How to Play HTML5 Games on Any Device, Offline, and Fix Them When They Won't Load

Learning how to play HTML5 games takes about ten seconds: open the game's page in a current browser, wait for it to load and tap or click to start. There's no plugin, no Flash and usually no install. The rest of this guide covers what to do on specific devices (Android, iPhone, PS4, Jio phone and older consoles), how to play offline, how to keep your saves, and how to fix games that won't load, including on Pogo.

If you're curious what makes these games tick, read what HTML5 games are and how they work. This page is about playing them.

How to play HTML5 games in your browser

1. Use a current browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari or Samsung Internet, updated to the latest version.
2. Open the game's page and wait for the loading bar. Most games are a few hundred kilobytes to a few megabytes.
3. Tap or click once to start. Browsers block sound until you interact with the page, so many games show a play button first.
4. Use the controls the game offers: touch on phones; mouse and keyboard on computers; many games also accept a gamepad.

That's all most people need. If you have the game's files on your computer instead of a link, see "run an HTML5 game from files" below.

Can Google Chrome play HTML5 games?

Yes. Chrome has supported everything HTML5 games use (canvas, WebGL, Web Audio, gamepads, offline storage) for years, on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS and Android. If a game doesn't run in Chrome, the cause is almost always a setting, an extension or a graphics driver, not Chrome itself; the fixes are below.

How to run an HTML5 game from files on your computer

If you've downloaded a game as a folder with an index.html inside, double-clicking that file often shows a blank or broken screen. Browsers block many file loads from pages opened straight from disk, and most games load images, sounds and data as separate files. The fix is to serve the folder over HTTP:

• Run npx serve (needs Node.js) or python -m http.server (needs Python) inside the game's folder, then open the address it prints.
• Or upload the folder to any web host.

Single-file games are the exception. The games on our free HTML game code pages are one .html file each, so they run by double-clicking, even offline.

Best browser for HTML5 games

There's no single best browser to play HTML5 games: any current major browser runs them well, and keeping it updated matters more than which one you pick.

On iPhone, most other browsers use Safari's WebKit engine because Apple's rules require it in most countries, so switching from Safari to Chrome on an iPhone rarely changes how a game runs. On a computer, if one browser gives you trouble, trying another is a quick way to tell whether the problem is the game or your setup.

How to play HTML5 games on Android

Open the game in Chrome (or Samsung Internet, Edge or Firefox) and tap to start. For a better experience:

• Turn the phone to the orientation the game asks for; many games support both.
• Add it to your home screen: in Chrome, open the menu and choose Add to home screen or Install app when offered. An installed game opens without the address bar and, if the developer built it for offline use, works without a connection. Google's help page on using web apps explains the options.
• Close other apps if a game stutters: phones with little memory struggle with large 3D games.

How to play HTML5 games on iPhone and iPad

Open the game in Safari and tap to start. If there's no sound, check the game's own sound button and your volume. To get a bigger screen and keep your saves safer, add the game to your Home Screen: tap Share, then Add to Home Screen (on iOS 26, keep Open as Web App on). Launched from the Home Screen, games built as web apps open without Safari's toolbars.

Why is my iPhone XS not showing HTML5 games full screen?

Because web pages can't make themselves full screen on iPhone. Safari on iPad supports the Fullscreen API, but Safari on iPhone doesn't: MDN's compatibility data lists it as "only available on iPad, not on iPhone" (MDN). A game's fullscreen button therefore does nothing on any iPhone, not just the XS.

What helps:

• Add the game to your Home Screen and open it from there. Games built as web apps then fill the screen without Safari's address bar.
• Rotate to landscape. Games that don't extend into the notch area show bars at the sides in landscape on notched iPhones like the XS; that's the game's layout, not your phone.
• Update iOS. The iPhone XS can't install iOS 26 (Apple's compatible devices list starts at iPhone 11), so keep it on the latest iOS 18 update. On iOS 18, a site added to the Home Screen opens as a web app only if its developer set it up that way.

Consoles, feature phones and other devices

How to play HTML5 games on PS4

The PS4 has a built-in Internet Browser. Select it from the content area, press the triangle button and type the game's address. The left stick moves a pointer, the right stick scrolls, and the square button toggles full-screen display (PS4 User's Guide).

