This page lists minesweeper cheats, codes, bugs, scripts and solvers for Microsoft Minesweeper.
Microsoft released "Windows Minesweeper" in October 1990 before including it as part of Windows 3.1, 95, 98, ME and 2000. The Beginner size was changed in Windows XP from 8x8 to 9x9 to make it easier to win. Windows Vista released a new version of the game with flowers and guaranteed openings on the first click with the ability to replay lost games. Windows 8 introduced a new arcade level but moved Minesweeper out of the operating system and into the Windows Store. The original Microsoft Minesweeper is no longer accepted for rankings because of the cheats on this page!
Minesweeper Clone CheatsVersion: WEP, 3.1, 2000, XP
Type XYZZY and press [Shift][Enter]. The top left pixel on your screen will become white but turn black when your mouse is above a mine. Robert Donner borrowed the idea from the text adventure game Colossal Cave Adventure (1975) which used XYZZY as a magic word to jump between rooms. Use this cheat to program a 'solver' or write a script that prevents clicking on mines by converting left clicks to flags.
| Trivia | XYZZY does not work on Windows 9x systems (95, 98, ME). | |
| Trivia | You also can activate the cheat by typing XYZZY and holding [Shift] for about 10 seconds. | |
| Trivia | If you press [Shift] again it will pause or restart the cheat...but the coloured pixel remains visible. |
| 1992-05-11 | Infoworld Magazine | XYZZY cheat | ||
| 1993-07-07 | PC Companion | XYZZY cheat | ||
| 1997-06-07 | The Unnoficial Minesweeper Page | Windows 3.x Cheat Code | ||
| 1999-02-18 | Jack Welsby's Minesweeper Page | How to Cheat at Minesweeper | ||
| 2007-06-23 | autohotkey.com | XYZZY script to avoid clicking mines | ||
| 2008-06-18 | autoitscript.com | XYZZY solver |
Version: All versions
Minimise the game and the timer will pause until the game is maximised. You can take a screenshot of the game to study the board while the timer is paused. Versions since Vista allow you to minimise the game and see a preview by hovering the mouse over the game on the taskbar.
| 2006-12-19 | Windows Vista for Dummies | Preview Minesweeper |
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Press the left mouse button on the smiley face and the timer will pause until the mouse moves elsewhere.
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Press both mouse buttons and press [ESC] on the keyboard. The timer will pause until the game is minimised and maximised.
| Trivia | In the 2.9 beta version this cheat changes the title bar from "Win Mine" to "Not a Game". |
| 1999-02-18 | Jack Welsby's Minesweeper Page | How to Cheat at Minesweeper | ||
| 2000-02-29 | Windows 2000 Secrets | Pause the Minesweeper timer | ||
| 2004-10-22 | Windows XP for Dummies | Pause the Minesweeper timer |
Version: WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME
Edit your scores in the 'winmine.ini' file located in the C:\WINDOWS directory.
| 1998-06-16 | Windows 98 for Dummies | Edit winmine.ini to change best times |
Version: 2000, XP
Search for regedit.exe and edit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Winmine to change your scores.
| 2004-10-22 | Windows XP for Dummies | Edit registry to change best times |
Version: All versions
Take a screenshot of a game and edit the timer. Another option is to screenshot and edit the 'Best Times' list.
Version: WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
In the 2000s it was common to use programs like Camtasia to record videos. Select a low frame rate such as 15fps (to save effort) and delete every few frames. Photoshop the timer in the remaining frames so "seconds" in the video match real seconds.
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Slow the timer by running other programs in the background. This was common in the 1990s when you could slow the clock on computers simply by using the printer. Using a program like Camtasia in the 2000s to make game videos with a high frame rate could slow the timer by 2-3 seconds a minute.
| 2001-06-08 | Intermediate Hall of Fame | Clockwork Mines | ||
| 2019-11-06 | minesweepergame.com | Timer Lag |
Version: All versions
Download a program that modifies WinAPI time functions. Make the game clock run slowly.
Version: All versions
Download a program that modifies the system clock to run at a slower speed.
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Beginner 8x8 games repeat in two cycles of 24320 and 24304 boards while Intermediate 16x16 games repeat in two cycles of 12096 and 12064 boards. You can manipulate these cycles to locate and play memorised boards.
| 2009-08-21 | Minesweeper Wiki | UPK | ||
| 2010-06-19 | Minesweeper Wiki | Board Cycles |
Version: All versions
Increase the number of mines to reduce the number of unique boards. Create a high density Custom level and save pictures of easy boards then use a macro to cycle through games to find (and play) the same boards again.
