no download · no ads
Where 2048 comes from
The nineteen-year-old Italian Gabriele Cirulli programmed 2048 over a weekend in March 2014 and put it online for free – as a variation on the games 1024 and Threes!. Within a week it had millions of players. Cirulli never made money from it and released the source code openly; that is exactly what made 2048 one of the most copied game ideas ever.
How it works
Slide all numbers in one direction. When two equal numbers meet they merge into one twice as big. Reach 2048!
Arrow keys or W A S D, or swipe with the mouse. "Undo" (or Z) takes back one move.
Three tips for better results
- 1Keep your largest tile locked in a corner and never swipe the opposite way.
- 2Build the top row in descending order – then it merges through in a single move.
- 3Swipe twice in the same direction rather than scrambling the board once.
Frequently asked questions
Is 2048 free to play?
Yes. 2048 runs straight in your browser, costs nothing and needs no installation. There are no ads and no paywall – the chips in the game are play money and cannot be bought.
Do I need an account to play 2048?
You create a profile with a name and a PIN, but no account is created on anybody else's server. Scores, chips, achievements and unlocked motifs live only in your own browser.
How do you play 2048?
Slide all numbers in one direction. When two equal numbers meet they merge into one twice as big. Reach 2048!
Where does 2048 come from?
The nineteen-year-old Italian Gabriele Cirulli programmed 2048 over a weekend in March 2014 and put it online for free – as a variation on the games 1024 and Threes!. Within a week it had millions of players. Cirulli never made money from it and released the source code openly; that is exactly what made 2048 one of the most copied game ideas ever.
Does 2048 work on a phone?
The site adapts to the screen size, and anything you can click can also be tapped. Games controlled with arrow keys do need a keyboard, though.
Also known as
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