Skip to content

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which iPads and Fire tablets are compatible?
    • Compatibility — Apple iPads:
      • Not compatible with the iPad (Gen 1 — 4), iPad Mini 1-3 and iPad Air 1.
      • Compatible with iPad (Gen 5 — 10), iPad Mini (Gen 4 — 6), iPad Air (Gen 2 — 5), iPad Pro 9.7-inch, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch (Gen 1 — 4) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (Gen 1 — 6).
      • The Reflector for iPad 2021 is required for the iPad Mini 6, Air 4, Air 5, iPad 10th Gen, iPad Pro 11" (Gen 1 — 4), and iPad Pro 12.9" (Gen 3 — 6).
      • The minimum iOS version needed is iOS 15.
    • Compatibility — Fire Tablets: Not compatible with the Fire 7(2022), Fire HD 10 (13th Gen, 2023), and Fire Max 11 (13th Gen, 2023).
      • Fire HD 8 (8th, 10th & 12th Gen), Fire HD 10 (9th & 11th Gen).
      • The Kids & Pro models are compatible with cases removed.
      • The Osmo Reflector for Fire (2021) is required for the HD 8 (10th Gen), HD 10 (11th Gen) & HD 8 (12th Gen).
      • The minimum Fire OS version needed is 7.
      • Reading Adventure is not currently compatible with any Fire tablets.

    NOTE: Some Osmo games may only be compatible with select devices. Please refer to our complete compatibility list here for more information.

  • Are iPhones compatible?

    Yes, the following iPhone models are compatible with Coding games, Genius Words, Pretend play, Numbers, Tangram, Monster, Pizza Co., Detective, Reading Adventure and Disney BYJU’S Learning Workbooks.

    • Compatible models:
      • iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
      • iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
      • iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus
    • Not Compatible:
      • iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
      • iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 13 Mini
      • iPhone SE (1-3 Gen)
      • iPhone 11 Series and older

    The minimum iOS version needed is 11.

    The Osmo Reflector for iPad (2021) is required for all iPhone models.

    No iPhone cases are supported at this time.

    Stay tuned for more games on iPhone.

  • What do I need to play Osmo games on my compatible iPad and Fire tablets?

    To play any Osmo game, you will need:

    • A compatible device that’s connected to the internet. Osmo works with most iPads and select Amazon Fire tablets. To confirm that your device supports Osmo, please see compatibility models above.
    • The appropriate Osmo base and red reflector for your device.
      • If you have a compatible Fire tablet, you need an Osmo Fire base & reflector.
      • If you have a compatible iPad, you need an Osmo iPad base & reflector.

    The bases and reflectors are NOT interchangeable between iPads and Fire tablets. All Osmo Kits include a base & reflector, and they are also sold as a separate item on our website or Amazon.com.

  • How do I set up my Osmo?
    • iPad users: See our helpful step-by-step video here, or written instructions here.
    • Fire users: See our helpful step-by-step video here, or written instructions here.
    • To redeem digital games, see our helpful step-by-step video here.
  • What does Osmo do?

    Osmo makes hands-on learning games in which players use objects in the real world to interact with the digital world shown on their iPad or Fire tablets.

  • What’s unique about Osmo?

    At Osmo, we believe in the decades of research that illustrate children learn best from hands-on education. Osmo’s games are geared toward embodied learning, meaning our games teach abstract concepts by connecting them to objects and actions in the physical world. Osmo games promote embodied learning through physical-digital interactions.

    Our in-house team of child development researchers work with our designers to make sure every Osmo game reflects the principles of embodied learning. In Coding Awbie, for instance, players learn how to write lines of code by connecting and arranging physical coding blocks. Players of Pizza Co. must make quick calculations with topping and money tiles to deliver yummy pies and correct change to waiting customers. And in Tangram, players think through spatial relations to build increasingly complex shapes from smaller ones.

  • What skills do Osmo games promote?

    At Osmo, we take pride in creating learning games that are at once delightful and designed to grow young minds. We offer games for a wide range of academic subjects, including:

    • Coding (Coding Awbie, Coding Jam, Coding Duo)
    • Math (Numbers, Pizza Co.)
    • Drawing (Monster, Super Studio, Masterpiece)
    • Spelling (Words)
    • Fundamentals of Physics (Newton)
    • Spatial relational skills (Tangram)
    • World geography (Detective Agency)

    In addition to teaching traditional subject matter, Osmo games foster social-emotional skills like problem-solving, creativity and perseverance. Every Osmo game requires the player to use reasoning to arrive at the correct answer, or even to chart a new path entirely.

    In Monster, for example, players draw pictures with the Creative Board to shape the story that Mo the Monster is telling on their screen. When kids play Monster together, they learn how to communicate and collaborate in order to progress in the narrative. In this way, Monster is a useful tool for growing interpersonal skills in early childhood.

  • What ages is Osmo designed for?

    Most Osmo games are designed for ages 5–12. Monster and Super Studio are appropriate for ages 4+.

    For younger children, we recommend the brand-new Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit, which includes four games designed specifically for kids ages 3–5. These games teach pre-reading, storytelling and fine motor skill development.

  • How does Osmo work with my device camera?

    The Osmo Reflector bounces an image of the player’s game piece arrangement or drawing into the device camera. The Osmo app then processes this image and either recreates the image on the screen or translates its effect onto the story in the digital world. Because Osmo uses a covered reflector to only capture images in a bounded area, your child’s privacy is always protected.

  • What do I need to play Osmo?

    To play any Osmo game, you will need:

    • A compatible device that’s connected to the internet. Osmo works with most iPads and Amazon Fire tablets. To confirm that your device supports Osmo, please review our compatibility guide.

    • The appropriate Osmo base and red reflector for your device. Every Osmo kit includes the Osmo Base and Reflector for either iPad or Amazon Fire tablet. Bases and reflectors for iPad and Amazon Fire tablets are available for purchase in our store.

    Game pieces are required for add on games available in the app store and can be purchased in our store.

  • What happens if I lose or break a game piece, a red reflector, or the base?

    For lost or broken game pieces: We’re happy to replace lost or broken game pieces free of charge, within reason, for the first 90 days. You can request replacement pieces through your myOsmo account by selecting “Replacements” from the dropdown menu and filling out the form. We’ll send an email confirmation once you submit your request, as well as a notification when your replacement ships.

    For a lost or broken red reflector or base: Replacement reflectors and bases are available for purchase in our store.

  • What languages is Osmo available in?
    • The Little Genius Starter Kit games are available in both English and French.
    • The Genius Starter Kit games are available in English, French, and German.
    • The Monster game is available in both English and Spanish. Osmo Monster’s Spanish narrator is noted actor Jaime Camil of Jane the Virgin and Coco.
    • We currently do not offer narration in languages besides English for our other games at this time; however, you can opt to have on-screen prompts translated into Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, and Traditional Chinese by changing your device’s language settings.
    • We currently offer Osmo Words tiles for the standard western alphabet only.
Device Compatibility
Help Center
Game Manuals