How to Flag on Google Minesweeper Without a Mouse (Touchpad, Touchscreen, Keyboard)

To flag a square in Google Minesweeper without a mouse, do a right-click with whatever you have: on a laptop touchpad, tap or click with two fingers (or press the lower-right corner on many Windows touchpads); on a touchscreen, press and hold the square. You can also switch the game into flag mode with its flag toggle and then tap or click squares normally.

Below are the exact gestures for Windows laptops, Macs, Chromebooks, and phones or tablets, plus a keyboard-only option for when you have no pointing device at all. If you’re new to the game itself, start with our guide on how to play Google Minesweeper.

Quick Answer

1. Open Google Minesweeper (search “minesweeper” on Google and select Play).
2. Point at the square you want to flag.
3. Touchpad: tap or click with two fingers. Touchscreen: press and hold the square.
4. Or tap the flag toggle so the game is in flag mode, then tap squares to flag them.
5. Do the same gesture again on a flagged square to remove the flag.

In This Guide

• How flagging works in Google Minesweeper
• Flag with a Windows laptop touchpad
• Flag with a Mac trackpad
• Flag on a Chromebook
• Flag on a phone, tablet, or touchscreen
• Use the flag toggle on any device
• Flag with only a keyboard
• Which method should you use?
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently Asked Questions

How Flagging Works in Google Minesweeper

This guide covers the Minesweeper game built into Google Search, played in a web browser, as of September 2026. Google doesn’t publish an official control guide for the game, so the flag-specific details below describe how it commonly behaves; small details can change when Google updates it.

A flag marks a square you believe hides a mine. Flagging protects that square from an accidental click and helps you keep track of your deductions. With a mouse, you right-click a square to flag it and right-click again to remove the flag. Every method in this guide is a way to send that same right-click, or to switch the game into a mode where a normal click places a flag.

A few basics:

• The counter at the top of the board shows how many flags you have left to place (it matches the number of mines).
• Flags are only markers. A wrong flag doesn’t end the game, but you’ll need to fix it to clear the board.
• Easy boards have larger squares, which makes touch and touchpad input more accurate.

How to Flag With a Windows Laptop Touchpad

Microsoft’s Touch gestures for Windows page lists two touchpad right-click gestures: tap the touchpad with two fingers, or press down in the lower-right corner.

1. Move the pointer. Slide one finger on the touchpad until the pointer is over the square you want to flag.
2. Right-click. Tap the touchpad with two fingers at the same time. If your touchpad has a physical click, you can instead press down in its lower-right corner. Expected result: A red flag appears on the square, and the flag counter drops by one.
3. Remove a flag if needed. Point at the flagged square and do the same gesture again.

If neither gesture works, your touchpad settings may have them turned off. On Windows 11, check Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad; on Windows 10, look under Settings > Devices > Touchpad. Microsoft notes that some gestures only work on precision touchpads, and some laptop makers use their own touchpad software instead.

How to Flag With a Mac Trackpad

On a Mac, a right-click is called a secondary click. Apple’s MacBook trackpad guide says to click with two fingers, or tap with two fingers if Tap to click is on. You can also hold the Control key and click, as described in Apple’s right-click on Mac help page.

1. Point at the square. Move the pointer over the square with one finger.
2. Secondary click. Click (or tap) the trackpad with two fingers. Expected result: A flag appears on the square.
3. Use Control-click as a backup. Hold the Control key and click the trackpad once with one finger. This works even if two-finger clicking is turned off.

To change how secondary click works, open System Settings > Trackpad and choose an option from the Secondary click menu.

How to Flag on a Chromebook

1. Point at the square with one finger on the touchpad.
2. Right-click. Tap or press the touchpad with two fingers. Expected result: A flag appears.
3. Try a keyboard shortcut. Google’s Chromebook touchpad help explains you can set right-click to Alt + click or Search + click in your settings. Hold that key and click the square.

If your Chromebook has a touchscreen, you can also use the touchscreen method below.

How to Flag on a Phone, Tablet, or Touchscreen

On touch devices, a long press stands in for a right-click. Microsoft lists “press and hold” as the touchscreen equivalent of right-clicking on Windows, and phone and tablet browsers generally work the same way in Google Minesweeper.

