How to use a Ouija board
A Ouija board (also called a spirit board or talking board) is played with a small heart-shaped pointer, the planchette, that glides over letters, numbers and the words YES, NO and GOODBYE. Here are the classic rules, step by step, and how the online version on Whispirit works.
What you need
- A board with the alphabet, the numbers 0 to 9, and the words YES, NO and GOODBYE. On Whispirit the board is already on screen.
- A planchette: the pointer that moves and stops on letters to spell the answer.
- A quiet, dim room. Traditionally people light a candle and switch off the music and the TV.
- One or more players. With a physical board two people usually rest their fingertips on the planchette. Online you can play alone.
How to use a Ouija board, step by step
1. Set the mood
Dim the lights, light a candle, put your phone on silent. Everyone at the table should agree to take the session seriously, even if it is just for fun. Laughing nervously is allowed.
2. Open the session
Place your fingertips lightly on the planchette and move it in a few slow circles to "warm up" the board. Then greet whoever may be listening, for example: "Is anyone here with us?"
3. Ask one clear question at a time
Start with simple yes or no questions, then move on to names, dates and short words. Wait patiently: the planchette often hesitates, circles, and only then settles on a letter. Have one person write down the letters as they appear.
4. Watch for YES, NO and GOODBYE
If the planchette goes to YES or NO it is answering directly. If it moves to GOODBYE, the conversation is over, whatever you were about to ask.
5. Close the session properly
Never just walk away. Thank the spirit, say goodbye, and move the planchette to GOODBYE yourselves. Then put the board away. This is the single most repeated rule of the game.
The classic rules (and superstitions)
- Never play alone (online is the exception people make: nothing physical stays in your house).
- Always end with GOODBYE.
- Don't ask about your own death, or when someone else will die.
- If the planchette counts down through the numbers or moves through the alphabet over and over, close the session.
- Don't ask the spirit to show a physical sign.
- Be polite. Mocking the board is considered the fastest way to end a session badly.
How to use an online Ouija board
On Whispirit you don't need a physical board or a second player:
- Open whispirit.com on your phone or computer. It is free and needs no account.
- Type your question next to the quill, or tap the candle and say it out loud.
- Watch the planchette search, hesitate and then spell the answer letter by letter. The letters stay on screen as a trace.
- Ask in your own language. The board changes its alphabet when you write in Greek, Russian, Ukrainian or Bulgarian.
- Share any answer as an image, sized for stories.
The answers are written by an AI with a carefully written personality: short, cryptic and a little unsettling, never cheesy. It is a game, and it is honest about being one.
Tips for a better session
- Ask short questions. Long, complicated ones get short, cryptic answers anyway.
- Ask the spirit its name first, then use it in your questions.
- Play at night with the sound on and headphones in.
- Need ideas? See our list of 100 questions to ask a Ouija board.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a Ouija board alone?
Tradition says you shouldn't play with a physical board alone, but many people play alone online. On Whispirit you can ask questions by yourself, by typing or speaking.
How do you end a Ouija board session?
Thank the spirit, say goodbye, and move the planchette to GOODBYE before you leave the board. Online, you simply close the page.
Why does the planchette move?
Researchers explain it with the ideomotor effect: tiny, unconscious muscle movements of the players. On Whispirit the movement is animated and the words come from an AI.
Is an online Ouija board free?
Whispirit is free, without an account, without ads and without cookies.
Keep reading
- 100 questions to ask a Ouija board
- What is a Ouija board? History, meaning and how it moves
- Tabla Ouija online, în limba română
Whispirit is made for entertainment: the answers are written by an AI, not by spirits. Ouija is a trademark of Hasbro; Whispirit is not affiliated with Hasbro.