2048 is a puzzle played on a 4 by 4 board. You slide every number tile in one direction, merge matching values, and work toward a 2048 tile. A game starts with small 2 or 4 tiles and grows through repeated merges.
Move the whole board in one direction
Use the arrow keys or W/A/S/D on a keyboard. On a touch screen, swipe the board up, down, left, or right. You do not select an individual tile; every tile moves as far as it can in the chosen direction.
Matching values merge when they meet. Two 2 tiles become 4, two 4 tiles become 8, and the merged value is added to your score. After a move changes the board, one new 2 or 4 tile appears in an empty cell. A direction that leaves the board unchanged does not add a tile.
Keep empty cells available
The game ends when the board is full and no neighboring matches remain in any direction. Open cells matter because they give you room to rearrange smaller values before the board locks up.
One approachable strategy is to keep your largest tile near a corner and favor two directions that preserve an ordered edge. This is not a guaranteed sequence. The position and value of each new tile still require you to review the open cells and upcoming merges.
Continue after reaching 2048
When you create the 2048 tile, the game displays a completion message. Choose “Keep playing” to work toward 4096 or a larger value. Choose “New game” when you want a fresh board.
The current board, score, and best score are saved automatically in this browser. They do not sync to another device or browser. Read the merging rules for exact examples involving three or four matching tiles.