Fun Games to Play on Zoom with Friends and Family

Your Zoom call is open, everyone's waving awkwardly, and someone says "so... what do we do now?" We've all been there. These free browser games turn any video call into an actual event — no downloads, no apps, no faff.

Why browser games work better on Zoom

Zoom has its own games section, but it's clunky, often paid, and requires everyone to install something. Browser games sidestep all of that. Everyone opens a link on their own device, you share a 5-letter room code in the chat, and you're playing in 30 seconds. The game runs next to your video call — you can still see each other's faces, which is half the fun.

The best free games for Zoom calls

Forbidden Words — best for 4-12 players

One player describes a word without using the forbidden expressions — their team guesses while the opposing team's referee watches for slip-ups. It's loud, fast, and produces some genuinely creative descriptions. Works brilliantly on Zoom because the verbal reactions are part of the game. Ages 11+, 4-12 players.

2 Truths 1 Lie — best for getting to know people

Everyone writes three things about themselves — two true, one invented. The group votes on which is the lie. You'll be amazed how little you know about people you've worked with for years. Perfect for team meetings, family catchups, and friend groups that haven't seen each other in a while. 3-20 players, any age.

Sketch & Guess — best for laughs

Words pass through a chain of drawings and guesses until they're completely unrecognisable. No artistic skill required — in fact, the worse you draw, the funnier the result. No points, no winners, just a reveal screen that makes everyone howl. 3-10 players.

Hangman — best for a quick round

Everyone takes turns picking a secret word while the group guesses letter by letter. Classic, fast, works with any number of people. Good filler game between other activities. 2-10 players.

Corporate Bingo — best for work meetings

If your Zoom call is actually a work meeting, everyone gets a card full of corporate buzzwords. Mark them off as you hear them. First to complete a line hits Bingo. Keeps you engaged through even the most tedious all-hands. 2-50 players.

Dots & Boxes — best for 2-4 players

The classic pencil-and-paper grid game, now online. Take turns drawing lines between dots — close a box, claim it, get another turn. Simple rules, surprising depth. Great for a quick one-on-one or small group. 2-4 players.

How to set up a game on Zoom in 3 steps

1. Go to roomforgames.com and pick a game
2. Create a room — you'll get a 5-letter code
3. Share the code in the Zoom chat — everyone joins on their own device

That's it. No accounts, no downloads, no waiting. The game works on phones, tablets and laptops — whatever everyone has to hand.

Tips for playing games on video calls

When should you create the room?

Rooms stay open for 24 hours in the lobby, so you can create one the night before a morning meeting and the code will still work. That said, we regularly push updates and improvements to the site — and when a new version goes live, the server restarts and active rooms are cleared. It's not the site being unreliable, it's us actively maintaining it. So the safest approach for anything important is to create the room 30-60 minutes before your session and drop the code in your calendar invite or team chat. For spontaneous games, just create the room and share the code on the spot.

Mute when not speaking — background noise makes it hard to hear descriptions in Forbidden Words. Use the chat to share the room code so everyone can copy it easily. Give people 60 seconds to join before starting — someone's always fighting with their wifi. Play in rounds — one game of Forbidden Words, then switch to 2 Truths 1 Lie for variety.

Frequently asked questions