Play Minesweeper Online
Open every square that isn't a mine. The numbers tell you how many mines are touching each square, and with a bit of careful counting you can work out where every one of them is hiding.
This is the classic game, free in your browser. Pick a board below, or just start clicking. Your first click is always safe.
Choose a board
How to play
The board starts covered. Click a square to open it. If it's safe, you'll see a number or an empty space. An empty square has no mines next to it, so the game opens the squares around it for you, often clearing a big patch in one go.
A number is the count of mines in the eight squares around it. A 1 means exactly one of them is a mine. A 3 means three are.
When you're sure a square is a mine, flag it with a right-click, or press and hold on a phone. Once a number has all its flags, click the number to open the rest of its neighbours in one go. Clear every safe square and you win.
There's more detail, with worked examples, in the full guide, and the strategy page covers the patterns good players spot at a glance.
The levels
Beginner, Intermediate and Expert are the three sizes from the original Windows game, and most players still use them to compare times. Master is our own addition for anyone who wants a bigger, more crowded board. If you don't like losing a good game to a coin flip, try No guess: every board there can be cleared by logic alone.
| Level | Board | Mines | Mine density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 9 × 9 | 10 | 12% |
| Intermediate | 16 × 16 | 40 | 16% |
| Expert | 30 × 16 | 99 | 21% |
| Master | 30 × 24 | 200 | 28% |
Handy controls
- Right-click places a flag. Right-click again to remove it.
- Click a number with the right flags around it to open its other neighbours.
- Space does both: over a covered square it flags, over a number it opens around it.
- N or F2 starts a new game, and H asks for a hint.
- On a phone, press and hold to flag, or turn on Flag mode. Wide boards turn sideways to fit a tall screen.
Questions people ask
How do you play Minesweeper?
Click a square to open it. A number tells you how many mines touch that square, counting all eight around it. Use the numbers to work out where the mines are, flag them, and open every other square to win.
Can my first click hit a mine?
No. The mines are placed after your first click, and the square you click plus the eight around it are always kept clear, so you start with an open patch to work from.
How do I place a flag?
Right-click a square on a computer. On a phone or tablet, press and hold a square, or switch on Flag mode so every tap places a flag.
What is chording?
When a number already has that many flags around it, click the number itself. Every other square around it opens at once. It saves a lot of clicks on big boards.
Do I need to flag every mine to win?
No. You win as soon as every safe square is open. Flags are there to help you keep track.
Is it free?
Yes. Every level is free to play in your browser, with no account and nothing to install.