Let’s face it—office life can sometimes feel like a never-ending spreadsheet. But a little laughter during the workday can go a long way! When done responsibly, harmless pranks can boost morale, build camaraderie, and turn an ordinary Tuesday into a legendary tale. The key is keeping it clean, clever, and HR-approved—no mean-spirited surprises or productivity disasters allowed.
Here are 30 safe, creative, and side-splitting office pranks that will make your coworkers laugh (and maybe question your free time).
1. Invisi-Tape the Mouse Sensor
Put a small piece of opaque tape over the bottom sensor of a coworker’s mouse. It’ll stop working, and they’ll spend a good minute trying to figure out why it’s “dead.” Bonus points if you draw a tiny frowny face on the tape.
2. Sticky Note Takeover
Cover your coworker’s desk, chair, and computer in Post-it notes—every square inch. The visual impact is both satisfying and ridiculous. It’s cleanup-friendly and makes for a great team photo op.
3. The Fake Broken Monitor
Take a screenshot of a coworker’s desktop, hide the actual icons, and set the screenshot as the wallpaper. Watch as they click frantically on “frozen” apps. When they start restarting the computer, that’s your cue to come clean.
4. Mouse Swap Surprise
Plug your coworker’s mouse into your own computer under the desk. Randomly move it while they’re trying to work. The confusion level is high, but the damage is zero.
5. Jello Stapler (The Classic)
Suspend a coworker’s stapler (or another desk item) inside a bowl of Jello overnight. Reveal it in the morning with a flourish—bonus laughs if you play the Office theme song.
6. Keyboard Confusion
Pop off a few keyboard keys and rearrange them to spell something silly like “LOL” or “BRB.” Just make sure you remember where they go afterward—don’t leave them truly stumped for hours.
7. Autocorrect Ambush
If you have access to their Microsoft Word or email settings, set autocorrect to replace common words with hilarious alternatives (e.g., “the” becomes “cheese”). Keep it mild and undo after the reveal.
8. Change the Language Settings
Switch your coworker’s computer language to something obscure like Icelandic or Pirate English. It’s confusing but harmless—and super easy to fix once they’re in on the joke.
9. Remote Desktop Hijinks
Use remote desktop software to control your coworker’s computer from yours. Open random files, move the mouse, and let the ghost-in-the-machine routine begin (just don’t mess with anything important).
10. Fake Print Job
Send a coworker a surprise print job with a funny meme or fake HR notice (“You’ve been nominated for Most Likely to Microwave Fish”). Make sure they’re not actually in trouble before you hit “Print.”
11. The Fake Microwave Update
Post a sign on the office microwave that says, “Now voice-activated—please speak your command clearly.” Hang around to watch someone shout “Heat leftovers for two minutes!” into the machine.
12. Mysterious Tupperware Swap
Replace someone’s lunch with a look-alike container holding a rubber chicken, fake food, or a motivational note that says “You’ve been pranked (but we love you).” Return their actual lunch promptly.
13. Shrinking Coffee Cups
Switch out someone’s regular mug with a hilariously tiny espresso cup. Watch them fill it up, realize it holds two sips, and start asking questions.
14. The Frozen Mug Trick
Fill a coworker’s mug with water and freeze it overnight. In the morning, put it back on their desk. When they try to pour coffee, they’ll hit a literal wall.
15. Plastic Wrap Over the Coffee Pot
Cover the coffee pot spout with clear plastic wrap. When they try to pour, nothing will come out—until they remove the invisible shield of deception.
16. Balloon Avalanche
Tape a trash bag or plastic sheet across a coworker’s doorway and fill the space between the door and the barrier with balloons. When they open the door… it’s a party.
17. Chair Height Wars
Adjust your coworker’s chair to its lowest setting every time they stand up. Watch them slowly sink over the day—and eventually catch on.
18. Unplugged Monitor “Fix”
Unplug the monitor cable slightly, just enough so it doesn’t display. They’ll try turning it off, rebooting, and wondering why tech hates them today. Just plug it back in when you confess.
19. Elevator DJ
If your building has an elevator with music or Bluetooth access, queue up a surprising playlist (like “Baby Shark” or “Cow Sounds”) and wait for someone to ride it.
20. Fake Cracked Screen Wallpaper
Set your coworker’s background to an image of a cracked screen. Watch them panic gently and then realize nothing’s actually broken.
21. Rearrange Their Icons
Move all their desktop icons into bizarre shapes—like a smiley face or a heart. It’s subtle and hilarious when they realize their apps are flirting with them.
22. Chrome Extension Mayhem
Install a Chrome extension that changes all web images to pictures of goats or Nicolas Cage. Reveal it only after they try to Google “normal things” and get surrounded by chaos.
23. Voice Assistant Chaos
Change their Alexa or Google Assistant to respond in another language or accent. It’s a fun way to make the office feel international for a day.
24. Confetti Trap
Rig a folder or cabinet with a tiny handful of confetti. When they open it, it gently falls out—not enough to be messy, just enough to surprise.
25. The “Out of Order” Everything
Place “Out of Order” signs on random objects that are completely fine—like the stapler, printer, or soap dispenser. Watch coworkers look confused before they realize the conspiracy.
26. Synchronized Screensavers
Change every monitor in the office to display the same screensaver or image (like your boss’s face with a crown). Go big or go home.
27. Mystery Sticky Notes
Leave a cryptic Post-it note on a coworker’s desk every day with a random phrase like “It begins” or “The cheese knows.” Build suspense over a week, then reveal it was you—with snacks.
28. Office Safari
Place printed photos of zoo animals around the office—one each day. Label it “Office Safari Day 1,” “Day 2,” etc., and see how long it takes for people to spot them all.
29. The Slow Chair Spin
Move their chair ever so slightly between each meeting. By the end of the day, they’ll be facing the wall.
30. Phantom Typist
Plug a wireless keyboard into their computer from a nearby desk. Randomly type things like “I crave snacks” into their search bar when they’re not looking.
Laughter makes the 9-to-5 a whole lot better—and these pranks prove it. Just keep it friendly, harmless, and all in good fun. Happy pranking, and may your coworkers be amused, not annoyed!