How do I upload an HTML5 game to itch.io?

Zip your build with index.html at the top level, upload it as a new file on the game's edit page, tick the option to play it in the browser, and set the embed size. Test the live page afterward.

Does itch.io promote my browser game on its own?

It has browse and search pages, and its curators feature some games, but Foundplay doesn't know how itch.io ranks them. Plan to bring your first players yourself.

Can I list my itch.io game on Foundplay?

Yes. Paste the link to your itch.io page in the submit form. Foundplay checks that the link loads and passes its safety checks, then lists the game right away.

Which link should I give Foundplay, itch.io or my own site?

Whichever you want players to land on. An itch.io page gives them ratings, comments and a follow button. Your own domain gives you full control of the page and your analytics. Pick one as the main link and keep it stable.

Why doesn't my itch.io game load on phones?

Check the mobile-friendly and orientation settings on the embed options, use touch or pointer events instead of keyboard-only input, and test on a real phone. Some engines' web builds have limited phone support.

How do I get more players for my itch.io browser game?

On itch.io the page does the selling, so give it a clear cover, a short description with the controls, a GIF and honest tags. Then bring your own first players from outside, with devlogs, clips and a listing on Foundplay, which sends people straight to your itch.io page. Games that play in the browser keep the click short, so make the first minute count.

Updated October 10, 2026. Written by Foundplay, a game discovery platform for free browser games. Foundplay also sells Boost, a paid promotion for games, and this guide says where it fits. The advice before that part works without it. All guides

Set up the page to sell one click

Cover image. itch.io recommends 630 by 500 pixels. Pick a frame from real play that still reads when it is small.
Short description. It shows on browse pages, so write what the game is in one sentence, not a slogan.
Screenshots and a GIF. A moving image of the best moment does more than a fifth screenshot.
Tags. Choose the genre tags that honestly describe the game. A wrong tag brings visitors who leave.
Controls near the play button. Players shouldn't have to scroll to learn the keys.

Upload the web build properly

Zip the files so that index.html sits at the top level of the zip, not inside a folder.
Upload the zip, tick the box that says the file will be played in the browser, and set the viewport size to fit your game.
Look through the embed options: a fullscreen button, whether the game starts on click, and the mobile-friendly setting if your game has touch controls.
Open the live page in a private window and on a phone before you share it. itch.io has limits on the number and size of files in a web build, so check its docs if the upload fails.

For updates, itch.io's command line tool, butler, pushes a new build without a manual upload. Either way, test the page after every update.

Bring your own first players

New games share browse pages with many others, so don't wait for the site to find you. Share the page link in the communities for your genre, post a clip, and join jams that fit the game. A jam submission is also a page on itch.io, which is why jam timing matters.

How a Foundplay listing links to your page

When a visitor presses Play on Foundplay, they go to your itch.io page, which runs the game in the browser, so they are one click from playing. Keep the title and one-line description close to your itch.io page so players know they landed in the right place.

Foundplay lists games that are free to play in a browser. If you also sell a download on itch.io, keep the browser version free and mention the paid one on the page.

How Foundplay can help

Foundplay is a game discovery platform for free browser games. It doesn't host games: every listing sends players to the creator's own site.

The free listing

Listing a game is free. Paste the link where people play it at /submit, check the details and publish. The game goes live right away, and Play sends players to your own site.

Paste your itch.io page link in the submit form. Foundplay fills in the title, description and cover from the page, and Play opens your itch.io page, where the game runs in the browser.

Boost, the paid option

Foundplay sells Boost, so it has a reason to want you to buy it. The free listing works without it.

Plays from a Boost go to your itch.io page too. The plan called Boost suits a new release or a big update, and Starter ($5 for 50 plays in 3 days) is a cheaper test of your cover. Foundplay counts clicks on Play. Views, ratings and follows happen on itch.io, so read its analytics for what players did next.

The Boost plan costs $10 for 120 plays in 5 days, which works out to 8.3¢ a play. Where it shows: its genre pages and search results.

A play is a counted click on Play from a sponsored spot, the same way public play counts work: once per game per network a day. Every sponsored spot is labelled Sponsored, and the share of plays not delivered by the end of the plan's days is refunded automatically. Foundplay can't see what players do after the click. Fan games and copies of commercial games can't be boosted. A game has to be listed before it can be boosted. List it first, or start a Boost and add your play link there, and Foundplay lists the game for free as part of the same flow.

For scale, Foundplay's own visit counter shows an average of 4,500+ visitors a day over the last three full days, and 600+ games are listed. It updates every few minutes.

List your game for free Boost with Boost See all Boost plans

More free ways to find players are in the full guide.

Questions

How do I upload an HTML5 game to itch.io?: Zip your build with index.html at the top level, upload it as a new file on the game's edit page, tick the option to play it in the browser, and set the embed size. Test the live page afterward.
Does itch.io promote my browser game on its own?: It has browse and search pages, and its curators feature some games, but Foundplay doesn't know how itch.io ranks them. Plan to bring your first players yourself.
Can I list my itch.io game on Foundplay?: Yes. Paste the link to your itch.io page in the submit form. Foundplay checks that the link loads and passes its safety checks, then lists the game right away.
Which link should I give Foundplay, itch.io or my own site?: Whichever you want players to land on. An itch.io page gives them ratings, comments and a follow button. Your own domain gives you full control of the page and your analytics. Pick one as the main link and keep it stable.
Why doesn't my itch.io game load on phones?: Check the mobile-friendly and orientation settings on the embed options, use touch or pointer events instead of keyboard-only input, and test on a real phone. Some engines' web builds have limited phone support.