How to Play 2048 — Rules & Beginner Guide

The rules

The board is a 4×4 grid (you can also play 3×3 for a quicker game or 5×5 for a longer one). Two tiles — a 2 or a 4 — start on the board.

Use the arrow keys, WASD, or swipe to move every tile in one direction. All tiles slide as far as they can until they hit an edge or another tile.

When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one tile worth the sum. For example, 2 + 2 = 4, 4 + 4 = 8, and so on. Each merge adds the new tile’s value to your score.

After every move, a new tile (a 2, 90% of the time, or a 4) appears in a random empty cell.

You win when you build the 2048 tile. The game ends when the board is full and no two adjacent tiles can merge.

Scoring

Your score is the total of every merge you make. Merging two 2s into a 4 gives 4 points; merging two 1024s into a 2048 gives 2048 points. A high score means you merged efficiently — the bigger your final tiles, the more points you earn.

The first strategy: keep it in a corner

Pick a corner (bottom-left is the classic choice) and keep your highest tile there. Move mostly in two directions — down and left — and only use up or right when you must.

Build pairs toward the corner: stack a 2 next to a 2, a 4 next to a 4, close to your big tile. When you merge them, the larger tile feeds your corner.

Never chase tiles all over the board. The moment you move your big tile away from the corner, you lose control and usually die quickly.

Start playing

Ready to try it yourself? Play 2048 free in your browser — no download, no sign-up needed. Your scores are saved automatically, and there's a fresh daily challenge every day.