Short answers to the questions people ask most. If yours isn't here, contact us.
Playing
What is PaneSlide?
PaneSlide is a free colour puzzle game that runs in your web browser. You slide coloured glass panes along their rails so that the overlapping colours match a small target picture. Levels mode is a path of more than 1,000 levels that keeps going, and there is a new daily puzzle every day.
How do I play?
Swipe a pane (or use the arrow keys) and it glides along its rail until it reaches the edge, a blocker, or slides onto new colour, where it sticks. Match the target picture to win. The first time you play, a short tutorial shows you the basics. The How to Play page explains every rule, and how panes move goes into detail.
Does every puzzle have a solution?
Yes. Every level and daily is checked by a computer search before it reaches you. The search proves that the puzzle can be solved, that only one arrangement of the panes matches the picture, and that par is the true minimum number of swipes.
What does par mean?
Par is the fewest swipes that can solve the puzzle. Solve in par or par + 1 for three stars. Solve in exactly par for a ✨ Perfect solve. See par, stars and perfect solves.
I'm stuck. What can I do?
Use undo to step back (the swipe still counts). In Levels mode, the gold hint button shows the next best swipe, and hints never cost stars. If the game says "Stuck! Undo", your last swipe made the picture impossible, so undo it. The guide to getting unstuck has a step-by-step routine.
When does the daily puzzle change?
At midnight on your device's clock. Everyone who plays on the same date gets the same puzzle. Missed one? Past dailies are in the archive, as practice that doesn't affect your streak.
Are there timers or lives?
No. There are no timers, no lives and no way to fail. Every solve earns at least one star.
Your progress
Do I need an account?
No. PaneSlide has no accounts, no sign-in and no passwords.
Where is my progress saved?
Only on your device, in your browser's local storage. Nothing about your play is sent to us. This also means that if you clear your browser's site data, or use a private window, your progress will be lost.
How do I move my progress to a new phone or browser?
Open Settings and tap Progress code. Copy the code and keep it somewhere safe, for example in a note or a message to yourself. On the new device, open Settings, tap Progress code, paste the code into "Load a code" and tap Load. Loading a code replaces the progress on that device.
Can I play on more than one device?
Yes, but each device keeps its own progress. Use a progress code to copy progress from one to the other when you switch.
Can I reset my progress?
Clearing this site's data in your browser settings will reset everything. There's no undo for that, so save a progress code first if you might want it back.
Shards and the shop
What are shards?
Shards are the game's one currency. You earn them by playing: new stars, perfect solves, gems, bosses, the daily puzzle, badges and the daily gift. You spend them in the shop on extra hints and cosmetic extras like board styles and music moods.
Can I buy shards or anything else with money?
No. Nothing in PaneSlide can be bought. Everything is earned by playing.
Devices and accessibility
Does PaneSlide work offline?
After your first visit, the game is saved by your browser, so you can keep playing levels and the daily puzzle with no internet connection. When a new version is available, a small message offers to refresh.
Can I install it like an app?
Yes. On Android and on desktop Chrome or Edge, look for "Install app" in Settings or your browser's menu. On iPhone and iPad, open the game in Safari, tap Share, then "Add to Home Screen". Step-by-step help is in install, offline and progress.
I'm colour-blind. Can I still play?
Yes. Turn on Patterns in Settings. Each glass colour then gets its own texture, on the board and in the target picture, so mixes can be told apart by pattern as well as by colour. The colour vision guide explains more.
Can I play with a keyboard or screen reader?
Yes. Pick a pane with Tab or the number keys 1 to 9, then slide it with the arrow keys or W A S D. Enter picks the next pane, Z undoes, H gives a hint and M turns music on or off. Each pane has a spoken label, such as its colour and which way it slides. See keyboard and mouse controls and accessibility.
Can I turn off the music or vibration?
Yes. Music, sound effects and vibration ("Buzz") each have their own switch in Settings, and there is a music volume slider.
About the site
Is PaneSlide really free? Will there be ads?
PaneSlide is free to play. At the moment it shows no ads. In future we may show a small number of ads on the website, never inside the puzzle itself, to cover running costs. The privacy policy explains what that would mean and will be updated before any ads appear.
Who makes PaneSlide?
PaneSlide is an independent game made in India. Read more on the About page.
How do I report a bug or suggest an idea?
Please email us using the address on the Contact page. Telling us your device, browser and the level or date helps a lot.