Image: Shutterstock
Not just April Fool’s Day, you can pick any casual day for pranks to do on friends. Playing pranks or practical jokes is one of the simplest ways to loosen up and enjoy a hearty laugh. Nonetheless, ensure you are not insulting, teasing, or harming anyone.
It is also important that you are not trying pranks and gags on sensitive friends who might not take it sportingly.
In this article, we explore a variety of pranks that are perfect for any occasion, whether you’re looking for something to pull off at home, over text, or online. Each prank is designed to be light-hearted and fun, ensuring everyone has a good laugh without crossing any lines.
Pranks To Do On Your Friends
1. Change the date
This simple prank requires you to find a friend who would be oblivious to such shenanigans. Change the date on their computer, phone, and bring a day-old newspaper to make it a more deceptive trick. Take help from your friends or co-workers for this tomfoolery to make the prank believable.
2. Birthday wishes
If you can manage to get access to your friend’s Facebook account, change the date of their birthday. Their timeline would be flooded with birthday wishes, and they will have no idea why. Ask their family members or friends to participate in the clowning as well. Your friend will be scratching their head as to why everyone is wishing them ‘happy birthday’ for no reason.
3. Boss wants to see your ASAP
The simple yet efficacious plan can freak out your colleague. Make up a story and tell them how the boss is mad for not meeting several deadlines or how they have been consistently late to the office for the past few weeks. This plan will be even more effective if they have an upcoming meeting with their boss, making it a case of double bluffing. So plan the hoaxes accordingly.
4. Fake milk spill
How about faking a milk spill on your friend’s laptop? All you need is some white glue and a glass surface. Spill out the glue on a glass surface in a way that resembles spilled milk. Make sure to lubricate the glass with some soap to remove it once it dries up. Let it dry overnight and place it on your friend’s laptop.
5. Change the phone icons
If you can access your friend’s phone, change their app icons to hilarious meme pictures. If they have an iPhone, you can find dedicated apps to help you. When they open their phone, they will enjoy a fun surprise.
6. Tin-foil office desk
It will take a lot of time to cover your colleague’s office desk with aluminum foil to resemble a futuristic movie, but it is a great prank to make everyone laugh.
7. Bathroom emergency
Image: Shutterstock
Depending on the number of bathrooms you have at the office, use your creativity to stuff pants and shoes with towels that resemble feet. Before the office starts, place those inside each bathroom stalls and see your co-workers struggle about how someone is hogging the bathroom.
8. No holiday this weekend
If you have friends at HR, this prank is going to be easier and a great act of mischievousness. Ask your HR to send an email to your friends that says they all have to come to the office tomorrow. They won’t believe it at first, and you will enjoy some amusing glances.
9. Cracked screen
It is a simple and classic prank. Buy stickers that resemble a cracked phone screen. When your friend isn’t noticing, take their phone and put the sticker on. Once you are done, slide it back to where it was, and voila! They will freak out at first, but after having fun, reveal that it was just you joking or kidding around. Ensure your poor friend doesn’t suffer the pain for too long and enjoy the razzing as much as you do.
Quick tip10. Scary spider
If your co-worker friend is afraid of spiders, this one can scare them. Take a string and attach some fake plastic spiders to it. Attach the string to the top of the door, and as soon as they open the door, it will be in their face. They might get angry, but a cup of hot chocolate will cool them.
11. Door prank
Tape a piece of newspaper from the very top of the door frame to the wall above the door as a playful prank while the person is sleeping. Then, place popcorn, foam peanuts, or small paper balls on top of the newspaper. When the person wakes up and comes out the door, they will be surprised to find these light items falling on their head as the newspaper tears.
12. Matching remote
Consider purchasing a matching or dual remote. Switch channels while your friends are watching TV. Just keep in mind not to do it all the time. If used sparingly, you can keep this prank going for months.
13. Soap that won’t lather
Nail polish can be used for more than simply cosmetic purposes. It can also be used to keep soap from lathering up. When you cover the soap with nail polish, the water will simply slip off. This can be quite inconvenient for someone trying to use it in the shower and may result in some humorous remarks from your friend.
14. Tattoo
Consider getting a convincing, funny temporary tattoo that looks like a real one when you visit your friends. Then, gather all your friends and inform them that you have an important announcement. Watch their reaction as you show your tattoo to them.
15. Autocorrect bug
Borrow a friend’s phone and subtly adjust the autocorrect settings to replace common words with hilarious or weird alternatives. Watch quietly as their chats take a funny, unexpected turn.
