The game board for 2048 is a 4x4 grid of squares. Each time the player makes a move, it counts as a turn; to move, they use the arrow keys on their keyboard, and the square blocks slide in one of the four directions (up, down, left, or right)[6]. At the beginning of each turn, a block with a value of either 2 or 4 will suddenly materialize in one of the grid's empty cells. The squares move in the direction that has been defined until either they reach the boundary of the grid or they come into contact with another block. When two squares of the same value come into contact with one another, they merge to create a new square whose value is equal to the sum of the values of the two original squares (the double value). The square that was created as a consequence of this operation cannot be merged with another block in the same move. The different value squares will each have their own unique color, making them easy to identify.

The player's score is displayed on the scoreboard, which is located in the top right corner. The score at the beginning is 0. When two squares unite into one, the player's score will increase to reflect the new value of the combined square. Right next to the current score is a record for the highest score that any player has ever attained in this game.

The player has won the game when he produces a square with a value of 2048. The game continues until the player reaches a value that is more than 2048, at which time the player has the option to stop playing. The game is over when there are no more legitimate movements available (no vacant cells remain, and the tiles that are close to each other have different values).