How to play Wordle Hard Mode – What’s the difference?

Wordle has quickly become one of the most competitive games available online. People love sharing their scores on social media, whether to bemoan or celebrate their performance. But did you know you can get even more competitive by playing in Hard Mode?

What is Hard Mode in Wordle? How is it different?

Hard Mode is a different game mode type in Wordle, meaning it changes the functionality in the game. In the classic mode of Wordle, you can continue to guess however you want, regardless of the hints you have received in earlier rows. When you toggle on Hard Mode, you no longer have the same freedom. You have to use the hints you just received in all future guesses.

This means you cannot ignore any green or yellow tiles to try and guess something else entirely (which you might do to rule out other letters). If you have a row that says ?EA??, you will have to include the EA in the correct place (or somewhere else if a yellow tile) for your next hint. This can restrict you greatly, making it harder.

Related: What is Wordle? | How to play Wordle

How do you turn on Hard Mode in Wordle?

To activate the Hard Mode version of Wordle, you will need to turn it on in settings. Go to the Wordle website and look in the top right. You'll see a gear icon that represents the settings menu. Click this and find the Hard Mode option. Toggle it to on. You will now play in Hard Mode in your next Wordle game.

Want to read more about Wordle? If so, read 5 Best word games like Wordle on Pro Game Guides.