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How to play Ludo with friends on WhatsApp

You do not need a Ludo app to play with friends on WhatsApp. One person opens a room, sends the link to the chat, and everyone plays in their browser. Here is exactly how.

4 min readUpdated By PlayNest team

How it works in one paragraph

One person, the host, opens our Ludo game and creates a room. The game gives them a link and a six-character room code. The host sends the link to a WhatsApp chat or group. Friends tap the link, it opens in their phone's browser, and they take a seat. Any empty seat is played by the computer. That is the whole setup, and it usually takes under a minute.

Step 1: the host opens a room

On your phone or computer, open the Ludo game and tap Invite friends. A room opens with an invite link, a Copy button, a Send on WhatsApp button and the room code in large letters.

Type your name in the box so friends know whose room it is. Keep this tab open for the whole game: the game runs from the host's device, so closing the tab ends the room.

Tip

If the host's phone is old or the battery is low, let someone with a laptop or a newer phone host instead.

Step 3: friends join

When a friend taps the link, the game opens in their browser, they enter a name, and they take an empty seat. The host sees each friend arrive in the lobby, marked as connected. Seats nobody takes stay with the computer, so two people can play a four-colour game if they want.

Nobody needs to install anything or create an account. The link works in Chrome, Safari, Samsung Internet, Edge or Firefox.

Step 4: choose the rules and start

Before starting, the host picks the setup in the lobby: 2, 3 or 4 players, how many gotis each (1 to 4), how many dice (1 to 3), and the house rules. This is the moment to settle the old arguments, so ask the group first:

  • Do you need a 6 to come out, or is 1 or 6 fine?
  • Are star squares and start squares safe?
  • Do three 6s cancel the turn?
  • Must you cut someone before you can go home?
  • Teams or every player for themselves?

Tip

Every option is explained in our Ludo rules guide. Paste that link in the chat before the game and the arguments get shorter.

While you play

Moves appear on everybody's screen as they happen. You can send emoji reactions and short messages from inside the game, but most groups prefer a WhatsApp voice call running alongside; the shouting when a goti gets cut is half the fun.

If you want the game to keep moving, the host can set a 15 or 30 second turn timer. For a short game, choose two gotis each or turn on Quick game, which ends as soon as the first player gets everyone home.

Fixing common problems

Most problems have a simple fix:

  • The link opens inside WhatsApp and looks odd: tap the menu and choose Open in browser.
  • A friend says the room was not found: the host's tab may have closed or reloaded. The host should open a new room and send the new link.
  • The board is full: every seat is taken by a person. The host can raise the number of players in the lobby if it is below four.
  • A friend's internet drops: they see Reconnecting in the lobby. When they reopen the same link on the same phone, they come back to their seat.
  • The game has already started: friends cannot join a game in progress. They can join the next one.
  • The link says localhost: the host opened the game from a development copy. Open PlayNest from its public address instead.

Make it a regular thing

Plenty of families now have a standing Ludo night in the group chat. If yours gets competitive, read the Ludo winning strategy and our notes on 2-player vs 4-player tactics. And if some of the family prefer cards, the same room-link system works in Bhabhi and Rung.

Questions people ask

Can we play Ludo on WhatsApp without an app?
Yes. The host creates a room in our browser-based Ludo and sends the link in WhatsApp. Everyone plays in their phone's browser, with no app or account.
How many friends can join a Ludo room?
Up to four players in total, including the host. Any seat not taken by a friend is played by the computer.
Does the host need to stay online?
Yes. The game runs from the host's browser tab, so the host should keep it open until the game is finished.
Can a friend join after the game has started?
No. Friends can only join from the lobby before the host starts. They can join the next game.

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