Minesweeper

How to Play Minesweeper

Minesweeper is a classic logic puzzle: use the number clues to open every cell that does not hide a mine. You can play it right here in your browser on PC or mobile, for free and with no download or sign-up.

• Some of the covered cells hide mines. Open one and the game is over.
• A safe cell shows a number or opens up as a blank space.
• You win when every safe cell is open. You don't need to flag all the mines.
• Your first click is always safe. This game never puts a mine on the cell you click first or on the cells around it, so they all open together. Clicking near the middle usually opens more.
• The timer starts with your first click, and the counter shows how many mines are left (total mines minus the flags you have placed).

A number tells you how many mines touch that cell, including diagonals, so it can be anything from 1 to 8. Blank cells have no mines around them, which is why their neighbors open automatically. Each number has its own color, based on the classic Windows palette:

Number	Color
1	Blue
2	Green
3	Red
4	Navy
5	Maroon
6	Teal
7	Black
8	Gray

Controls on PC and Mobile

On PC:

• Left click opens a cell. Right click places or removes a flag, and on a Mac you can also Control-click.
• Chording: when an opened number already has that many flags around it, left click it, press the left and right buttons together, or middle-click it to open all the other cells around it. If one of the flags is wrong, a mine goes off.
• Keyboard: press Tab to reach the board, move with the arrow keys, press Enter or Space to open a cell and F to flag it.
• Use the fullscreen button in the top-right corner for a bigger board.

On mobile:

• Tap to open a cell and long-press to place or remove a flag. Turn on Flag mode to flag with a single tap (the first tap of a game always opens a cell).
• Tap an opened number to open the cells around it. Moving your finger on the board scrolls the page without opening anything.
• In portrait, the Expert board switches to 16 columns by 30 rows. Scroll up and down if it doesn't fit on your screen.

Basic Minesweeper Patterns

Start with the simplest rule. If a number has exactly as many covered cells around it as its value, all of those cells are mines. If it already has that many flags, every other cell around it is safe.

The most famous pattern is 1-2-1. When a flat row of numbers reads 1-2-1 and only one side of it touches covered cells, the cells above both 1s are mines and the cell above the 2 is safe. It comes from a simpler rule called 1-2-X: when a 1 sits next to a 2 in a row, the covered cell that touches the 2 but not the 1 (the X) must be a mine. The same logic gives you 1-2-2-1, where the cells above both 2s are mines. In the diagram, red outlines mark mines and green dots mark safe cells.

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Difficulty Levels and Records

Beginner is 9 × 9 with 10 mines, Intermediate is 16 × 16 with 40 mines and Expert is 30 × 16 with 99 mines, which makes Expert by far the most crowded board. According to the world records list on minesweepergame.com (checked September 2026), the fastest times are 0.45 seconds on Beginner, 5.80 seconds on Intermediate and 26.59 seconds on Expert. Those records were played in approved programs and verified by video, so they are not directly comparable with times on this page.

This Minesweeper is an unofficial web version made by blockblast.co and is not affiliated with Microsoft.

Minesweeper FAQ

How do you play Minesweeper?

Open cells without hitting a mine. Each number shows how many mines touch that cell, including diagonals. Flag the cells you know are mines and open every safe cell to win. Your first click is always safe.

How do I place a flag on my phone?

Long-press a cell to place or remove a flag, or turn on Flag mode so a single tap places a flag (the first tap of a game always opens a cell). Tap an opened number to open the cells around it once enough flags are placed.

Can the first click be a mine?

No. Mines are placed after your first click, and the clicked cell and its neighbors never contain a mine, so the first click is always safe and opens the cells around it. How far it opens depends on the board; clicking near the middle usually opens more.

Is Minesweeper still included in Windows 10 and 11?

It is not preinstalled after Windows 7. Microsoft offers the free Microsoft Minesweeper app in the Microsoft Store, with in-app purchases. You can also play right here in your browser without installing anything.

Is there a no-guess or multiplayer mode?

Not at the moment. This page offers the three classic levels. Use the Share button after clearing a board to send your time to friends.