2048
Slide & merge tiles to reach 2048.
2048 at a glance
2048 is a free online game you can use right now to slide & merge tiles to reach 2048 — no account, no install and no usage limit. It runs entirely inside your browser, so whatever you enter stays on your own device.
- Price
- Free — no trial, no paid tier, no watermark
- Sign-up
- Not required
- Where it runs
- In your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server
- Works on
- Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge — desktop, tablet and phone
- Category
- Games
Swipe, use the pad below, or arrow keys / W A S D. Combine tiles to reach 2048!
About 2048
Slide tiles in four directions; identical numbers merge when they collide. Keep merging to reach the 2048 tile.
The game rewards a specific discipline rather than quick reactions. The reliable strategy is to pick one corner and keep your largest tile there permanently, building a descending row along one edge. This works because a large tile is only useful when something equal appears next to it, and a big tile wandering the board blocks merges everywhere while waiting.
The rule that follows from this is the one that matters: never press the direction that would move your largest tile out of its corner. On most boards that means using three directions almost exclusively and only using the fourth when there is genuinely no alternative. Most losses trace back to a single careless press that dislodged the anchor tile.
A new tile appears after every move — usually a 2, occasionally a 4 — which is why the board fills faster than expected when you are making moves that do not merge anything. A move that merges nothing still adds a tile, so aimless sliding is actively harmful.
How to use 2048
- Use arrow keys or swipe to slide all tiles in one direction.
- Keep your largest tile pinned in one corner and build a descending row along that edge.
- Avoid the direction that would move the largest tile out of its corner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best strategy?
Pick a corner and keep your largest tile there permanently, building a descending row along one edge. Use three directions almost exclusively and only the fourth when there is no alternative.
Why did I lose so suddenly?
Usually one press that moved the largest tile out of its corner, which breaks the descending row and blocks merges across the board. Recovery from that position is difficult.
What is the highest possible tile?
In theory 131,072, though even 8192 is rare. The standard win is 2048, after which you can keep playing and merging.
Is my score saved?
Your best score is kept in your browser's local storage, so it persists on this device and browser. It is not synced to an account.