How to play 2048
- Use the arrow keys – or swipe on a phone – to slide all the tiles one way.
- Two tiles with the same number that bump into each other join into one: 2 and 2 make 4, 4 and 4 make 8.
- After every move a new tile appears, a 2 or sometimes a 4.
- Make a tile with 2048 on it to win. Then keep going for 4096 if you like.
The game ends when the board is full and no two touching tiles are the same. One step of Undo is there for the move you regret.
The strategy that works
- Pick a corner and keep your biggest tile in it. Most players use a bottom corner.
- Use mostly two or three directions: for the bottom-left corner, that is down, left and right – up only when there is nothing else.
- Build a chain: line up the tiles in order along the edge – 1024, 512, 256 – so that one join sets off the next.
- Do not chase small tiles: a move that joins two 2s but pulls your big tile out of its corner is a bad move.
Your score
Every join adds the new tile to your score: joining two 1024s is worth 2048 points. The best score is kept on your device, and so is the game in progress – close the page and carry on later.
Where it comes from
2048 was made by Gabriele Cirulli in 2014 over a weekend, and became one of the most played puzzle games of the year. It is a game of planning more than luck: the same strategy wins again and again.
Free, in your browser
No download, no app, no account. The game runs on this page, on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and the game in progress and your best results stay on your device.