Pass the Imposter: The one-phone imposter party game
Everyone gets the same secret word. Everyone except the imposter. Pass one phone around the room, give one-word clues, and catch the faker before they catch on.
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Runs entirely on this device. Nothing you type ever leaves your phone.
What is Pass the Imposter?
Pass the Imposter is a free, no-download imposter party game for 3 to 20 players on one shared phone, with 56 word packs, custom packs, offline play, and three ways to play: Classic, Undercover, and Mr. White. One player secretly becomes the imposter while everyone else shares the same secret word. Players take turns giving one-word clues out loud, then vote on who they think the imposter is.
It is built for playing in the same room, on one phone or tablet you pass around. No second device, no internet after the first load, no accounts. Bring it on a road trip, a flight, or anywhere the signal drops out.
- Players: 3 to 20 players
- Price: Free, no download or app required
- Modes: Classic, Undercover, Mr. White
- Word packs: 56 built-in packs (3249 word pairs) plus your own custom packs
- Offline: Works offline once loaded
What makes it fun
Actually free
Every pack, every mode, forever. No paywall, no "pro" tier, nothing to buy.
Plays offline
Add it to your home screen and it works with no signal. Perfect for the back seat on a long drive.
Nobody can peek
You hold the screen to see your word and it vanishes the second you let go. No more cupping your hand and hoping.
Three ways to play
Classic, Undercover, and Mr. White. Mix them up so nobody gets too comfortable.
56 word packs
3,000+ word pairs: animals, movies, countries, food, you name it. Or write your own for inside jokes.
Just one phone
Everyone shares a single phone. No app on five devices, no accounts, no setup.
How to play in 5 steps
- Set up: add 3–20 player names, pick the number of imposters, a mode, and word packs.
- Reveal: pass the phone around. Each player holds the screen to see their secret word privately.
- Clues: in the shown order, each player says one word that hints at the secret word without giving it away.
- Vote: discuss who sounded off, then pass the phone once more so everyone votes in secret.
- Reveal & score: see who the imposter was and who won, then play again with a new word.
New to social-deduction games? Read the full how-to-play guide, compare the three game modes, or skim the complete rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the imposter game?
To play the imposter game (also spelled impostor), gather 3 to 20 players around one phone. Everyone secretly gets the same word except the imposter, who gets a blank or a similar word. Pass the phone so each player privately views their word, then take turns saying one-word clues out loud. After the clues, everyone votes on who they think the imposter is. Civilians win if they vote out the imposter; the imposter wins if they avoid detection.
How many players do you need?
Pass the Imposter works with 3 to 20 players. The game is best with 4 to 10 players. We recommend 1 imposter for 3 to 6 players, 2 imposters for 7 to 11, and 3 imposters for 12 or more.
What is Mr. White and what is Undercover mode?
Undercover mode gives the imposter a similar but different word, so they have to work out that they are the odd one out. Mr. White is an optional add-on for either mode with 5 or more players: one extra player gets a blank card, and if Mr. White is voted out they get one chance to win the whole game by correctly guessing the civilians’ secret word. Classic mode simply gives the imposter no word at all and tells them they are the imposter.
Can you play with 3 players?
Yes, you can play Pass the Imposter with 3 players. With 3 players use exactly 1 imposter. Three-player games are fast and tense, though most groups find the game most fun with 5 or more players.
Is it free and do I need to download an app?
Pass the Imposter is completely free and there is no app to download. It runs in your web browser, with no account, no sign-up, and no payment. You can also add it to your home screen and play offline once the page has loaded.
How do you pass the phone without seeing each other’s words?
Pass the Imposter uses a hold-to-reveal screen: each player presses and holds to see their word, and the word disappears the instant they lift their finger. This makes it impossible for the next player to peek. The phone is passed seat by seat, and the app tracks whose turn it is to look.
What are good imposter game words?
Good imposter game words are concrete nouns everyone in the group recognizes, paired with a decoy from the same category that is similar but not identical, like Dog and Wolf or Pizza and Lasagna. Pass the Imposter ships 56 packs with 3,249 hand-picked pairs; browse samples on the imposter game words page or create a custom pack.
Is there a game like Among Us to play in real life?
Yes. Pass the Imposter belongs to the same social-deduction family as Among Us: a hidden imposter tries to blend in while everyone else works out who they are. Instead of tasks on a map, you play face to face with secret words and one-word clues, on one phone with no app to download.
Ready to find the imposter?
Gather your group, grab one phone, and start a round in seconds.
Play now, it's free