How to Play

2048 is played on a 4×4 grid where you slide numbered tiles to combine them. Here's everything you need to know.

The Board

The game takes place on a 4×4 grid with 16 possible tile positions. When you start:

  • Two tiles appear in random positions
  • Most new tiles are 2, occasionally 4
  • Empty cells are available for new tiles

Making Moves

You have four possible moves — up, down, left, or right. When you make a move:

  1. All tiles slide in that direction as far as possible
  2. Tiles stop at the edge or when blocked by another tile
  3. Matching tiles merge into one tile with double the value
  4. A new tile (2 or 4) appears in a random empty cell

Tip

Each move can only merge tiles once. A tile created by merging won't merge again until your next move.

Merging Rules

When two tiles with the same number collide:

  • They combine into one tile
  • The new tile has double the value
  • You earn points equal to the new tile's value

For example:

  • Two 4s merge into an 8 (you earn 8 points)
  • Two 128s merge into a 256 (you earn 256 points)

Winning

You win when you create a 2048 tile! But that's not the end — you can keep playing to achieve higher scores and tiles (4096, 8192, and beyond).

Losing

The game ends when:

  • The board is completely full
  • No adjacent tiles can merge
  • You have no valid moves left

Controls

ControlDesktopMobile
Move Up↑ or WSwipe up
Move Down↓ or SSwipe down
Move Left← or ASwipe left
Move Right→ or DSwipe right
New GameButtonButton
UndoCtrl+ZButton

Basic Strategy Tips

  1. Pick a corner — Keep your highest tile in one corner
  2. Stay on edges — Build your large tiles along the edges
  3. Don't reverse — Avoid moving toward your high-value corner
  4. Plan merges — Think about which tiles will combine

Warning

Random moves will fill up your board quickly! Always have a plan for where tiles will end up.

Next Steps

Now that you know the basics: