How to play 2048
2048 is a number puzzle on a 4 × 4 board. Move the tiles in four directions and combine equal numbers to make larger tiles. Your first goal is a tile worth 2048.
Move and merge
- Use the arrow keys to slide every tile up, down, left, or right. W/A/S/D and H/J/K/L also work. On phones and tablets, swipe on the board.
- When two equal tiles meet, they combine: 2 + 2 becomes 4, 4 + 4 becomes 8, and so on. A tile can merge only once in a single move.
- A new tile appears after a move changes the board. It is usually a 2, and sometimes a 4. A move that leaves everything unchanged does not spawn a tile.
- Keep merging until you create 2048. Choose Keep going to play beyond your first win.
Scoring and the end of a game
A merge adds the value of the resulting tile to your score. Combining two 16 tiles into 32 earns 32 points. The game ends when the board has no empty cells and no equal horizontal or vertical neighbors.
Choose your mode
- Standard offers Undo, Swap, and Remove powerups.
- Classic has no undo or powerups.
- Plus adds Teleport, Rotate, and Bomb.
- Tutorial walks you through the basics.
Using powerups
Undo restores the previous board. Swap exchanges two occupied tiles. Remove clears tiles with a selected value. In Plus, Teleport moves a tile into an empty cell, Rotate turns the outer ring, and Bomb clears a selected area. Select an available powerup and follow its on-screen instructions; press Escape to cancel a selection.
Your saved game
Progress is saved automatically in this browser when local storage is available. Each mode keeps its own game. Starting a new game replaces that mode’s current board, while keeping its best score. Saves do not travel between browsers or devices.