Expect mixed results. Most HTML5 games are designed for touch or a mouse, so you'll be steering a pointer with a stick, and large 3D games may run slowly on the PS4's older browser. Simple puzzle and card games work best. If a game misbehaves, clear the browser's stored website data from OPTIONS → Settings (PS4 browser settings). The PS5 doesn't include a web browser app like the PS4's.

How to play HTML5 games on a Jio phone

JioPhones run KaiOS, a system whose apps are themselves HTML5 apps, so the phone can run HTML5 games. The catch is the keypad: most web games expect touch or a mouse and can't be played with the D-pad and number keys. Games built for KaiOS listen for the D-pad and soft keys instead (KaiOS developer docs). So on a JioPhone, look for games in the phone's own app store or the JioGames app, which are made for the keypad, rather than opening ordinary web games in the browser.

Can a Nintendo 3DS play HTML5 games?

Only simple ones. Nintendo's Internet Browser specs list partial canvas support for the original 3DS browser, and HTML5, canvas, the Gamepad API and some Web Storage for the New Nintendo 3DS browser. WebGL isn't listed, and the browser hasn't kept up with modern web standards, so games made with current engines usually won't run. Flash isn't supported either.

Will I be able to play HTML5 games on the Ataribox?

The Ataribox shipped as the Atari VCS, and Atari announced Google Chrome as its built-in browser. HTML5 games run in Chrome, so they can run there too; a keyboard and mouse make most of them easier to play than a controller.

How to play HTML5 games offline

An HTML5 game needs its files to start. Once they're on your device, it can run without a connection, but only if the game was built for it. There are three ways to get there.

Install the game as a web app

Many modern games are progressive web apps: after you visit once, a service worker keeps the files on your device. Install them with Add to home screen or Install app on Android, Add to Home Screen on iPhone, or the install icon in the address bar of Chrome or Edge on a computer. Then open the game from its icon with your connection off to check it works. Games that need a server, such as multiplayer games, still need a connection.

How to download HTML5 games from a website

Download a game only when its creator offers a download. Games are copyrighted, and copying one from a site that doesn't offer it usually breaks the site's terms. It also rarely works: "Save page as" and website-copying tools tend to miss the files a game loads on demand, so the saved copy shows a blank screen.

Legitimate ways to download HTML5 games to play offline:

• The creator's download button: many indie developers on itch.io offer a downloadable build next to the browser version, and the itch.io desktop app can also install some browser games to your computer.
• Store versions: some HTML5 games are also published as Android, iOS or desktop apps.
• Open-source games: games with public source code can be downloaded from GitHub and run locally. Our guide to free and open-source HTML5 games lists good ones and their licences.

How to download HTML5 games for free

The simplest free option is a single-file game: everything is in one .html file, so there's nothing to break. Every game on our free HTML game code pages works this way: press Download .html, save the file and open it in any browser, online or offline. The code is MIT-licensed, so you can also change it.

How to save HTML5 game progress

HTML5 games save your progress inside the browser, using storage tied to the game's website (Web Storage or IndexedDB). That has a few consequences:

• Clearing site data or cookies deletes saves. "Clear browsing data" with "Cookies and other site data" ticked wipes them, as does clearing Safari history on iPhone (Apple). Clearing only cached images and files leaves saves alone.
• Private or incognito windows forget everything when you close them.
• Saves don't follow you between browsers or devices unless the game has accounts or cloud saves.
• Safari can delete data from sites you stop visiting. WebKit removes a site's script-writable storage after seven days of Safari use without interaction with that site; games added to the Home Screen keep their own counter and aren't affected the same way (WebKit).

If a game offers an export or cloud-save button, use it before switching devices.

Where does Chrome save HTML5 game cache?

In your Chrome profile folder. Type chrome://version in the address bar and look at Profile Path. Chrome's own documentation gives the defaults (Chromium docs):

Inside, the game's downloaded files live in the browser cache (and in Cache Storage if it uses a service worker), while saves live in the Local Storage and IndexedDB folders. Don't copy or edit those files by hand: they're databases and break easily. To look at a game's data safely, open DevTools (F12) and use the Application panel (Chrome DevTools).

