Can You Play Microsoft FreeCell For Free? Here Are Your Options

It's the early 2000s. You've just wrapped up your school report on Microsoft Word, and the next thing you instinctively do is play PC games, specifically the free built-in ones, on your trusty Windows 7 computer to pass the time. There's the ever-annoying Minesweeper and Chess Titans, but probably your top go-to game of all is FreeCell. This classic card game is simple to pick up but challenging enough to still give your brain quite a workout. Unfortunately, over the years, Microsoft has discontinued some of its native games.

Fortunately, there's still hope for FreeCell fans. Unlike other games like 3D Pinball and Purple Place, the official Microsoft FreeCell is actually still around. And yes, you can still play the game for free and even without an internet connection. We'll cover some of the platforms where you can still enjoy FreeCell — both the Microsoft version and third-party alternatives. 

The official Microsoft FreeCell game is available on several platforms for your convenience. At the top of this list is, of course, Windows 11. However, it's no longer an individual app unlike in the earlier versions of Windows. Instead, Microsoft bundled it into a single Microsoft Solitaire Collection, together with four other card games: the classic Klondike and Spider Solitaire and the newer Pyramid and TriPeaks games. You can play Microsoft FreeCell from the Solitaire & Casual Games app on your Windows computer. If this isn't pre-installed on your machine, hop over to the Microsoft Store, look up "Microsoft Solitaire Collection," and download the app.

Apart from your desktop, Microsoft FreeCell is mobile-friendly too. You can download the Microsoft Solitaire Collection app to your Android phone, tablet, iPhone, or iPad. Simply search for it on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. This mobile app offers the exact same features as the Windows desktop version, and it also works offline.

While you can readily play Microsoft FreeCell from your computer or handset, you may not be a fan of installing apps you'll only use occasionally. In that case, you can use your favorite browser instead. However, FreeCell isn't like Minesweeper, a game you can play in Chrome by simply looking up the keyword. To play FreeCell in your browser, you'd need to hop on the Microsoft-owned MSN Games website first, where you can access the game at no cost. This web version differs slightly from the desktop and mobile apps, though. It doesn't include a Solver feature or the option to customize the background, card design, and effects. And of course, you'll need an internet connection to play it.

There's another version of FreeCell you can find on the MSN Games site too. It's called Freecell Solitaire, but it comes with a different interface and sound effect. Unlike the Microsoft version, it also doesn't automatically move the cards to valid spots when you click on them; you'll have to place each one by yourself.

If you're on a platform like macOS or Linux where Microsoft FreeCell isn't supported, there are a few different ways to play the game. First off, if you're comfortable, running a Windows Virtual Machine (VM) on your computer is always an option. This allows you to run a complete and functional copy of Windows within your host OS, so you could install and play FreeCell here as you normally would on a Windows PC. Another method of playing FreeCell on macOS and Linux is via Wine, which lets you run a Windows app right on your macOS or Linux computer.

There's also the option of running a non-Microsoft version of Freecell. For macOS users, one of the top free FreeCell apps to install is Full Deck Solitaire. It features some of the same functionalities as Microsoft FreeCell, such as giving hints, resetting the current deck, and redealing a new game. Plus, you can also customize how the game looks just like in the Microsoft version. Unlike the Microsoft Solitaire Collection, though, Full Deck Solitaire offers more than 80 games.

For Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux distros for beginner and advanced users, try Aisleriot instead. It's a free and open-source app featuring FreeCell and over 80 other card games. What makes it convenient to use is that it's already pre-installed on some distros. If you can't find it on your computer, you can also install it from the official app store for your distro or with a single command in the terminal.