Play Imposter Online Free — With Friends

How to Play

1. Gather three to twelve players around one phone or in an online room, and pick a game type: Secret Word, Undercover or Secret Place.
2. Each player privately looks at their card. The crew sees the secret word (or place). The imposter sees something else, depending on the game type.
3. A random first speaker is chosen. Going round in the order shown, everyone says exactly one word out loud that connects to their secret.
4. Discuss for up to two and a half minutes. Who sounded vague? Who seemed to be copying others?
5. Everyone votes in secret for the player they suspect. Votes are revealed together, and the imposter is unmasked with a card flip.
6. A new imposter is dealt every round. After one round per player, the highest score wins.

Rules

Secret Word gives the crew a word such as "Jalebi" along with its category, "Sweets & Snacks". The imposter only learns the category and must blend in. Secret Place gives the crew a location like a railway station or a houseboat, while the imposter only learns that they are the imposter. Undercover is the sneakiest: the imposter gets a similar but different word (tea instead of coffee) and is never told they are the odd one out.

With seven or more players, every round has two imposters. They do not know about each other.

You cannot vote for yourself. The single player with the most votes is voted out. If two or more players tie for the most votes, nobody is voted out and the imposter escapes.

If a caught imposter played Secret Word or Secret Place, they get one last chance: pick the secret from six options. There is no typing anywhere in the game.

Scoring each round: an imposter who is not caught earns 2 points. A caught imposter who guesses the secret earns 1 point. If an imposter is caught and fails the guess (or there is no guess, in Undercover), every crew member earns 1 point.

Tips & Strategy

• Crew, aim for the middle. A clue that is too obvious hands the answer to the imposter, while a clue that is too clever makes you look guilty. "Syrup" for jalebi is better than "orange spiral".
• Imposters should speak late if they can. You cannot choose the order, but when you are near the end, listen to the earlier clues and pick a word that fits most of them.
• Watch for echoes. Someone who repeats the idea of the previous clue in different words is often fishing for safety.
• In Undercover, doubt yourself. If three clues feel slightly off from your word, you may be the imposter. Give a broad clue that covers both possibilities.
• Accuse without explaining. Spelling out the word while accusing someone makes the imposter's last guess easy.

Game Modes

Play with Friends is pass-and-play on one device. Each player taps to see their card, then hands the phone on behind a cover screen. During the discussion the phone sits in the middle showing the speaking order and a timer, and anyone can start the vote once everyone has spoken. Votes are cast one by one in secret, then revealed together.

Play Online puts every card on its owner's own phone. Each player taps "Ready to vote" when the talking is done, and voting opens when everyone is ready or the timer runs out. You still need to talk, so use a video call or share a room.

Play with Friends Online

Tap Play Online, create a room and share the link or room code. You need at least three people before the host can start. Each player's card travels only to their own phone, end-to-end encrypted, so nobody can peek at someone else's word. Votes stay hidden until the last one is in. There is no chat box or typing, which keeps rooms friendly for school groups.