16. Multiple alarms
Set many alarms on your friend’s phone to go off at odd intervals throughout the day while they’re not looking. Every hour will bring a new surprise for them.
17. Mysterious noises
Hide a small Bluetooth speaker in your friend’s room or workspace and randomly play faint, creepy sounds. Watch as they attempt to locate the source of the mysterious noises.
18. Parking ticket
Using your friend’s vehicle information, print a realistic-looking parking ticket and stick it to their windshield. Observe their shock and irritation, only to discover it’s a prank when they realize the fine amount is absurd.
Food Pranks To Do On Friends
Food pranks offer a playful twist on your favorite treats. Here are some clever ideas that are sure to surprise your friends!
19. Caramelized Onions Surprise
Image: Shutterstock
Summer street festivals and autumn fairs are famous for caramel apples, but what if you changed the recipe a bit and made “caramel onions?” No one with a sweet tooth will hesitate to bite into an apple enveloped in gooey caramel, but when they do bite into it, they will soon find out that they are onions and not apples.
20. Krispy Kreme cauliflowers
Want to bring donuts for your co-workers? You will be deemed Superman until they open the box and find cauliflowers and some other vegetables with chocolate glaze and rainbow sprinkles on top.
21. Lemon juice surprise
When no one is watching, squeeze some lemon juice into a friend’s drink. You may also add a bit of vinegar or salt. Observe their response as they take another sip.
22. Frozen cereal
Prepare a fun frozen cereal prank by mixing cereal and milk in a bowl and freezing it overnight. Serve this cereal to your friends as a surprise breakfast the next morning, and watch how they react as they try to take a bite.
23. Salted cookies
Make some baked cookies, but instead of sugar, add salt. Serve these cookies in attractive containers or neatly arranged on a dish. Place the dish on the table or bring it as a gift to a dinner party hosted by a friend. Keep a camera nearby to record people’s expressions when they take that unexpected first bite.
24. Mayonnaise donuts
Image: Shutterstock
Purchase plain sugar donuts without filling and add a small amount of mayonnaise. They’ll appear like regular cream-filled donuts, but when your friends bite into them, they’ll get a mild surprise with a touch of mayonnaise. Just be aware that some may find it a bit unexpected, so having a trash can nearby for those who may not enjoy it is a good idea.
April Fools’ Pranks For Friends Over Text
Here are some fun and playful pranks to pull on your friends over text.
25. Texting GIF
Text your friend that you have something important to say, and then send them a “typing GIF.” They will be confused and anxious thinking about what is going on until they realize you are clowning around.
26. Bot prank
When your friends text you, send them a message that makes you sound like a bot. Copy and paste the same message they send over and over again, and find them confused.
27. Lyrically
Strike up a conversation with your friend by texting them the lyrics of a song. For instance, you could text them the lyrics of Adele’s “Hello” or “Closer” by Halsey and the Chainsmokers. Your options are limitless. Your texts will amuse them.
28. “I know your secret” prank
Image: IStock
Text them that you know their secret, and when they ask about it, don’t reply. They will freak out and might even spill something unexpected.
29. Grammar Nazi
Is it the most creative prank? Maybe not, but it is fun. If you have a Grammar Nazi friend, strike a conversation with them and deliberately make use of the wrong grammar, they are sure to get frustrated. You can send them memes to irritate them even more.
30. Sloth facts
Randomly text your friend saying, “Thank you, Sam, for signing up for Sloth facts,” and then keep on texting them facts about sloths. It’s fun and creative. You could also send them a GIF of Flash (from Zootopia).
31. Bald prank
Tell your friends you have completely shaved off your hair. It might catch them off guard, and their reaction will be priceless. Observe how people respond, and if they ask for proof, you can apply a Snapchat bald filter to amuse them. Wait a few hours before disclosing it’s a joke, and keep boasting about how great you feel after the ‘big chop.’
32. Fake screenshot
Make a fake screenshot of a text conversation that never happened but seems completely real. Then, send it to a friend and see how they react. You’ll be interested to see if they fall for it, but remember that it’s all good fun and should be harmless.
33. Countdown to nothing
Send a spontaneous text to your friend, maybe something like ‘Ten hours left.’ When they inquire, casually suggest that they’ll find out later in the day. Keep counting the hours, and when the time comes, reveal with a friendly smile that there wasn’t a surprise, just a light-hearted joke to keep them entertained.
