How to play 2048
The board is a 4×4 grid. Each move slides every tile as far as it can go in one direction — up, down, left or right. When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one tile with their sum: 2 + 2 becomes 4, 4 + 4 becomes 8, and so on up to 2048.
After every move a new tile appears on an empty square: a 2 most of the time, sometimes a 4. The game ends when the grid is full and no neighbouring tiles match.
- Computer: arrow keys or W A S D. U or Ctrl+Z undoes the last move.
- Phone and tablet: swipe on the board.
- Score: every merge adds the value of the new tile. Your best score is kept on this device.
- Saved game: the current board is kept when you close the page, so you can continue later.
Strategy tips
- Pick a corner and keep your biggest tile there. Most high scores come from building everything toward one corner, for example bottom-left.
- Use mostly two directions. If your corner is bottom-left, press down and left most of the time, right when needed, and up only as a last resort — an up move can pull your big tile out of the corner.
- Keep the edge row full. A full bottom row cannot shift sideways, so the corner tile stays put when you press left or right.
- Build a descending chain. Line tiles up in order along the edge (for example 256, 128, 64, 32) so each merge rolls into the next one.
- Don't chase every merge. Taking a merge in the middle of the board often scatters small tiles in places that block the chain.
- Think one move ahead of the new tile. New tiles only appear on empty squares; leaving a gap next to your chain invites a 2 into the worst spot.
Frequently asked questions
What happens after I reach 2048?
You can press Keep going and continue toward 4096, 8192 and beyond. The score keeps counting.
Is there a limit on undo?
Undo goes back up to 30 moves.
Do I need an account?
No. The game opens and saves without sign-up or download.
Where does 2048 come from?
2048 was created by Gabriele Cirulli in 2014, inspired by the games 1024 and Threes. This version is a separate implementation of the same rules.