3 Ways To Tell If Eggs Are Raw Or Hard Boiled - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow Easy Ways to Test If Eggs Are Boiled or Raw PDF download Download Article Figure out if your eggs are cooked with these expert-backed tips Co-authored by Randall Chambers and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Spin Test
    • |
  • Alternative Tests
    • |
  • Marking Boiled Eggs
    • |
  • Video
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  • Q&A
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  • Tips
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This article was co-authored by Randall Chambers and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Randall (Randy) Chambers is a Personal Chef and the Owner of Luxury Meals From Home based in Arvada, Colorado. He has more than 16 years of commercial kitchen experience, five years of sous chef experience, and two years of experience as an executive chef. Chef Randy draws inspiration from his half Bolivian background and his forte is South American cuisine. He holds an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,916,340 times.

Have you gotten your hard boiled eggs mixed up with the raw eggs in your fridge? Even though they may look the same, it’s so easy to tell if an egg is hard boiled without cracking open the shell. Whether you’re checking an egg in your fridge or want to know if an egg is done boiling, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through a few easy tests to try and how to mark eggs you’ve already cooked.

Things You Should Know

  • Spin the egg on a flat surface and stop it suddenly with your index finger. If it stays still, it’s hard boiled, but it’s raw if it continues to wobble.
  • Shine a flashlight through the egg. A hard boiled egg will look dark and opaque, but a raw egg up will light up.
  • Put the egg in hot water. Raw eggs produce a stream of air bubbles and boiled eggs don't.
  • Shake the egg gently. A hard boiled egg feels solid, but the weight will shift inside if it's raw.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Spin Test

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 1 Spin the egg on a smooth, flat surface. Set the egg on its side on a cutting board or countertop. Pinch the egg between your fingers and spin it like it’s a top so it’s moving at a steady pace.[1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 2 Check if the egg is steady or wobbly while it’s spinning. Carefully watch how the egg moves after you spin it. If the egg spins quickly and steadily like a top, the egg is hard boiled. If it spins slowly, has a major wobble, or doesn’t spin at all, the egg is still raw.[2]
    • A boiled egg spins at a consistent speed because the solid whites and yolk make its center of gravity stable.
    • The liquid whites and yolk inside a raw egg shift around as the egg spins, so it throws off the balance more.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 3 Stop the egg quickly. While the egg is still going at full speed, quickly place a finger down on its center to make it stop. Once the egg comes to a stop, immediately remove your finger.[3]
    • Press hard enough to stop the egg within 1–2 seconds, but don’t press so hard that you accidentally break the shell.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 4 Check if the egg starts spinning again to see if it’s raw. If the egg stays still after you lift your finger, then you have a hard boiled egg. However, a raw egg will start slowly spinning again after you stop it.[4]
    • Why does a raw egg keep spinning? Since the whites and yolk are liquid, they’re still spinning inside the shell. The egg's center of gravity shifts as the liquid contents move around, causing the egg to keep moving.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Alternative Tests

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 1 Shine a flashlight through the egg to see if it lights up. Turn off the lights in the room so it’s easier to see the egg with your flashlight. Turn the flashlight on and hold it against the side of the egg. If the egg is raw, it will light up like a lantern since the liquid inside allows the light to shine through. If the egg is dark and opaque, then it’s hard-boiled because the cooked white and yolk don't let any light through.[5]
    • This test works best with smaller flashlights so that the rim of the flashlight sits perfectly against the egg’s shell.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 2 Put the egg in hot water and check for a stream of air bubbles. Place the egg in a pot or bowl of nearly boiling water. Look for small streams of bubbles coming out of the shell of the egg to tell if the egg is raw. If you don’t see any bubbles, then your egg has already been boiled.[6]
    • Why do raw eggs make bubbles? Egg shells are not completely solid and are actually covered by thousands of tiny holes that can allow gasses to pass through. Heating the egg makes the gas inside the shell expand and pass through the holes. Boiled eggs don’t make bubbles because the gas was already forced out when you cooked them.
    • Quickly take any raw eggs out of the water unless you plan on boiling them right now. Otherwise, they’ll start cooking and solidify inside.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 3 Shake the egg to feel if the yolk and whites move around. Hold the egg in your fingertips and give it a gentle shake like a maraca. Concentrate on how the egg feels when you move it around. A hard boiled egg feels solid like a rock, but you’ll be able to feel the liquid inside a raw egg moving and shifting as you shake it.[7]
    • If you hear a sloshing sound when you shake a raw egg, it means the egg is older and works better for baking or scrambling.[8]
  4. Step 4 Crack open the egg if all else fails. 4 Crack open the egg if all else fails. If you’re still not able to tell after any of the tests, tap the egg against the rim of a bowl to break the shell. If the egg is raw, the whites and yolk will start to ooze out. If your egg is hard boiled, then it will look and feel solid under the shell.
    • If you’re making hard boiled eggs and want to know when they’re done, cut one of them in half to check if the yolk is solid. If the yolk is still runny, let your eggs boil for another minute or two. It usually takes around 10–12 minutes to hard boil an egg.[9]
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Marking Boiled Eggs

