How to Play and Win Agar.io Like a Pro

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Survive Agar.io’s wild multiplayer world on the computer or in the app

Co-authored by Cheyenne Main

Last Updated: August 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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Starting a Game

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Controls & Rules

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Strategies

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Where to Play

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

Agar.io (Agar-Ee-Oh) is an online multiplayer game where you try to become the biggest cell by consuming other players and the tiny cells scattered throughout the map. Whether you’re just becoming familiar with the controls or you’re looking for new strategies to improve your game, you’re in the right place. Keep reading for a complete guide to Agar.io, including where to play it and the best tips and tricks to help you dominate other players.

Agar.io Mobile Controls: Quick Overview

To move your cell, slide your thumb around the circle on the right side of the screen in the direction you’d like to go. You can also tap anywhere on the screen to move in that direction. Tap the target button on the left side to fire a small portion of your cell’s mass. Press the “%” button to shoot half its mass.

Section 1 of 4:

Starting the Game

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1
Type a username in the blank field in the middle of the screen. When you enter the website, you’ll immediately see 8 white boxes. The box in the top center has the name of the game with a text box, a “Skins” bubble, and a “Play” button. Click on the text box and type in any name you’d like.^{[1]
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- Typing in certain usernames will give your cell a specific skin. Skins don’t have any effect on your gameplay—all they do is make your cell look cool.
- Using the names of a country will give you the skin of that country’s flag. The names of most countries’ leaders have skins, too.
- Other names that give you a custom skin include “4chan,” “bait,” “ayy lmao,” “CIA,” “doge,” “mars,” “matriarchy,” “moon,” “NASA,” “sir,” “patriarchy,” “pokerface,” “wojak,” and “pika.”^{[2]
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Optionally, sign in with Facebook or Google to make a custom skin. If you don’t choose a name that gives your cell a specific skin, your cell will be a random color. To create your own custom skin, click on the “Skins” bubble next to the username text box and choose “Create” under “New skin.” Log in with your Facebook or Google account information.^{[3]
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- Then, draw whatever skin you’d like with your mouse. If you’re using a mobile device, use your finger or a stylus.
- Once you log in, you can also choose any of the available skins next to the “New skin” option.
- You can earn coins to purchase skins by playing the game.
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Choose a game mode from the top left and hit “Play.” There are 5 game modes to choose from, and each one has its own rules. Click on a game mode in the top left corner of the screen or the “Select Game Mode” box. When you’re ready, hit the green “Play” button below the username text box to join a random server within that game mode.^{[4]
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- FFA: This is an endless version of the game, where you can rise to the top of the leaderboard for a short period of time. This can be a great place to start if you’re a beginner.
- Battle Royale: This mode starts when a set number of players join the game. All the players start at the same size and the goal is to survive as long as you can.
- Teams: The game randomly puts players into 2 teams, and the goal is to consume everyone on the opposite team.
- Experimental: There are typically fewer players in these servers, and the game has fun rule changes every so often to switch up the gameplay and keep players on their toes.
- Party Mode: This is a private server that allows you to play with just your friends. Click “Create” under the “Party Mode” box, then copy and send the code to your friends.

Section 2 of 4:

Understanding the Basics of the Game

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Position your mouse in a direction to move your cell. The large blob with your username on it in the center of the screen is called a “cell.” To move around the screen and collect the tiny cells throughout the map, position your mouse in the direction you’d like to go in. Your cell will automatically start moving in the direction of your mouse.^{[5]
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- App version: Slide the circle on the left side of the screen in the direction you’d like to move in. You can also tap the screen in the space around your cell.^{[6]
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Press the spacebar to split in half and “W” to shoot your mass. Pressing the spacebar will divide your cell, shooting half of its mass in the direction of your mouse. Pressing the “W” on your keyboard will fire a small portion of your cell’s mass in the direction of your mouse on-screen.^{[7]
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Research source} You can only split into 16 cells at one time.^{[8]
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- App version: Tap the target button on the left side of the screen to fire a small portion of your cell’s mass. Press the “%” button to shoot half its mass.^{[9]
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- Dividing in half is useful when trying to consume other players that move faster than your cell.
- Ejecting or shooting off your mass can speed up your cells, allowing you to move away from larger players faster.
- To rejoin your cells together after a brief cooldown time, place your mouse near the center of them.
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Try to avoid cells that are larger than you while consuming tiny cells. At the beginning of the game, the goal is to travel over the tiny nameless cells to consume them and grow larger. Players that are bigger than you can consume you, so try to dodge them while collecting tiny cells around the map.^{[10]
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- Other players can split and eject their cell to consume you. While running away from larger cells, try straying to the left and right instead of traveling in a straight direction away from them.
- The larger you get, the slower your cell moves. However, the area of your cell also gets bigger so it’s easier to consume more tiny cells at once.
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Consume other players to rule the top of the leaderboard. When you reach a certain size, your cell and your score will start to shrink. To keep growing larger, you must consume other players by traveling over them. Your cell has to be roughly 10% larger than another player to consume them.^{[11]
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- You gain the most points by eating players whose cells are slightly smaller than your own.
- You can see your current score on the bottom right corner of the screen. The score is determined by the number of tiny cells and the rank of the players you consume.

