Google Minesweeper: How to Play (Rules, Controls and Strategy)

To play Google Minesweeper, search for “minesweeper” on Google and click the play button on the game card at the top of the results. Your goal is to uncover every square that doesn’t hide a mine. Click a square to reveal it, use the numbers to work out where the mines are, and mark suspected mines with a flag (right-click on a computer, or long-press or use the flag toggle on a phone).

This guide covers how to open the game, what the numbers mean, the controls on mouse and touch screens, the difficulty levels, and the logic patterns that help you win without guessing.

Quick Answer

1. Go to Google and search for minesweeper.
2. Click Play on the game card that appears at the top of the results.
3. Pick a difficulty (Easy, Medium or Hard) from the menu at the top of the game.
4. Click any square to start. A number tells you how many mines touch that square.
5. Flag squares you know are mines, and open every other square to win.

In This Guide

• What you need
• How to open Google Minesweeper
• The rules: how the numbers work
• Controls on a computer and on a phone
• Difficulty levels
• Strategy: patterns that solve the board
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently Asked Questions

What You Need

Google Minesweeper is a free, browser-based version of the classic puzzle game. It runs inside Google Search, so there’s nothing to download or install. This guide reflects the game as of September 2026.

• A web browser: Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox or another modern browser on a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone, iPad or Android device.
• An internet connection to load the game.
• A mouse or trackpad on a computer, or a touch screen on a phone or tablet.

You don’t need a Google Account to play. Google occasionally changes the look of its built-in games, so button names and icons can differ slightly from what’s described here.

How to Open Google Minesweeper

Method 1: Search for it

1. Open your browser and go to Google.
2. Type minesweeper in the search box and press Enter. Expected result: A card with a small Minesweeper board appears at or near the top of the results.
3. Click or tap Play on that card. Expected result: The board opens inside the results page, with a difficulty menu, a flag counter and a timer above it.
4. Choose a difficulty if you want something other than the default, then click any square to start.

If you prefer a larger, distraction-free board, you can also open the game directly at Google’s Minesweeper page, which loads the same game on its own.

Method 2: On a phone or tablet

1. Open the Google app or your mobile browser.
2. Search for minesweeper.
3. Tap Play on the game card. Expected result: The game opens, often in a full-screen view on smaller screens.
4. Turn your phone sideways if the board looks cramped. A larger view makes it easier to tap the right square.

The Rules: How the Numbers Work

The board is a grid of covered squares. A fixed number of mines is hidden under some of them. You win by uncovering every safe square. If you uncover a mine, the game ends.

• Numbers: When you reveal a safe square, it may show a number from 1 to 8. That number is how many mines are in the eight squares touching it (above, below, left, right and the four diagonals).
• Blank squares: A revealed square with no number has zero mines around it. The game automatically opens all of its neighbors, which is why one click sometimes clears a big area. This is often called a cascade.
• Flags: A flag is your marker for “I think there’s a mine here.” Flags don’t affect whether you win; they just help you keep track and protect you from clicking that square by accident.
• Mine counter: The number next to the flag icon usually shows how many mines are left minus the flags you’ve placed. It goes down each time you place a flag, even if the flag is wrong.
• Timer: The clock starts on your first move and stops when you win or lose.

Most versions of Minesweeper, including Google’s, are designed so your first click doesn’t land on a mine, and it usually opens a small area to get you started. Treat this as typical behavior rather than a guarantee.

Controls on a Computer and on a Phone

Computer (mouse or trackpad)

Action	How to do it
Reveal a square	Left-click it
Place or remove a flag	Right-click the square (on a Mac trackpad, click with two fingers or Control-click)
Change difficulty	Use the difficulty menu above the board
Restart	Choose a difficulty again, or use the restart or play-again button after a game ends

In classic Windows Minesweeper, clicking a number that already has the right number of flags around it (called chording) opens all its other neighbors at once. Google’s version may not support chording, so don’t rely on it. Open the remaining squares one by one to be safe.

Want to play without a mouse? See our guide on how to flag in Google Minesweeper without a mouse.

Phone or tablet (touch screen)

• Tap a square to reveal it.
• Long-press (touch and hold) a square to place a flag, if your version supports it.
• Flag toggle: On touch screens, the game may show a button that switches between “dig” mode and “flag” mode, often shown as a shovel and a flag. When flag mode is on, each tap places a flag instead of revealing the square. Remember to switch back before you try to open a square.

Because the controls differ slightly between devices and app versions, check the area above or below the board for a toggle if long-press doesn’t do anything.

Difficulty Levels

Google Minesweeper offers three levels: Easy, Medium and Hard. Each step up gives you a bigger board and more mines. The mine counts are commonly reported as about 10, 40 and 99, matching the classic Beginner, Intermediate and Expert levels, but the counter above the board always shows the exact number for your game.

