Play Minesweeper Online Free

How to play Minesweeper

1. The field is a grid of covered cells, and some of them hide mines. Uncover every cell that is NOT a mine to win.
2. Click a cell to DIG it. Your first dig is always safe and always opens a patch of ground.
3. A number tells you how many of the eight cells touching it hold a mine. A cell with no mines around it opens its neighbours on its own.
4. Right-click (or long-press on a phone, or switch to Flag and tap) to plant a FLAG on a cell you are sure is a mine. The counter shows how many mines are left unflagged.
5. Click an open number that already has that many flags around it to CHORD: every other covered cell around it opens at once. A wrong flag makes that a mine.
6. Dig a mine and the game is over. Beginner is 9×9 with 10 mines, Intermediate 16×16 with 40, Expert 30×16 with 99.

Minesweeper strategy

The basics that turn knowing the rules into winning games — what to do first, what to keep, what to avoid.

• Start in the middle of what you have opened, not at the edge: the numbers with the fewest covered neighbours are the ones that give answers.
• A 1 with one covered neighbour is a mine. Flag it, and every other number touching that flag has one less mine to find.
• Learn the 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns along a wall: in a 1-2-1 the mines sit under the 1s, in a 1-2-2-1 under the 2s.
• Chord to go fast: once a number has its flags, click it to open everything else around it in one go.
• When it truly comes down to a guess, guess early and guess a corner: corners are the likeliest cells to be open ground.

Minesweeper FAQ

Is the first click safe?

Always. The mines are laid after your first dig, away from that cell and the eight around it, so every game starts by opening a patch of ground.

What are the levels?

The three classic fields: Beginner is 9×9 with 10 mines, Intermediate 16×16 with 40, and Expert 30×16 with 99. On a phone held upright the Expert field turns on its side so it fits.

How do I flag on a phone?

Long-press a cell, or tap the Flag switch under the field and then tap cells. Tap Dig to go back.

What is chording?

Click an open number that already has that many flags around it, and every other covered cell touching it opens at once. It is the fast way to play, but a wrong flag makes it a mine.

Do I need an account?

No. Type a name and play — no signup, no download, nothing to install. Making an account is optional and only exists to keep your stats, nickname and preferences across devices.

Is it really free?

Yes, all of it. Every game on Board Game Universe is free to play, with no premium tier holding anything back.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. It runs in a mobile browser on phones and tablets as well as on a desktop — there is no app to download.

How do I play with my friends?

Start a table and send your friends the link. They open it, type a name, and sit down. Moves and table chat happen in real time.

Can I play against the computer?

Yes. Add a bot to any table and it plays a proper game — useful for filling a seat while you wait for a fourth.