Section 3 of 4:

Strategies for Winning Agar.io

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1
Hide from other players inside viruses if your cell is smaller than them. Green spiky bubbles called “viruses” spawn throughout the entire map. If a player is larger than a virus and they try to consume it or go inside of it, they will explode into smaller cells. If your cell is smaller, however, going inside the cell can hide you from larger players.^{[12]
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- When a larger player explodes into smaller cells, it allows other players to eat their mass and take the larger player out of the game.
- If you’re being chased by a particular player and you’re smaller than a virus, navigate inside of it and stay there until the other player moves on.
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Shoot your cell’s mass at viruses to take out large players. Shooting out some of your mass with the “W” key 7 times will cause the virus to split. The pieces that split from the virus eject in the direction you’re shooting—if a larger player is on the other side of the virus, it can cause them to explode into smaller pieces.^{[13]
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- When the player explodes, this allows you to eat their smaller cells and grow dramatically.
- Use this technique to break down other players who are trying to consume you, or to split up larger cells on the leaderboard so you have a better chance of getting to the top.
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Divide your cell with the spacebar to consume small fast players. When you’re big enough to reach the leaderboard (or get close to it), your cell will likely be too slow to chase other players. To continue growing, press the spacebar to split your cell in the direction of players that get too close to you and consume them.^{[14]
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- Your divided cell must be about 33% larger than the other player to consume them.
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Try to team up with other players by feeding them your mass. Feeding someone your mass by pressing the “W” key may encourage them to team up with you for a short period and help you team up on other cells.^{[15]
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Research source} Although alliances typically don’t last long, they may help you get a leg up on the other players.
- Some players use names like “w=team” or “w=ally” in-game to signal to other players that sharing their mass with them is an invitation to team up.
- Sometimes, people who form alliances wait until they want a different teammate or until they get big enough, and then they may eat you.
- Pressing the spacebar key can give half of your cell to another player, which may be appreciated but can put you in a vulnerable position.
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Form long-term or larger teams on Agar.io forums. The Agario or Speedrun forums can be good places to make friends, share skins, and form alliances or teams between players. Make a thread about wanting to create a team, and chat with other players to arrange a time to play on a server together.
- Typically, players who belong to a team use similar names in-game—they might use the name of a YouTuber or names that all go into a specific theme.
- Try to avoid using inappropriate or vulgar team names and never give away your personal information to the other players in your alliance.

Section 4 of 4:

Where can you play Agar.io?

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You can play Agar.io at http://agar.io/. To play Agar.io on your computer, enter the URL into your browser’s search bar. If you’re playing on a smartphone or tablet (like an iPad, iPhone, or Android phone), download the app on the Google Play store or Apple’s App Store.^{[16]
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- There are a lot of fake duplicate games out there, but the only official Agar.io game is published by Miniclip.^{[17]
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- Agar.io was originally made by 19-year-old Brazilian developer Matheus Valaderes and was released in April 2015.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

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Question

How do we eat a cell?

Community Answer

You eat cells every day, as fruits and vegetables all contain cells and so is meat. In agar.io; however, you have to be a seeable bigger size than the opponent and get close enough to consume. If the opponent is smaller than half your size, it may be enough to get close to the opponent and press space to split consuming the opponent. However you will be two cells for a while whether you do it right or wrong.

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How do you shoot into the spike to a large cell?

Community Answer

Press W to get rid of some of your mass and shoot in the direction of a large cell. When the spiky cell has reached maximum growth, it will split in the direction of the big cell, making the big cell split.

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After dividing yourself, how do you get back together?

Yol Verinrii

Community Answer

Just wait for a few seconds, your sections will naturally join back together on their own. While waiting to join back together, find a safe place to wait, and avoid larger players, as you’re going to be be more vulnerable.

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Tips

The game is named after “agar,” a gelatin-like product used in laboratories to culture bacteria in petri dishes.^{[19]
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Try to avoid the corners and edges of the map—these can limit your movement, making it easier for larger players to consume your cell.^{[20]
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Remember to have fun with the game—if you’re ever feeling frustrated or stressed out, step away for an hour or so before playing again.

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