The location of most mines is discovered through a logical process, but some require guessing, usually with a 50-50 chance of being correct.

The game board comes in three set sizes with a predetermined number of mines: "beginner", "intermediate", and "expert", although a "custom" option is available as well.

[7] In early versions of the game, a cheat code let players peek beneath the tiles.

[9] In 2003, Microsoft created a variation called Minesweeper Flags in MSN Messenger, which is played against an opponent with the objective to find the mines rather than the surrounding squares.

[11] The game's color scheme changed with the release of Vista (from gray to either blue or green).

As of Windows 10, the non-premium version has six modes of play: Classic (8x8), Easy (9x9), Medium (16x16), Expert (30x16), Custom, Adventure, and Daily Challenges.

Business Insider called the game an "iconic part" of the Windows operating system.