How to Play Minesweeper on Google, Windows, and Online

Minesweeper used to mean one thing: the little game tucked into Windows. Now there are several easy ways to play, and if you've searched how to play Minesweeper on Google or wondered where the old PC version went, this covers all of them. Each option plays the same game with slightly different controls, so the only real question is which one is most convenient for you right now.

Minesweeper on Google

Google has a built-in Minesweeper you can launch straight from search, no download and no app. Just search "minesweeper" on Google, and a playable game card appears at the top of the results with a Play button. Pick a difficulty (Easy, Medium, or Hard) and you're in.

The Google version runs in your browser and works on both desktop and mobile. On a computer you left-click to reveal and right-click to flag. On a phone you tap to reveal and long-press to flag. It's the fastest way to get a quick game going, though the difficulty options and features are limited compared to a dedicated site.

Minesweeper on Windows

The classic Windows Minesweeper shipped with the operating system from Windows 3.1 in 1990 all the way through Windows 7. If you're on an older PC, you may still find it under the Games folder. Microsoft removed it from the default install starting with Windows 8.

On Windows 10 and 11, it's no longer built in, but "Microsoft Minesweeper" is available as a free download from the Microsoft Store. That version adds modern extras like daily challenges and an adventure mode, wrapped around the same core game. If you just want the plain classic experience without an install, a browser version is simpler. The full backstory is in our history of Minesweeper.

Minesweeper online (no download)

Playing in the browser is the most flexible option, which is why most people land here. There's nothing to install, it works on any device, and a good site gives you more than the bundled versions ever did: multiple difficulty levels, hints, a timer, and even no-guess boards that the classic game never offered.

You can play Minesweeper online here across five difficulty levels, from a gentle 9×9 beginner grid up to the no-guess Einstein boards. No signup, no ads in the way, and it runs the same in any browser.

Controls, wherever you play

The controls are nearly identical across every version:

• Reveal a cell: left-click (desktop) or tap (mobile).
• Flag a mine: right-click (desktop) or tap-and-hold (mobile).
• Chord (clear around a satisfied number): click a revealed number with both buttons, or middle-click. On touch, tap a revealed number. See the chording guide for why this one matters most.

If any of that is unfamiliar, the interactive how-to-play tutorial walks through every control with a live board.

Which should you choose?

A quick rule of thumb:

• Just want a fast game? Google's search game is one search away.
• Want the official modern version with extras? Microsoft Minesweeper from the Store.
• Want the most features, hints, and no-guess play, on any device? A browser version like ours.

Whichever you pick, the game is the same underneath. Once you know how to read the numbers and work the edges, your skills carry across every platform. New to it? Start with the strategy guide and you'll be winning in no time.