How to play 2048

2048 is a sliding tile puzzle game played on a 4x4 grid. Use the arrow keys on desktop, or swipe in any direction on mobile, to slide every tile on the board. When two tiles with the same number collide, they merge into one tile worth their sum: two 2s become a 4, two 4s become an 8, and so on. After every move that changes the board, a new tile (usually a 2, occasionally a 4) appears in a random empty cell. Your goal is to build the 2048 tile — and once you get there, you can keep playing for an even higher score. The game ends when the grid is full and no neighboring tiles can merge.

Strategy tips: pick one corner and keep your biggest tile parked there for the whole game. Commit to using only two or three directions (for example down and right) so your tiles stay ordered like a snake, largest in the corner, descending along the edge. Avoid pressing the fourth direction unless you are completely stuck, because it scatters your carefully built chain. Merge small tiles early and often to keep empty cells available — a crowded board is what loses games. With patience, a corner strategy will carry you past 2048 to 4096 and beyond.