Here’s how to install real Wordle app

A simple word game created by Josh Wardle, Wordle is gaining popularity among the people who published it on the web.

Josh Wardle told the New York Times that since it was a “labor of love,” he’s not interested in creating an app version of it. Wordle copycats were taken down by Apple which showed the rising demand for an app version of Wordle.

There is a way to get Wordle game on iPhone and iPad by using a feature of iOS, save a web page to your home screen. By using the feature, iPhone and iPad users will get an icon of Wordle on the Home Screen and App Library to use it as an app, according to Macworld.

The New York Times bought Wordle from Josh Wardle, who was paid “in the low seven figures.” Wordle joins The Times’ various subscription services and apps, including The New York Times Crossword app that is free but offers in-app purchases.

The NYT article states that Wordle “would initially remain free to new and existing players,” so it remains to be seen if Wordle will continue to be free in the long run. In his statement to the media, Wardle said that he is, “working with [the Times] to make sure your wins and streaks will be preserved.”

Saving Wordle as an app

1. On iPhone or iPad, open ‘Safari’ and go to https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html (previously https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/).
2. Tap the’ Share’ button, which is the rectangle with the arrow pointing upward.
3. On the Share screen, tap ‘Add to Home Screen’.
4. On the next screen, you can rename Wordle if you want. You can also look at the URL to make sure it’s correct (https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html).
5. Tap Add and the Wordle icon will appear on your Home Screen.

When you’re ready to play (or when you can, since there’s only one Wordle game per day), you can just tap the green “W” icon on your Home Screen and the game will launch. Good luck!

How to load a new game

If you launch the Wordle web app on a new day and a new game didn’t load, try relaunching the app. Don’t worry about your streak—it will be maintained.

1. Go into the App Switcher by swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen. Stop swiping around the midpoint of the screen. On devices with Home buttons, press the Home button twice.
2. You’ll see a set of “cards” that represent the apps you recently opened. Swipe to Wordle and then swipe up on it to remove it from the set.
3. Go back to the Home Screen by tapping anywhere on the screen and open Wordle.

How to restore your streak after NYT switch

The New York Times has made its acquisition of Wordle, so if you go to the original Wordle location at https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/ it will redirect to the new NYT version at https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html.

During the transition, The Times had an issue with a player’s streak information being reset. According to The Verge, The Times recommends that to restore your streak, open Wordle using the old URL at https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/. This will cause your browser to redirect and your streak information will be brought to the new site.

If you created an “app” using the “How to save Wordle an ‘app’” instructions above before the NYT transition, the app should direct to the new URL when you launch the app.

If you go to the NYT version directly, your streak will not carry over. Also, if you are not using the same browser or device that you used previously, your streak will not continue.

Saving Wordle as an offline game

Wordle runs in a browser and the game’s code and words are essentially within the webpage itself—it’s not pinging a server or needs to access anything online.

So you can save the Wordle website on your device and play it from there instead of on the web. Wordle has over 2,000 words and since it’s played once a day, you should have over six years’ worth of games if you play daily.

However, if you’ve been playing online and decide to play this way, your streak will end and you’ll have to start a new one. Here’s how to save it on a Mac, iPhone or iPad in Safari.

Wordle as a Mac Web Archive

1. Open Wordle (https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html, previously https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/) in Safari.
2. Go to File > Save As.
3. The Save window will open. Pick a location where you want to save the file, and name the file.
4. For the Format, select Web Archive.
5. Click Save.

Opening the file: When you first open the file to play the game, you may get a warning that says the file can’t be opened because macOS can’t verify that the file is malware-free. To open the file, right-click it and select Open. Instead of the malware warning, you’ll need to confirm that you really want to open the file. Click Open and you should be good to go.

Wordle in the iPhone/iPad Safari Reading List

iPhone and iPad users  can save Wordle to Safari’s Reading List. To be able to access Wordle offline, you need to adjust Safari’s settings. Go to Settings > Safari, then scroll down to the Reading List section at the bottom. Turn on the switch for Automatically Save Offline.

Here’s how to add Wordle to your Reading List:

1. Open Wordle (https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html, previously https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/) in Safari.
2. Tap the Share button, which is the rectangle with the arrow pointing upward.
3. On the Share screen, scroll down to Add to Reading List and tap it.

When you want to play Wordle, tap the Bookmarks icon in Safari’s URL bar. Then tap the eyeglasses icon, which will take you to your Reading List, where you’ll find Wordle.

How to play past Wordles

Wordle has only one game per day and each day is numbered. For example, Wordle on January 27 is game number 222. Wordle itself doesn’t have a way to play past editions, but as Lifehacker reports, there is a site that allows you to access past Wordles, according to Macworld.

Created by Devang Thakkar, the Wordle Archive lets you play old Wordle editions. The site provides buttons so you can access a specific puzzle—you can even replay Wordles you have already solved.

If you really love the Wordle Archive, you can make it an “app” on your iPhone and iPad, which would give you quick and easy access to the game. Just open the Wordle Archive in Safari, and then follow the same instructions as how to save Wordle as an “app” at the top of this article.

How to cheat at Wordle

No, we’re not advocates for cheating in a game that we enjoy, but maybe you just need a little help. Or maybe you’re tired of seeing Wordle scores on social media and you want to post a few “high” scores of your own to get back at them. Whatever your reason, we’re not here to judge, we’re just here to direct you to an article and video by our sister publication, PCWorld, on how to cheat at Wordle.