Version: Vista, 7, 8, 10
Lose a game and memorise mine locations then select "Restart This Game" to play from memory.
| 2009-11-11 | Windows 7 for Dummies | Minesweeper UPK |
Version: Vista, 7, 8, 10
Open the menu and select "Always save game on exit" and "Always continue saved game". Take a screenshot during a game and exit Minesweeper. When you know the solution open Minesweeper and play the game from memory.
Version: All versions
Use a debugging program to locate the memory block storing the current Minesweeper game. Game borders are Hex 10, empty cells are Hex 0F and mines are Hex 8F in the original version. Vista introduced dynamic memory so the game no longer loads into a fixed block of memory, but this is a minor inconvenience. You can write a program to show mine locations or create a solver to read mine locations directly from memory.
| 2003-01-13 | codeproject.com | Memory reader program (XP) | ||
| 2003-05-13 | codeproject.com | Highlight the mines program (XP) | ||
| 2007-03-27 | microsoft.com | Flag all mines script (XP) | ||
| 2010-11-14 | progamercity.net | DLL injection to open safe cells (XP) | ||
| 2014-11-20 | github.com | Mimikatz minesweeper module (Windows 7) | ||
| 2017-01-20 | 0x00sec.org | Script and command line GUI (XP) | ||
| 2018-04-07 | progamercity.com | Script and command line GUI (XP) | ||
| 2017-04-18 | github.com | DLL injection to flag mines (Windows 7) | ||
| 2020-03-09 | guidedhacking.com | Script and command line GUI (XP) |
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Open two instances of Winmine.exe simultaneously. If you open both within 55ms on Windows 9x and 16ms on Windows NT the same seed might be used for both games due to limitations in the GetTickCount function. You can alternate between the two instances playing the same games due to board cycles.
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Use a debugging program to edit assembly language and choose the seed for the PRNG. The same seed will always generate the same board.
| 2003-10-24 | technuser.net | Identical Boards Problem Part III |
Version: Vista, 7
Record the date and time of an easy game. Set the clock to that time to play the same game.
| 2017-07-05 | youtube.com | How to Get Tied World Record in Minesweeper Every Time |
Version: Vista, 7, 8, 10
The Oberon Media and Arkadium versions of Minesweeper have hidden cheat functions. Use a debugging program to display the Debug menu which has options to activate hotkeys (shortcuts for developers), show mines and instantly win the game. Improve user experience by writing a program with a nice GUI.
| 2012-02-03 | askvg.com | Debug menu hack (7) | ||
| 2013-03-12 | door2windows.com | Debug menu program (7) | ||
| 2014-05-14 | microsoft.com | Debug menu script (8) |
Version: 2.9, WEP, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP
Use a debugging program to edit assembly language code. For example, pause the timer or flag mines.
| 2004-08-01 | Gaming Hacks | Hack the timer (XP) | ||
| 2017-01-20 | 0x00sec.org | Hack the timer (XP) | ||
| 2018-06-28 | begin.re | Flag all mines (XP) |
Version: All versions
Program a macro to start Beginner games and click randomly. You will eventually win a game in one second.
Version: All versions
Program a solver to play minesweeper using logic.
| 1996-xx-xx | patrickcraig.co.uk | Screensaver solver (95) | ||
| 1997-10-08 | *abandonware* | Sweeper (95) | ||
| 2014-08-12 | ryanhmckenna.com | Solver (7) |
Version: All versions
Program a solver to play minesweeper or calculate probabilities. Allow human interaction to make videos more realistic.
| 1995-09-10 | *abandonware* | Minewalk (95) | ||
| 2000-xx-xx | *abandonware* | Play Minesweeper (98) | ||
| 2002-04-05 | joriswit.nl | Solver (XP) | ||
| 2006-07-17 | donationcoder.com | Demine probability calculator (XP) |
Version: All versions
Change your mouse settings to reduce effort and save time. For example, a cell normally opens when you press and release the left mouse button but "Elmar Technique" is a NF method where you change the mouse to open cells on both pressing and releasing. Other methods involve modifying your mouse or your machine to automatically perform certain moves.
| 2008-04-20 | Minesweeper Wiki | Elmar Technique |