1. Open the game in your mobile browser or the Google app and pick Easy if you want bigger squares.
2. Press and hold the square. Keep your finger on it for about a second. Expected result: A flag appears. On some devices the phone may vibrate.
3. Lift your finger without sliding it, so the game doesn’t treat the touch as a scroll.
4. Remove a flag by pressing and holding the flagged square again.

If a long press opens a browser menu or selects text instead of flagging, use the flag toggle below. Many players find the toggle faster on phones anyway.

Use the Flag Toggle on Any Device

Google Minesweeper usually shows a toggle near the top of the board that switches between digging (shown as a shovel) and flagging (shown as a flag). Its exact look and position can vary by device and screen size.

1. Find the toggle. Look for a flag icon or a flag and shovel switch near the top of the game.
2. Switch to flag mode. Tap or click it. Expected result: The game shows that flag mode is on; on some layouts the board’s border changes color.
3. Tap squares to flag them. Each normal tap or click now places or removes a flag.
4. Switch back before digging. Tap the toggle again to return to dig mode. Forgetting this step is the most common mistake with the toggle.

How to Flag With Only a Keyboard

Google doesn’t document keyboard controls for Minesweeper, so don’t count on arrow keys or a flag key working. The reliable keyboard-only option is Windows Mouse Keys, an accessibility feature that lets the number keypad move the pointer and click.

1. Turn on Mouse Keys. Per Microsoft’s Mouse Keys page, go to Start > Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and turn on Mouse keys. On Windows 10 this section may be named Ease of Access.
2. Move the pointer over the square using the number keys around 5 on the numeric keypad.
3. Select the right button. Press the minus key (-) on the numeric keypad.
4. Click. Press 5 on the numeric keypad. Expected result: The square is flagged.
5. Switch back to left-click before digging. On the numeric keypad, the forward slash (/) selects the left button.

Mouse Keys needs a numeric keypad (or a keyboard with a number pad function). It’s slow for fast play but works when you have no pointing device at all.

Which Method Should You Use?

Device	Best way to flag	Backup
Windows laptop	Two-finger tap	Lower-right corner press or flag toggle
Mac	Two-finger click or tap	Control-click
Chromebook	Two-finger tap	Alt + click
Phone or tablet	Flag toggle	Long press
Keyboard only (Windows)	Mouse Keys	None

Once flagging feels natural, the same patience helps in other Google games too; our Google Snake tips cover the other classic built into Search.

Troubleshooting

A two-finger tap opens a menu instead of flagging

Make sure the pointer is directly over a square on the board, not on the border or page background. If a browser menu still appears, reload the page and try again, or use the flag toggle.

My two-finger tap scrolls the page

Keep both fingers still and lift them quickly. Tapping, rather than dragging, is what registers as a right-click.

Long press selects text or opens a preview

Hold without moving your finger, and use the flag toggle if your browser keeps intercepting the gesture.

I keep digging when I meant to flag

You probably left the toggle in dig mode, or your two-finger tap registered as one finger. Slow down, and check the toggle state before each move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a keyboard shortcut to flag in Google Minesweeper?

Google doesn’t document one. Use a touchpad gesture, the flag toggle, or Windows Mouse Keys.

How do I remove a flag without a mouse?

Repeat the same gesture on the flagged square: two-finger tap, long press, or a tap while flag mode is on.

Does a wrong flag lose the game?

No. Only digging a mine ends the game. But you must fix wrong flags to clear the board.

Can I chord (open around a number) without a mouse?

On touch devices, tapping a number that already has the right number of flags around it may open the neighboring squares, but this isn’t documented. With a touchpad, chording is awkward, so a real mouse is still the most reliable way to chord.

Which difficulty is easiest to play without a mouse?

Easy, because its squares are the largest and hardest to miss.

Summary

1. Open Google Minesweeper and point at a square.
2. Touchpad: two-finger tap or click; Mac: Control-click also works.
3. Touchscreen: press and hold, or use the flag toggle.
4. Keyboard only: turn on Mouse Keys, press minus, then 5.
5. Repeat the gesture to remove a flag.

Next step: open Google Minesweeper on Easy and practice placing and removing a few flags with your touchpad or touchscreen before starting a timed game.