34. Fake advertisement
Text your friend to say you read their ad and are interested in whatever they sell. When they show signs of confusion, make a joke about how much you respect their attempts to negotiate but already know the item’s worth. Send a few more humorous texts before revealing that it was all a prank.
35. Accidental story
A few things may get your heart racing faster, like the thought of mistakenly uploading something embarrassing on your Instagram story. Tell your friend that you saw their story, asking if they really wanted to post it. Your friends may rush to open their app but are unlikely to discover anything in their story. Even the most composed individuals may find it difficult to resist the impulse to double-check just in case.
Pranks To Do On Friends At Home
If your friends are visiting your home or you are visiting their home, you could easily pull these pranks on them and enjoy fooling around.
36. Replace the picture frames
If you are visiting your friend, replace their pictures with Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Eddie Murphy, or Ken Jeong using their family member’s help. When they notice, they are sure to have a good laugh over it. It’s a classic prank that you can’t get wrong.
37. Fake a cake
Image: Shutterstock
Take a sponge and paint it (brown for chocolate cake, pink for strawberry cake), decorate with sprinkles, and tell your friend that you have baked a cake. When they struggle to cut the cake, be nonchalant and tell them that it is a prank. Of course, keep a real cake aside so they can relish it.
38. Broken tap
Take a duct tape and stick it at the nozzle of the tap by keeping a small gap. When someone opens the tap, the water will spray on them. It is a classic and simple joke that works every time and also doubles as one of the fun pranks to do on your brother or sister.
39. Cockroach or lizard lamp
Take a sticker of a lizard or a cockroach and place it carefully inside the lampshade. Whenever your friend switches on the lamp, they will be bamboozled by its shadow and will freak out.
40. Shoes got smaller
As a playful joke, gently place a clean sock or napkin in the toes of the person’s shoes. This can even be done to every pair of shoes they own if you’re in a mischievous mood. Watch them try on every shoe as they begin to wonder what’s wrong.
41. Palm down
Play a game with a friend by placing your hand palm-down on the table and balancing a full glass of water on it. Challenge your friend to balance glasses on both of their hands at the same time, and help them set it up. You can stand up and leave once you’ve positioned the glasses on their hands. It’s fun to witness their astonishment as they attempt to remove the glasses without creating a mess.
42. Hand sanitizer
Grab a small bottle of hand sanitizer along with some clear glue. Remove the hand sanitizer from the container. Allow the hand sanitizer bottle to dry completely. Fill it with clear glue and set it aside to dry overnight. Leave this hand sanitizer for your friend. They’ll keep squeezing, but nothing will come out, resulting in a hilarious surprise.
43. Sticky phone
Apply something sticky to the phone’s ear or mouthpiece, such as toothpaste or peanut butter. Avoid using gum since it might get entangled in the person’s hair and be difficult to remove. Make sure they aren’t allergic to what you’re using. Call them later, and watch their response when they pick up the phone.
Pranks To Do On Friends Online
44. Chrome extensions
Install different prank chrome extensions to irritate your friends and make them laugh. For example, Mustachio puts on mustaches on pictures of faces it finds, and Scrambles jumbles up words shown on different websites.
45. Annoying homepage
Make “World’s most annoying homepage” your friend’s default browser. It can send them into a fit of rage when they see pop-ups and dialogue boxes appearing one after the other with no way of closing it.
46. Freeze
Image: IStock
When you are on a video call with your friend, pretend to freeze. You could also freeze mid-sentence or while you are doing something. Make sure no one is in the background, or this prank won’t work.
47. Fake meeting link
Create a fake meeting invitation with a professional-looking subject line, such as ‘Important team meeting.’ Send it to a friend, and they’ll likely rush to join the non-existent meeting, only to realize it’s a prank.
48. Funny order
Create a fake order confirmation email for a bizarre or funny purchase, such as a unicorn or a private plane. Send it to a friend and observe their reaction as they desperately try to cancel the imaginary order.
49. Social media challenge
Create a fake social media challenge, nominate your friends, and tag them with a catchy hashtag. Sit back and watch to see if they participate in the made-up challenge.
50. Fake poll
Make a fake online poll with crazy and stupid questions to ask your friends or polls asking for their thoughts on strange themes. Enjoy their confusion as they struggle to make sense of your odd survey.
