UNO Instructions: How to Play This Fast & Fun Card Game

If you're looking for a fun card game to play with friends, give UNO a try! This classic card game can be played by up to 10 players, but only one can be the winner (as long as you don't forget to say "Uno!" at the right time!). This article guides you through the the UNO setup and gameplay instructions, as well as how to win the game. We also partnered with a game expert to go over strategies to help you win, plus a few variations you can try to spice things up!

What is the object of the UNO card game?

The object of UNO is to match all the cards in your hand to whichever card is on top of the discard pile on your turn. When you've laid down all your cards except one, you must cry out, "Uno!" or draw 2 cards as a penalty. The first person to lay down their whole hand wins the round!

Section 1 of 5:

Setting Up UNO

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Shuffle the cards and deal 7 cards to each player. Choose a dealer to shuffle all 112 cards in your UNO deck. Next, the dealer must pass each person who wants to play (including themselves) 7 cards, facedown. Once you receive all 7 of your cards, you can look at them, but don't show them to any of the other players.^{[1]
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- No. of players: 2-10
- Age range: 7 and up
- Difficulty level: Medium
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Ashton Wu is a board game expert, playthrough director, and tournament commentator. He reviews board games on his YouTube channel Shelfside, where he has over 45,000 subscribers.
Have the dealer set the rest of the cards from the deck facedown in a stack in the middle of the play area. These cards are the draw pile, which players will take from throughout the game.

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Place the top card from the draw pile faceup beside it. You'll use this card to start the game, and it will also start the discard pile.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Play UNO

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Play a card to match the color, number, or symbol on the card. On your turn, add a card from your hand to the discard pile if it matches the color, number, word, or symbol on the top card of the discard pile. The next player then looks for a card from their hand that they can play.^{[3]
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- For example, if the top card in the discard pile is a red number 8, you can play any red card you have or a card of any color that has an 8 on it.
- The player to the left of the dealer plays first. Gameplay continues clockwise around the play area.
Tip: If the player has a Wild card, they can use it at any time.
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Play Action or Wild cards if you have any. In addition to basic UNO cards that have numbers on them, there are 7 types of Action cards you can play. If you have an Action card in your hand or draw one during your turn, you can play it instead of a number card as long as it's the same color as the top card on the discard pile. Wild cards are the exceptions, since they can be played on any color. Here's a breakdown of all 7 Action cards, including the Wild card, and how they work:^{[4]
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- Wild (4 cards): This card can be substituted for any color of value, and it also lets you choose the card color for the next play.
- Reverse (8 cards): This card lets you change the direction of play, so the person who went before you will have the next turn.
- Skip (8 cards): This card skips the next player’s turn (but they don't have to draw any cards).
- Draw 2 (8 cards): This card requires the player to your left to draw 2 cards. Their next turn is also skipped.
- Wild Draw 4 (4 cards): This card functions as both a Wild card and a Draw 2 card, except the next player must draw 4 cards instead of just two. Their turn is also skipped.
- Wild Shuffle Hands (1 card): This card allows you to collect every card from every player, shuffle them together, then deal them back to the players, starting with the person to your left. Deal the cards you collected, one by one, until there are none left. You also get to decide the color when play resumes with the next player.
  - Some players may end up with a different number of cards than they started with. But that's what makes playing a Wild Shuffle Hands fun and unpredictable!
- Wild Customizable (3 cards): Use a #2 pencil to write a house rule on the face of a Wild Customizable card. It can be any rule you want, as long as the other players agree. When you play it, the other players must follow it. You must also choose the color for the next play.
  - For example, you could write a house rule that says the next player must discard all their cards and draw a whole new hand.
  - You can also choose a goofy house rule, like all the other players must bust a dance move before gameplay can continue!
  - The customizable cards are erasable, so you can change them in between rounds or games.
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Draw a card from the draw pile if you can't play a card. If it's your turn and you don't have any cards that match the top card, take a card from the draw pile and add it to your hand. You can play this card immediately if it matches the top card in the discard pile. If you can't play the card you just drew, the player next to you can take their turn.^{[5]
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- For example, if you draw a blue 3 and there's a green 3 at the top of the discard pile, you can play it. Otherwise, keep the card in your hand and let the next player go first (unless you can play an Action card).
- If you have a playable card in your hand, but you don't want to lay it down yet, you can keep it in your hand. However, you must also draw a card from the draw pile.
when you have only one card left. If a player manages to lay down all their cards except one, that player must cry out "Uno!" If they forget and end their turn, hand them two cards as a penalty. Pay attention, though, because if no one notices that the player didn't say "Uno!" there's no penalty!^{[6]
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Score & Win UNO

