This is the How to Play Minesweeper guide for the free online Minesweeper game. This document explains the rules, controls, and strategies for playing Minesweeper.
The objective of Minesweeper is to reveal all cells that don't contain mines without detonating any mines. The game is played on a grid of cells, some of which contain hidden mines. Your goal is to clear the entire grid without triggering any explosives.
Click cells to reveal them. When you reveal a cell, it will either be empty, contain a number, or contain a mine. Numbers indicate how many mines are adjacent to that cell (including diagonally). Use these numbers as clues to deduce where mines are located.
Right-click or use Mark mode to flag suspected mines. Flagged cells are marked with a flag emoji (🚩) and cannot be accidentally revealed. This helps you keep track of potential mine locations and prevents accidental clicks.
You can play Minesweeper using either mouse controls or keyboard shortcuts:
Mouse Controls:
- Left Click: Reveal cell (or flag/unflag in Mark mode)
- Right Click: Flag/unflag mine (works anytime)
Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Arrow Keys: Navigate cursor
- S: Sweep cell
- M: Mark/unmark mine
- R: Reset game
Empty: No adjacent mines
Numbers: Count of adjacent mines (1-8)
🚩: Flagged mine
💣: Mine (revealed on loss)
Successfully reveal all safe cells to win the game! When you win, all remaining mines will be automatically flagged. The game tracks your best times and statistics.
Pattern Recognition: Look for common mine patterns around numbers. For example, a "1" with three unrevealed neighbors means two of them are safe and one contains a mine.
Edge Analysis: Mines on edges and corners follow predictable patterns. Corner cells can only have up to 3 adjacent mines, while edge cells can have up to 5.
Probability: Use logical deduction to determine mine locations. If you have multiple possibilities, choose the one with the lowest risk.
Flagging: Flag mines you're certain about to help with pattern recognition. This reduces the number of possibilities and makes the remaining cells easier to solve.
Start with corners and edges, as they have fewer possible mine locations.
Work systematically through the grid, using the numbers to eliminate possibilities.
Don't guess unless you have to - use logic whenever possible.
Practice regularly to improve your pattern recognition skills.