51. Scheduled reminder
Add a fake event or reminder to a friend’s digital calendar with an unusual or funny title, such as ‘Alien invasion drill’ or ‘Unicorn grooming appointment.’ They’ll be confused by their unexpected appointment.
Illustration: Best And Funny Pranks To Do On Friends
Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How should I react when someone plays a prank on me?
The appropriate reaction to a prank depends on factors such as the type of prank played, your relationship with the person, and your feelings about how it impacted you. However, a few tips to consider before reacting to a prank include staying calm, assessing the situation, determining the harmfulness of the prank, acknowledging that the prank has occurred, considering ways to refute the prank or ignore it, communicating how it makes you feel, and taking positive measures to ensure it is not repeated.
2. How can I deal with a friend who doesn’t appreciate my prank?
It is important to take responsibility, show respect, actively listen, and consider the friend’s feelings when they do not appreciate your prank. In addition, follow up their reactivity with a quick apology for the harm caused and attempts to make amends, explain your intentions, and clarify their boundaries on what they consider offensive or unacceptable.
3. How can I ensure my pranks are safe and not offensive?
Consider the impact your prank may have on the recipient and how they might react. Respect their boundaries and do not indulge in activities that may cause distress. The main focus of pranks should be fun and laughter, and everyone should be able to enjoy it. Be mindful of cultural, sexual, religious, or racial discriminations to avoid offending someone inadvertently. You should think of pranking people who you know won’t take it wrong. Discuss your prank ideas with your friends beforehand to gauge their comfort levels. Also, choose pranks that are reversible and won’t create lasting consequences. According to an anonymous blogger, ”When I was in high school my best friends and I pulled a lot of pranks. The target was always Mike, our youth pastor and mentor. Mike was really good-natured about our adolescent idea of a good time…and on more than one occasion pranked us back. Mike understood that beneath the high jinks was a message of genuine care (i).”
4. How can I make sure that the pranks I play on my friends do not harm them or their property?
Choose low-risk pranks that are unlikely to cause harm to your friends’ property. If you are playing pranks on your friends, you must know their sensitivities and personal preferences. For example, if someone gets anxious at the sight of others touching their phone, do not use their phone for your prank. Also, prioritize safety by choosing safe environments and harmless materials for pranking.
5. How can I involve multiple friends in a group prank without it getting out of hand?
Create a group with your friends and plan the prank ahead. Set rules for everyone to follow and make sure everyone knows their roles. Respect the boundaries and sensitivities of your friends and keep the prank fun and light-hearted. Monitor the prank while it is ongoing and intervene if something goes off track. With proper communication and coordination, you can play a perfect prank.
6. How can I avoid getting into trouble with parents, teachers, or law enforcement for playing pranks?
Engage in legal pranks by adhering to rules and respecting boundaries. Familiarize yourself with the potential consequences and create a harmless prank that does not cause physical or emotional harm. Consult local regulations to understand the limits of what you can do. Obtain consent and permission in advance before executing a prank. It may also be helpful to seek advice from experienced pranksters to learn from their past experiences.
Trying pranks on your friends can make all gatherings fun. Playing pranks and engaging in some jokes can strengthen relationships and help you have a great time filled with ribbing surprises. However, a prank should be played responsibly, and one should ensure that they do not disrespect, hurt or harm anybody. It’s best to avoid any kind of buffoonery or hoaxing. If your friend has not been pranked before, it may be easier to prank them. These interesting pranks to play on friends will foster your bond and trigger unlimited laughter.
Infographic: Pull A Prank And Have A Laugh
It’s always fun pranking your friends because they give the best reactions one would expect from a prank. So, if you like pulling your bestie’s leg, we have compiled a few trending and hilarious pranks that you may do even when away from them. So save this infographic; you may need it soon. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Playing pranks on friends is a fun way to get a good laugh and become closer to them.
- Pranks can be played anywhere, in real life and digitally, but you must ensure they do not negatively affect your friend’s school, work, or personal life.
- Be mindful of your friend’s boundaries, sensitivities, and health when planning a prank on them; it is meant to be a fun experience for all, not just the pranksters.
- Ensure not to cause any bodily harm to yourself or your friends as pranks can go out of hand quickly unless planned properly.
Laugh out loud with these 9 awesome ways to prank your friends! This video will give you some awesome tricks you can safely play to fool them.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Pray for pranks.https://onebeatblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/pranks/
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our nurturing community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with fellow parents.
Read full bio of Siddharth Kesiraju
Read full bio of Shikha Thakur