Level	Board	Best for
Easy	Small grid, few mines	Learning the rules; a game takes a minute or two
Medium	Larger grid, noticeably denser	Practicing patterns and speed
Hard	Largest grid, most mines	Experienced players; guesses become more common

Which level should you pick? Start on Easy until you can win most games without guessing. Move to Medium once you recognize the patterns below on sight. Hard mostly tests patience and careful counting, so it’s worth trying once Medium feels routine.

Strategy: Patterns That Solve the Board

Minesweeper is mostly a logic game. On most boards, you can work out the answer for many squares by comparing numbers. Here are the key ideas, from simplest to more advanced.

1. Start with a few clicks, then switch to logic

Your first click usually opens an area. If it only reveals one number, click somewhere else until you get an opening with several numbers to work from. Corners and edges are common starting spots because they have fewer neighbors.

2. The “all covered neighbors are mines” rule

If a number touches exactly that many covered squares, every one of those squares is a mine. For example, a 2 with exactly two covered neighbors means both are mines. Flag them.

3. The “number is satisfied” rule

If a number already touches as many flags as its value, all its other covered neighbors are safe. A 1 that already touches one flagged mine means every other square around it can be opened.

4. Subtract known mines

When a number touches some flags, subtract them to get the “remaining” count. A 3 that touches one flag needs only two more mines among its covered neighbors. This turns bigger numbers into simpler ones.

5. Learn the 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns

• 1-2-1 along a wall: When you see 1-2-1 in a row next to a line of covered squares, the mines are across from the two 1s, and the square across from the 2 is safe.
• 1-2-2-1 along a wall: The mines are across from the two 2s, and the squares across from the 1s are safe.
• 1-1 from an edge: When two 1s sit side by side starting at the edge of the board or a cleared area, the third square along from the edge, next to the second 1, is safe.

6. Watch out for “shared” mines

A common beginner mistake is assuming a number needs a new mine when a nearby flag already counts for it. Before you flag, check whether an existing flag already satisfies that number.

7. Use the mine counter late in the game

Near the end, the remaining-mine count can settle a question. If two covered areas are left and only one mine remains, you can often work out which area is safe.

8. When you must guess, guess smart

Sometimes the numbers truly don’t decide it, often a 50/50 between two squares. Make that guess as early as possible so you don’t lose after a long game. If you have a choice, pick a square that would give you the most new information if it’s safe, such as one that could open a new area.

Enjoy Google’s built-in games? You might also like our tips on how to beat Google Snake.

Troubleshooting

The game card doesn’t appear in search results

Make sure you searched for exactly minesweeper, without extra words. Some search settings, extensions or regional versions of Google may not show the game card. Open the direct game page linked above instead, or try another browser.

Right-click opens a menu instead of placing a flag

Click directly on a square inside the board, not on its border. If a browser extension changes right-click behavior, try a private or incognito window where extensions are usually turned off.

Long-press doesn’t flag on my phone

Look for a flag or shovel toggle near the board and switch to flag mode. If your browser opens a text-selection or link menu instead, try the Google app or a different browser.

The board is too small to tap accurately

Turn your device sideways, zoom in with two fingers, or pick Easy, which has fewer, larger squares.

There’s no sound, or the sound is annoying

Check your device volume and the browser tab’s mute setting. If the game shows a speaker icon, use it to turn sound on or off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Minesweeper free?

Yes. It’s built into Google Search and costs nothing to play. There’s no app to install.

Can I play Google Minesweeper offline?

You need an internet connection to load the game. Once it’s loaded, it runs in your browser, but a reload will need the connection again.

Does Google save my best times?

Google Minesweeper doesn’t appear to keep an account-based history or leaderboard. Assume your time is gone once you close the tab, and write down a record time you want to keep.

Is the first click always safe?

In most modern versions it is, and Google’s version typically gives you an opening on your first click. Treat it as usual behavior rather than a promise.

What does a number 8 mean?

All eight squares around it are mines. It’s rare because it needs a completely surrounded square.

Can every game be won without guessing?

No. Standard Minesweeper boards are random, so some positions end in a true 50/50. Good play reduces how often that happens.

Is Google’s version the same as Windows Minesweeper?

The rules are the same: numbers, flags and three difficulty levels. The look, the controls on touch screens, and extras like chording can differ.

Summary

1. Search Google for “minesweeper” and click Play.
2. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard.
3. Click to reveal squares; each number counts the mines touching it.
4. Right-click, long-press or use the flag toggle to mark mines.
5. Use logic patterns like 1-2-1 and subtracting flags to open every safe square.

Next step: Play a few rounds on Easy, and focus on spotting the “satisfied number” rule before you move up to Medium.