How To Play Osu! (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Play osu! PDF download Download Article Author Info

Last Updated: June 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Installation and Registration
    • |
  • Playing the Game
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
|Show more |Show less X

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. 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 197,932 times. Learn more...

osu! is a rhythm game, played with a mouse, pen, mouse and keyboard, pen and keyboard, or touch screen. This wikiHow will show you how to play this game.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Installation and Registration

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  1. Step 1 Register. 1 Register. Go to osu.ppy.sh, then go to the upper right hand side. Click "register", then enter a username and password.[1]
    • Registration is optional, but it is strongly recommended as it allows for online multiplayer play as well as downloading of additional beatmaps.
  2. Step 2 Install the client. 2 Install the client. Click the first hyperlink to start download.The osu! site provides information on how to download the client.[2] Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Open the application. 3 Open the application.
  4. Step 4 Enter your credentials that you've made previously onto the client. 4 Enter your credentials that you've made previously onto the client.
    • Time to get started!
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Playing the Game

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  1. Step 1 Click on the huge osu! 1 Click on the huge osu! circle. This circle is in the center of the screen.
  2. Step 2 Click on the "Play" button. 2 Click on the "Play" button. This is the first option on the menu.
  3. Step 3 Click on the "Solo" button that pops out. 3 Click on the "Solo" button that pops out. This is the first option on the menu.
  4. Step 4 Scroll to a song that you want to play. 4 Scroll to a song that you want to play. When you find a song you want to play, click on it, then click on "osu!".
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Playing osu!

  1. Step 1 Click on the circles. 1 Click on the circles. When the approach circle closes around the inner circle, click on it. This will count as a hit.[3]
    • You should see one of the four of the following when this happens: a blue 300, a green 100, an orange 50, or a red "X."
  2. 24.01.2025_17.05.23_REC.png 2 Drag the sliders. When the ring closes around the circles on the beginning of the sliders, click and drag your cursor to stay within with the slider circle/ball.
    • If you see an arrow pointing in the opposite direction, then move your cursor back to the start. You may have to oscillate on the slider for a while.
  3. 24.01.2025_17.17.51_REC.png 3 Spin the spinners. When a spinner appears, click your mouse and move it in circles as fast as you can. The faster you spin, the more extra points you can get.
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Playing osu!taiko

  1. Step 1 Hit circles to the beat. 1 Hit circles to the beat. When the circle overlaps the bigger circle by the drum, press the appropriate key. For red circles, hit X or C. For blue circles, hit Z or V.[4]
  2. Step 2 Hit larger circles to the beat. 2 Hit larger circles to the beat. When a larger circle overlaps the area in front of the drum, press the two appropriate keys together. For red circles, hit X and C at the same time. For blue circles, hit Z and V at the same time.[5]
  3. Step 3 Do a drumroll. 3 Do a drumroll. When a yellow line approaches the drum, spam the X or C key. If a big yellow line approaches the drum, spam either ZX or CV until the drumroll is done.
    • Note that you will only get points for hitting notes to the beat of the small circles in the center of the drumroll line.
  4. Step 4 Clear the shakers. 4 Clear the shakers. To do so, alternate between pressing either Z and X or C and V. Keep on doing so until the shaker is cleared (i.e. the number is down at zero).
  5. Step 5 Get 50% or more health to pass the map. 5 Get 50% or more health to pass the map. If the health bar is below 50%, you will fail the map. You gain health by completing taiko notes. You also gain points for accuracy.
    6. Advertisement

Playing osu!catch

  1. Step 1 Move your catcher by using the left or right arrow key. 1 Move your catcher by using the left or right arrow key. Some notes are not reachable by using either of those keys so you will have to use the Shift key to dash. Some notes cannot even be reached by using the Shift key and that's when the note before it has a red border which when hit will give you a boost while dashing (hyperdashing) making you able to hit the next note.[6]
    • Big fruits will add 300 points to the score and if missed will bring your combo down to 0, and will decrease your accuracy. Middle sized fruits, or ticks, will add 100 points to the score, and just as the big ones, if missed will bring your combo down to 0 and decrease your accuracy. The smallest fruits will add 10 points to the score, and the amount added will stay the same the entire map. If missed, they will not bring your combo down, but will still decrease the accuracy.[7]
    • Spinners, or bananas add 1100 points to the score the entire map, and if missed will not bring your combo down to 0, nor will they decrease your accuracy.

