Rules & quick reference
| Board | 4 × 4 |
|---|---|
| New tile | 2 with 90% probability; otherwise 4 |
| Undo | One move reversal per board; available during this visit |
| Progress | Board, score, moves and used-undo flag saved locally |
Move the whole board
Focus the board and press an arrow key or WASD to slide every tile in that direction. On a touch screen, swipe across the board; direction buttons are also available. Adjacent equal tiles merge once per move, so a line of four twos becomes two fours rather than a single eight. A move that changes nothing does not create a tile or count as a move. Every valid move adds one randomly placed tile to an empty cell.
Score and move efficiency
A merge adds the value of the new tile to the score. Combining two eights gives sixteen points, regardless of how many moves it took to bring them together. Best tile shows the largest tile currently on the board. Points per move divides score by valid moves. This efficiency figure is descriptive: preserving empty space with a low-scoring move can be strategically useful. Reaching 2048 is a milestone, and the game allows continued play beyond it.
How save and undo work
The board is saved automatically in this browser after a valid move. Reopening the page restores the board when storage is available and the saved structure passes validation. One undo is allowed per game. It restores the previous board, score and move count and marks the undo as spent. The previous-state snapshot is kept in memory, so reloading can restore the board but cannot resurrect an unused snapshot from before the reload. New board explicitly discards the current saved position.
Plan for empty space
Keeping large tiles near one edge can make future combinations easier to organize, but a strategy is not a guarantee because new tiles are random. Look at whether a proposed move leaves room for the following move. The run ends when the board has no empty cells and no adjacent equal values. A still-available undo can reopen the previous position. Final scores enter local history when the board is blocked; an unfinished saved board remains a game in progress rather than a completed benchmark.
Your result stays on this device
Completed game results are saved in this browser when local storage is available. Bests and recent history describe this device’s saved runs, not a public leaderboard. Changing browsers, clearing site data or using private browsing can remove them. Copy score writes only the visible result summary to your clipboard when you request it; sharing is your choice. Clear local game data removes scores, daily completion markers and the saved 2048 board for this origin. No game result is uploaded, and the games remain usable when persistent storage is unavailable. Use the rule table to check what the active mode measures before comparing another session. A changed duration, input method or grid difficulty can change the task even when the displayed score uses the same unit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I control the grid?
Focus it for arrows or WASD, swipe on touch, or use the direction buttons.
Can I undo more than once?
No. One undo is allowed per board, and its immediate snapshot is available only during the current visit.
Is my board saved?
Yes, when local storage is available. No board is uploaded to a server.
Does reaching 2048 end the game?
No. You can continue until no valid move remains.
Built by Mihai · Reviewed 2026-10-24 · Read the related technical guide · Testing policy