---
title: "How to Play Among Us: Rules, Roles, and Pro Tips"
description: "A practical guide on how to play Among Us: learn about roles, tasks, maps, and the best tips to spot impostors quickly."
url: "https://www.alemasone.com/en/how-to-play-among-us-guide/"
language: "en"
published: 2023-12-18
updated: 2026-09-12
categories: ["Gaming"]
translations:
  it: "https://www.alemasone.com/it/come-giocare-ad-among-us/"
  es: "https://www.alemasone.com/es/como-jugar-a-among-us-guia/"
  fr: "https://www.alemasone.com/fr/comment-jouer-a-among-us-astuces/"
  pt: "https://www.alemasone.com/pt/como-jogar-among-us-regras-truques/"
  de: "https://www.alemasone.com/de/among-us-guide-regeln-tipps-tricks/"
---

# How to Play Among Us: Rules, Roles, and Pro Tips

In **Among Us**, a group of Crewmates must complete maintenance tasks on a spaceship, while one or more Impostors try to eliminate them without getting caught. It can be played with 4 to 15 people, and the crew wins by finishing all tasks or unmasking all the impostors during emergency meetings.

**Among Us** is the social deduction game from [Innersloth](https://www.innersloth.com/), available on PC, console, iPhone, and Android. It was released in 2018 and exploded in popularity in 2020 during lockdowns. Even today, it remains one of the most popular games for an online game night with friends, and as of June 2026, there is even an animated series (I'll discuss that in the FAQ).

## What is Among Us and how does it work

You play on a spaceship, a research base, or an island that the crew must repair. At the start of each match, players are secretly divided into two teams:

- **Crewmates**, who must complete their assignments (the **tasks**) and discover who is sabotaging the mission;
- **Impostors**, who must eliminate Crewmates without getting caught.

![Among Us characters gathered on a spaceship before the start of the match](among-us-partita-the-skeld.png "Crewmates at the start of a game on The Skeld")

The game alternates between silent exploration phases, where everyone moves around the map doing their tasks, and discussion phases, which begin when someone finds a body or calls an emergency meeting.