Playing osu!mania

  1. Step 1 Press the appropriate key when the note hits the judgement line. 1 Press the appropriate key when the note hits the judgement line. There can be anywhere from 1 to 9 keys, but the most common ones are the 4 key and 7 key maps. Controls for these are as shown, from the leftmost track to the right.[8]
    • 4 Keys: D F J K
    • 7 Keys: S D F Space J KL
    • For tap notes, press the corresponding key when the note comes in contact with the judgement line. For hold notes, press and hold the key until the end of the note reaches the judgement line, in which you must release the key.
    • For every note, there are 6 different outcomes for scores; a rainbow 300, 300, 200, 100, 50, and a miss. A rainbow 300 gives slightly more points than a regular 300. The maximum possible score for a beatmap is 1,000,000.
    2. Advertisement

Community Q&A

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  • Question What if there is more than one ring around the circle? Felicia Axelsson Felicia Axelsson Community Answer Do as you normally would, following along with a slider or clicking the circle when the ring is as close as possible. When there are more than one ring, there are as many circles as rings, so you have to repeat until no circles or rings are left. 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 12 Helpful 24
  • Question Is a pen viable for osu!? Blaziken77g Blaziken77g Community Answer If by "pen" you mean tablet (art tablets specifically), then yes. I use an art tablet for Osu! standard and found the transition from mouse to art tablet pretty easy. However, the more you've played with mouse (especially 3*+), the harder the transition will be. It isn't instant improvement, but rather, gradual improvement. Remember, getting an art tablet is a commitment as the good ones can range from $60 (the low end cost of a AAA video game) upwards to $1000! Last thing to note, getting an art tablet for Osu! doesn't make you better. Rather, it makes your skill cap higher. 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 6 Helpful 16
  • Question Should I use D F J K? I feel it's a bit too close, so I use A S K L now. I've heard of Q W O P and Z X comma period, but would A S and something on the NumPad because of natural shoulder position? Iamchocomintosu Iamchocomintosu Community Answer No, absolutely not. As an osu!mania players, DFJK buttons are just too near from each other. This may lead to mispressing or chocking. You should change your binding to ASKL or QWOP (mine is ZX,.) 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 35 Helpful 6
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Tips

  • You can download beatmaps from this link. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Pause by pressing Esc on your keyboard. You can also access display options for the beat map. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Delete a beat map by right-clicking on it and choosing Delete and choosing Delete all difficulties. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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

Warnings

  • osu! community rules prohibit the creation of second accounts to play. If you run into problems with your osu! account, contact [email protected]. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
  • Take breaks from time to time. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 2
  • Don't play maps that have a higher star rating than you can play. Try playing maps that are slightly more difficult (about 0.5 stars higher) than you can comfortably play. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 5
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References

  1. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Registration
  2. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/home/download
  3. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21
  4. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21taiko
  5. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21taiko
  6. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21catch
  7. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21catch
  8. ↑ https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/en/Game_mode/osu%21mania

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 197,932 times. 66 votes - 43% Co-authors: 26 Updated: June 10, 2025 Views: 197,932 Categories: Video Games Article SummaryX

If you want to play osu!, go to osu.ppy.sh and click "Register," then create an account. From here, you'll be able to install the client by clicking on the first hyperlink, which will start the download. Once the client is downloaded, open the app and sign in to start playing. To play osu! with just a mouse, try to listen to the song itself first, so you'll have a sense of when to click. On an easy map, you can use your mouse to follow each circle as you play. However, if you want to play a harder map, consider using both your mouse and keyboard, which is the preferred style for most players because you can hit faster without slipping. For more tips, like how to play osu! with a digitizer tablet and keyboard and other game modes, scroll down! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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66 votes - 43% Click a star to vote 43% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 26 Updated: June 10, 2025 Views: 197,932

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