Can't play HTML5 games? Fixes that work

Most loading and display problems come down to the same short list. Try these in order and reload the game after each:

1. Update your browser and restart it.
2. Free up memory: close other tabs and programs.
3. Turn on hardware acceleration (see your browser's section below).
4. Disable extensions, especially ad and script blockers. A quick test: open the game in a private window, where most extensions are off.
5. Clear cached images and files (Chrome, Firefox). Leave site data alone if you want to keep saves.
6. Update your graphics driver on Windows, then restart.
7. Try another browser to tell a game problem from a browser problem.

Why won't my Chrome browser run HTML5 games?

The usual causes, and how to make HTML5 games work in Chrome:

• Graphics acceleration is off. Go to Settings → System and turn on Use graphics acceleration when available, then relaunch. Type chrome://gpu in the address bar: WebGL should say "Hardware accelerated".
• JavaScript is blocked for the site. Check Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings → JavaScript (Google's guide).
• An extension interferes. Test in an Incognito window, then turn extensions back on one by one.
• Chrome or the graphics driver is out of date. Update both.

How do I get HTML5 games to work in Firefox?

• In Settings → General → Performance, untick Use recommended performance settings and make sure Use hardware acceleration when available is on (Mozilla), then restart Firefox.
• Open about:support and check the Graphics section: if WebGL shows as blocked or unavailable, update your graphics driver.
• Restart in Troubleshoot Mode from the Help menu, which turns off extensions and themes temporarily (Mozilla). If the game works there, an extension or setting is the cause.
• Make sure Enhanced Tracking Protection isn't blocking a file the game needs: click the shield icon and turn it off for that site as a test.

Pogo HTML5 games: what they are and how to fix them

Pogo is Electronic Arts' games site, so for account, membership or game-specific problems, EA's own help is the authority. Here's the general picture, with links to EA's pages.

What are HTML5 games on Pogo?

They're Pogo's games as they run today. EA's help center describes Pogo games as games "which run in HTML5" (EA Help). The old Flash versions stopped working when Adobe blocked Flash content from January 12, 2021 (Adobe).

If a Pogo page or a pop-up still asks you to install Adobe Flash, don't. You don't need Flash for HTML5 games, and Adobe "strongly recommends all users immediately uninstall Flash Player". Unofficial Flash downloads are a common way to spread malware.

Why are my Pogo HTML5 games not loading?

EA's troubleshooting page, updated in May 2026, recommends freeing up memory by closing other programs and tabs, clearing your browser's cache, turning off pop-up blockers and relaunching the game. If you can't see the whole game screen, adjust the browser's zoom. It also lists the setups Pogo supports:

EA lists AOL, Internet Explorer 11 and older, Opera, Pale Moon, Safari for Windows and SeaMonkey as no longer supported. If you use one of those, switching to a supported browser is the first fix. Check EA's page for the current list, since requirements change.

Why do HTML5 games fail to render on Pogo in Chrome?

A black or frozen game area in Chrome usually means the game can't use your graphics hardware. Turn on graphics acceleration, check chrome://gpu, update your graphics driver and test without extensions, as described in the Chrome section above. If games still won't render on a supported setup, contact EA through its help site: they can see problems on Pogo's side that no browser setting will fix.

How do you score points in Pogo HTML5 games?

Scoring rules belong to each game, so read the game's own instructions or help screen. Pogo's badges, challenges and rewards are EA's systems; for how they're earned or why one didn't count, use EA's help site or the official EA Forums for Pogo. If scores stop saving, check that you're signed in and not in a private window.

What a well-made HTML5 game handles for you

Players shouldn't need most of this guide. A well-built game scales to any screen, accepts touch, mouse, keyboard and gamepad, asks for a tap before playing sound, saves progress on the device and, ideally, keeps working offline once loaded. Every game in our catalog supports all four input types and saves progress locally, and we run their end-to-end tests in Chromium, Firefox and WebKit browsers plus emulated Pixel 7 and iPhone 15 profiles. You can play any of our games in your browser on its product page, or see our picks of the best HTML5 games to try next. If you're looking for old favourites, our guide to Flash games and HTML5 explains what happened to them.

We make and sell HTML5 game source code; links to our games are marked as ours.