You can play in public lobbies with strangers, or create a private game and send the code to your friends.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  A[Tasks and sabotages] --> B{Meeting?}
  B -- No --> A
  B -- Yes --> C[Vote]
  C --> A
  C --> D[Victory]
```

## Crewmates, Impostors, and special roles

The host decides the number of impostors, from 1 to 3. The more players there are, the more sense it makes to increase them; otherwise, it becomes too difficult for the impostors.

Impostors see their teammates' names highlighted in red. Crewmates, on the other hand, never know for sure who to trust until evidence surfaces.

In the lobby settings, the host can also enable **[special roles](/en/best-discord-bots-setup-guide/)**, which add a unique ability to certain players:

| Role | Team | What it does |
|-------|---------|---------|
| Scientist | Crewmate | Checks everyone's vitals from anywhere on the map |
| Engineer | Crewmate | Can use the vents for short periods |
| Guardian Angel | Crewmate (as a ghost) | Protects a living player from attacks for a few seconds |
| Noisemaker | Crewmate | When killed, triggers an alarm that everyone can hear |
| Tracker | Crewmate | Tracks another player's movements on the map |
| Shapeshifter | Impostor | Takes on the appearance of another player for a few seconds |
| Phantom | Impostor | Becomes invisible for a short period |

In 2025, the **Detective** (among Crewmates) and the **Viper** (among Impostors) were also added. There is also the **Hide n Seek** mode, where the impostor is visible to everyone and the others only need to survive until time runs out.

## Tasks

The host chooses how many tasks to assign and what type they are. They fall into three categories:

- **Short tasks**: small mini-games that can be finished in a few seconds.
- **Long tasks**: require multiple steps, often in different rooms.
- **Common tasks**: these are the same for all Crewmates. If a common task doesn't appear on your list, no one has it, and anyone pretending to do it is almost certainly an impostor.

Every completed task advances the green bar at the top left, which everyone can see: when it's full, the crew wins. Moving alone is faster, but it exposes you to an attack without witnesses. Moving in groups of two or three reduces the risk, provided you trust those around you.

## Maps

In addition to the original maps, Innersloth has added others over the years:

| Map      | Released | Main feature                       |
|------------|:--------:|--------------------------------------------------|
| The Skeld  |   2018   | The original; compact and great for beginners |
| MIRA HQ    |   2018   | Research base with small rooms and a central corridor |
| Polus      |   2019   | Station on an icy planet, very expansive |
| The Airship|   2021   | The largest, featuring stairs, moving platforms, and a choice of starting point |
| The Fungle | 2023 | Jungle-themed island with ziplines and mushroom sabotage that messes with everyone's appearance |

![Among Us digital map with yellow exclamation marks indicating tasks to be completed](mappa-digitale-among-us-skeld.png "The map can be consulted at any time to plan your route")

You choose the map in the lobby settings. If it's your first time, start with The Skeld: it's small and you can learn the ropes in a couple of games.

## Emergency meetings, chat, and voting

While exploring, you cannot talk to anyone. Discussion only opens in two cases:

1. someone finds a body and presses the button to report it;
2. someone calls an emergency meeting using the button in the central room.

During the discussion, everyone explains where they were and what they saw, then a vote is held to decide who to eject. If a player receives enough votes, they are ejected, and the game reveals (if the host has enabled it) whether they were an Impostor or a Crewmate.

!["Who Is The Impostor?" voting screen during an emergency meeting in Among Us ](schermata-votazione-who-is-the-impostor.png "The discussion and voting phase after an emergency meeting ")

Most players playing with friends use a voice chat alongside the in-game chat, such as [Discord ](https://discord.com/), to be used only during meetings: discussions become much faster and more fun.

> **Keep an eye on the map** (the icon in the top right): it helps you find the shortest route between your tasks and lets you notice anyone wandering around in areas where there is nothing to do.

## How to play as Impostor

As an Impostor, you must blend in with the Crewmates. You have three tools:

- **vents**, which only you (and the Engineer) can use to move quickly between rooms;
- the ability to **fake tasks**, by standing in front of panels without actually doing anything, because Impostors cannot complete them;
- **sabotages**, such as oxygen or reactor failures, which force Crewmates to split up to fix them and give you the chance to strike without witnesses.

![Player in the Impostor role activating a sabotage on the spaceship ](sabotaggio-among-us-impostore.png "A sabotage creates the perfect moment to strike without witnesses ")

Be careful, though: if someone sees you exiting a vent, you are caught instantly. Also, constantly accusing random people during voting will end up making you look suspicious.

## What happens if you are eliminated

If you are killed or ejected, you continue playing as a **ghost**. You can pass through walls and finish your tasks, helping the crew fill the bar. However, you cannot talk to the living or vote.

![Player transformed into a ghost continuing to complete tasks in Among Us ](ambientazione-among-us-fantasma-giocatore.png "Even as a ghost, you can help the crew win ")

## Platforms and price

Among Us is playable on PC (on [Steam ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/945360/Among_Us/) and the Epic Games Store), PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and on smartphones like iPhone and Android, with cross-play across all platforms. On PC and consoles it costs a few euros, while it is free on mobile, with in-app purchases for hats, pets, and skins.

[View the official Steam page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/945360/Among_Us/)

## FAQ

### How many players are needed?

Anywhere from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 15. Initially, the limit was 10, but it has since been increased.

### How many Impostors can there be?

Between 1 and 3, depending on the host's choice. With 10 or more players, two Impostors is usually the right number.

### Can you play for free?

Yes, it is free to download on iPhone and Android, where purchases are only cosmetic. On PC and consoles, you have to buy the game.

### Is there a 3D version?

Yes, **Among Us 3D**, originally released for VR headsets and later also for PC without a headset. The rules are the same, but you play in first-person inside the spaceship.

### Does Among Us have a TV series?

Yes. In June 2026, Paramount+ released an animated series inspired by the game, with all episodes of the first season available together. It isn't necessary to learn how to play, but if you like the setting, it is worth a look.