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 1 Boil with onion skins. Take the skins from about 12 red or yellow onions and bring them to a boil on your stove. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let the onion skins cook for 30 minutes. Strain the skins out and add pre-cooked hard boiled eggs to the water. Let the eggs soak for up to 1 hour to darken them to a nice beige color so they’re easier to tell apart from your raw eggs.[10]
    • Yellow onions create a light tan color while red onions make a darker red.
    • None of the onion flavor will get into your eggs, so they’ll taste the same as undyed eggs.
  2. Step 2 Dye the eggs... 2 Dye the eggs with food coloring. When you're boiling the eggs in a small pot, add a few drops of food coloring and 1–2 teaspoons (4.9–9.9 ml) of vinegar directly to the water. Alternatively, hard boil the eggs first and then soak them in a mixture of 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of boiling water, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vinegar, and a few drops of food coloring afterward.
    • Color-code your eggs if you’re making multiple kinds. For example, you may dye hard boiled eggs red and soft boiled eggs blue so they’re easier to tell apart.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled 3 Mark the shells with a marker. Simply boil your eggs as normal before removing them from the water and allowing them to dry. When they’re completely dry, mark the shell with a "B" for "boiled" so you can easily tell them apart with a quick glance.
    • Don't worry — since you have to remove the shell to eat boiled eggs, this doesn't make your eggs unsafe to eat, even if you use ink.
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Community Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question How long does it take for them to be done? wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer It usually takes about 10–12 minutes to boil eggs. Take an egg out of the pot and try spinning it to test if it's cooked through. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question If I didn't boil my eggs long enough, can I reboil them? Note: I boiled 2dz eggs in a large pot for 20+ minutes. They don't seem to be done enough. They won't peel nicely for making deviled eggs. Community Answer Community Answer No. They are already over cooked.Be sure to use older eggs - buy them at least one week before you cook them. Fresh eggs will never ever peel well. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 38 Helpful 73
  • Question Do raw eggs float or sink? Qamar Qamar Top Answerer If the eggs are fresh, they will sink on their sides. Rotten eggs will float. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 18 Helpful 49
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Video

Tips

  • Wondering if raw eggs are still good? Try an egg water test by dropping the egg in a glass of cold water. A fresh egg will sink and lay on its side at the bottom. An egg that’s a week or two old stands up on its end, and a bad egg floats on the surface.[11] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • Don't keep boiled eggs next to raw ones. It's unsanitary and not doing so avoids the need to write on or color code them.
  • To prevent the egg from leaking while boiling, add a little vinegar to the water. It wont effect the taste of the egg.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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References

  1. ↑ Randall Chambers. Personal Chef. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Randall Chambers. Personal Chef. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/egg-cooked-raw
  4. ↑ Randall Chambers. Personal Chef. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8067928/how-to-know-when-boiled-eggs-are-done/#:~:text=Use%20a%20Flashlight,-On%20the%20farm&text=Raw%20eggs%20carry%20the%20light,isn't%20an%20ideal%20method.
  6. ↑ https://www.thehappyscientist.com/content/egg-bubbles
  7. ↑ https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8067928/how-to-know-when-boiled-eggs-are-done/
  8. ↑ https://www.australianeggs.org.au/facts-and-tips/tell-if-eggs-are-bad
  9. ↑ https://www.eggs.ca/eggs101/view/6/how-to-make-the-perfect-hard-boiled-egg
More References (2)
  1. ↑ https://www.eggs.ca/eggs101/view/6/how-to-make-the-perfect-hard-boiled-egg
  2. ↑ https://www.australianeggs.org.au/facts-and-tips/tell-if-eggs-are-bad

About This Article

Randall Chambers Co-authored by: Randall Chambers Personal Chef This article was co-authored by Randall Chambers and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Randall (Randy) Chambers is a Personal Chef and the Owner of Luxury Meals From Home based in Arvada, Colorado. He has more than 16 years of commercial kitchen experience, five years of sous chef experience, and two years of experience as an executive chef. Chef Randy draws inspiration from his half Bolivian background and his forte is South American cuisine. He holds an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute. This article has been viewed 1,916,340 times. 15 votes - 53% Co-authors: 46 Updated: October 10, 2025 Views: 1,916,340 Categories: Basic Cooking Skills | Eggs and Dairy Article SummaryX

To tell whether an egg is raw or hard-boiled, place it on its side and spin it. If the egg spins steadily, it’s hard-boiled; if it spins slowly or wobbles, it’s raw. If you can’t tell, stop the egg with your finger, then take your hand away. If the egg stays still, it’s hard-boiled; if it keeps rotating or wobbling, it’s uncooked. You can also try shaking the egg: if it’s hard-boiled, it will feel solid, but if it’s uncooked, you’ll feel liquid moving. For a final test, shine a flashlight at the egg. It’s raw if you can see the light through the other side; if the egg stays dark, it’s hard-boiled. If you want to learn how to mark hard boiled eggs so you don't forget, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

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    Jun 21, 2020

    "i like to keep a few boiled eggs handy so I use a felt pen to draw happy faces on my boiled eggs. i can mix them..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Randall Chambers Co-authored by: Randall Chambers Personal Chef 15 votes - 53% Click a star to vote 53% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 46 Updated: October 10, 2025 Views: 1,916,340 Victor Jensen

Victor Jensen

Jun 21, 2020

"i like to keep a few boiled eggs handy so I use a felt pen to draw happy faces on my boiled eggs. i can mix them..." more Anonymous

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Nov 2, 2016

"Thickening with egg yolk was what I wanted to know. The advice was expressed perfectly. In the meantime, I looked..." more Anonymous

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"I like the methods used for the eggs. I tried some of them and they worked! I haven't tried the dye but I bet..." more Pamela Clemenz

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"I tried all these methods, and they all worked. Now that I know how to test my eggs, I'll never have a..." more Katelyn Andrew

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