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Play your last card to win the hand. Once you're down to one card (and you've already called "Uno!"), wait until the gameplay goes around the table and comes back to you. If you can play your last card before anyone else plays theirs, you'll be the winner of the round!^{[7]
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- If you can't play your last card, draw another card and continue playing until you or someone else can go out.
- Tip: Try to save a Wild card for your last play. That way, you'll know for sure that you'll be able to play it and win the round. There's a risk to this strategy, though! If someone else goes out first and you get caught with it, the Wild card will tack 50 points onto the winner's score for that round.
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Tally the points in each player's hand at the end of each round. The person who won the round gains points by adding up the cards in the remaining players' hands. Below is a chart showing how many points each type of card is worth, including number cards, Wild cards, and other Action cards:^{[8]
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- Number cards valued 0-9: Face value
- Draw 2: 20 points
- Reverse: 20 points:
- Skip: 20 points
- Wild: 50 points
- Wild Draw 4: 50 points
- Wild Shuffle Hands: 40 points
- Wild Customizable: 40 points
As you tally the scores for the winner of each round, keep track of who's scoring the most points. Play as many rounds as it takes for at least one player to reach 500 points. That player is the winner of UNO!^{[9]
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Section 4 of 5:

Expert Strategies for Winning UNO

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Keep your hand size hidden and change the color of the deck often. We asked game expert Ashton Wu about his favorite strategies for winning a game of UNO, and here are his suggestions:^{[10]
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Ashton Wu
Game Expert

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- “Keep your hand size discrete, and don’t take too long on your turn," says Wu. This helps prevent other people from calling “Uno” on your turn before you do!^{[11]
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- “Keep tabs on other people’s hands of cards, but don’t ask too much about it, because that tends to draw attention to your own quantity of cards in hand,” notes Wu.^{[12]
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- Try to change the color by playing the same number, but of a different color, says Wu. “Not only does this switch the color, possibly making others draw cards, but [it] also makes others think you might not have any cards left of the previous color.”^{[13]
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Section 5 of 5:

Simple UNO Variations

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Play double cards to finish the game faster. For a quicker-moving game of UNO, ask every player to lay down 2 matches instead of one if they have them. This means everyone will go through their hand quicker.^{[14]
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- For example, if there's a yellow 3 on the table, a player could lay down a yellow 7 and a red 3.
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Play SOLO for a fun way to mix up the order. Wu recommends the SOLO version of Uno, saying: “If you have the EXACT same card as the one at the top of the discard pile, you can play it, even if it’s not your turn. The turn order continues as if you had just taken a turn.”^{[15]
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Ashton Wu
Game Expert

Expert Interview}
- “So, for example,” Wu says, “if someone else else plays a Blue 3, I can jump in and play a Blue 3. Then, the person to the left of me takes their turn.”^{[16]
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Don't worry if you can't find people to play UNO with you in person! You can easily play UNO online with other UNO-obsessed gamers. If you prefer, purchase UNO to play on your PC or gaming system, such as Steam, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch.
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Try UNO Flip, UNO Attack, or UNO House Rules. Mattel, the brand that owns UNO, sometimes releases new versions of the game with special rules or twists. These changes make original UNO more fun and fresh! Check out the wikiHow tutorials below to discover 3 unique versions of your favorite card game:

UNO Cheat Sheets

UNO Cheat Sheet

UNO Rule Sheet

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Can you play UNO with regular playing cards?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Yes, you can. Use the Jack as a skip or reverse card, the queen to make the next person pick up 2 cards, and the king to let you change suits. You can use the ace to change your suit and make the next person pick up 4 cards. The rest of the cards act as regular number cards.

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What is UNO Attack?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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UNO Attack is a variation on regular UNO that includes a card shooter and special action cards. If a player gets an “attack” card, they can shoot a stream of cards at an opponent, which they must add to their deck. To play it, you’ll need to purchase the UNO Attack! game.

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If you play a Draw 2 or Draw 4 as your last card, does the next player have to draw?

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Yes, the next player draws that number of cards before adding up points.

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Tips

If you run out of cards in the draw pile, shuffle the discard pile and turn it over facedown. Then use it as the draw pile.

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