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Pass the Imposter

Guide · Updated 2026-07-05

How to play Pass the Imposter

To play Pass the Imposter, gather 3 to 20 players around one phone, give everyone the same secret word except the imposter, take turns saying one-word clues out loud, and then vote on who the imposter is. Civilians win by voting out the imposter; the imposter wins by blending in and avoiding the vote. A full round takes about five minutes.

What you need

Just one phone or tablet and at least three people in the same room. Pass the Imposter is free, needs no app download, and runs in any modern browser. Once the page has loaded, it also works offline, so it is perfect for car rides, flights, and camping trips.

Step-by-step rules

  1. Add the players. Gather 3 to 20 people around one phone and enter everyone’s name. Pass the Imposter shuffles the pass order, so it tells you exactly who to hand the phone to next.
  2. Choose imposters and a mode. Pick how many imposters to hide (1 for up to 6 players, 2 for 7 to 11, 3 for 12+), a mode (Classic or Undercover), and optionally add Mr. White with 5 or more players.
  3. Privately reveal each word. Pass the phone around. Each player holds the screen to see their secret word, then lifts their finger so it hides before they pass it on.
  4. Give one-word clues. Following the speaking order shown on screen, each player says a single word that relates to the secret word without giving it away.
  5. Vote and reveal. Discuss who sounded suspicious, then pass the phone once more so everyone votes by secret ballot. The top-voted player is out; in a quick game the roles and word are revealed right away.

The private reveal (no peeking)

The reveal is the heart of pass-and-play. When the phone reaches you, tap “I’m [name], reveal,” then press and hold the pad to see your word. The moment you lift your finger, the word disappears, so the next player cannot peek over your shoulder. Tap “Hide & pass” and hand the device to the next person. The app keeps track of whose turn it is, so nobody is skipped or shown twice.

Giving good clues

On your turn, say one word that is clearly related to your secret word but not so obvious that the imposter can guess it. If your word is “Lion,” a clue like “mane” connects you to other civilians while still testing the imposter. The imposter, who has no word or a similar decoy word, must invent a clue that sounds like it fits.

Voting and winning

After the clue rounds (set 1 to 3 before the first vote), everyone votes by secret ballot as the phone makes one more lap. The top-voted player is out; a tie triggers one revote between the tied players, and if that ties too, nobody is eliminated and you give another round of clues. In a quick game the reveal ends the round. In a full game, only imposter-or-not is revealed and play continues until every imposter is caught or the imposters equal the civilians left. With the Mr. White add-on, a caught Mr. White gets one last chance to steal the win by guessing the secret word.

Scoring and playing again

Pass the Imposter keeps a running scoreboard across rounds, even if you close the page. Each civilian scores 2 points on a civilian win, each imposter scores 6 on an imposter win, and a Mr. White who guesses correctly adds a bonus 8. Tap “Play again” to reshuffle the roles and draw a brand-new word from your chosen word packs; words never repeat until you have seen them all.

Want the finer points, like ties, multiple imposters, and house rules? See the complete rules, or learn the differences between the three modes.

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.