150 Best Harmless Office Pranks Spice Up Work Best Pranks to Play on Coworkers

Is the office feeling a little too… beige? Ready to inject some laughter into the workday without HR breathing down your neck? We’ve all been there!

This post is your survival guide to *harmless office pranks for coworkers* that are guaranteed to lighten the mood and foster camaraderie (not chaos).

Get ready to unleash your inner prankster with our curated list of funny, yet safe, ideas that will have your colleagues chuckling, not calling for a formal investigation.

Best Harmless Office Pranks Spice Up Work Best Pranks to Play on Coworkers

• Inverted Desktop Wallpaper – Flip their screen upside down or rotate display via settings.
• Autocorrect Trick – Set their autocorrect to replace common words with funny ones (e.g., “yes” → “yasss queen”).
• Mouse Sensor Tape – Place a small piece of tape over the optical sensor—watch the confusion.
• Computer Won’t “Wake Up” – Take a screenshot of their desktop and hide the actual icons/taskbar.
• Desk Covered in Sticky Notes – Every item wrapped with a sticky note. Bonus if you color code!
• Voice-Activated Printer Sign – Add a sign: “Now voice-activated. Say ‘print’ loudly to begin.”
• Keyboard Confetti Surprise – Fill a coworker’s keyboard with paper confetti.
• Screen Locked in Zoom Mode – Adjust screen zoom to max and act puzzled when they complain.
• Tiny Chair Swap – Replace their chair with a child-sized version.
• Cubicle Entrance Shrink Wrap – Cover the doorway in plastic wrap for a gentle surprise.
• Reverse Mouse Buttons – Flip the left and right mouse buttons in settings.
• Fake Update Screen Screensaver – Make it look like their computer is stuck updating.
• “Voice Only” Mouse – Tape a sign: “Mouse temporarily voice controlled. Please speak loudly.”
• Cup Avalanche in the Cubicle – Stack disposable cups all over their space.
• Fake Bug on Desk – A realistic plastic spider can work wonders (and squeals).
• Slowly Shrink Their Work Area – Move their monitor, chair, and keyboard slightly each day.
• Jello Office Supplies – Classic: suspend their stapler or pen in Jello.
• Invisible Ink Pen Swap – Replace their pen with one that appears to write… but disappears!
• Airhorn Under Chair – Carefully tape a mini airhorn under their seat—loud but hilarious.
• “Broken” Mouse Pad – Flip the pad upside-down or draw confusing arrows on it.
• Desk Safari – Decorate their workspace with a jungle theme: vines, monkeys, “wild coworker” signs.
• Computer Mouse on Remote-Controlled Car – Let chaos drive the pointer.
• Office Supplies in Balloons – Hide their stuff inside dozens of balloons they have to pop.
• Fake “You’re Being Watched” Memo – Print an official-looking notice about new hidden cameras.
• Drawer of Doom – Fill a drawer with packing peanuts or fake bugs.
• The Frozen Lunch – Freeze their packed lunch inside a block of ice (only for good friends).
• Google Translate Email – Set their email to translate messages into a foreign language.
• Reverse Calendar Pages – Swap months around in their wall calendar.
• Whoopee Cushion on Standing Desk Mat – Unexpected flatulence = instant laughs.
• Coworker Shrine – Dedicate a corner of your desk to a colleague with candles, framed photos, and flowers.

The Ultimate Guide to Harmless Office Pranks: Keeping it PG

Spice up your workday with “The Ultimate Guide to Harmless Office Pranks”! Ditch the dry meetings and embrace PG-rated fun. This guide is packed with giggle-inducing, non-disruptive pranks perfect for lightening the mood and bonding with your coworkers. Think sticky notes, silly stationery swaps, and desk makeovers – all guaranteed…

• **The Sentient Stationery:** Place a small Bluetooth speaker near their stapler or tape dispenser, and have it play a dramatic “click” sound effect every time it’s used.
• **The “Helpful” Desk Organizer:** Subtly rearrange the items on their desk into a perfect replica of a famous work of art, like the Mona Lisa or Van Gogh’s Starry Night.
• **The Haunted Headset:** Rig their gaming headset to play random, spooky sound effects (a ghost moan, a creaking door) at unpredictable intervals during their next online game.
• **The Phantom Paper Jam:** Rig their printer to display a constant “Paper Jam” error message, even when there’s no paper jam. Act confused and offer “help” troubleshooting.
• **The “Accidental” Mic Drop:** During a meeting, pretend to trip and cause the microphone to fall, creating a loud noise.
• **The Overly-Enthusiastic Recommendation:** If they have a favorite coffee shop, write a gushing, over-the-top review online, praising everything from the “artisanal” ice cubes to the “life-changing” napkins.
• **The Spilled Drink Illusion:** Create a realistic-looking spilled drink on their desk using glue and food coloring, let it dry, and place it for maximum impact.
• **The Keyboard Kleptomaniac:** Slowly remove the keys from their keyboard each day, one at a time, and see how long it takes them to notice.
• **The Wi-Fi Woes:** Change the Wi-Fi password to something ridiculously long and complicated, then leave a note with a riddle that must be solved to get the new password.
• **The Overly-Specific Holiday Celebration:** Decorate their workspace for a made-up holiday, like “National Talk Like a Pirate Day” or “International Left-Handers Day.”
• **The “Motivational” Poster Swap:** Replace inspirational posters with demotivational ones featuring sloths and captions like “Dreams are for sleeping” or “Good things come to those who wait… but not to you.”
• **The Sentient Mouse:** Program their computer mouse to randomly double-click or select everything on the screen.
• **The “Lost” Item Reward:** Post flyers for a lost item (e.g., a left shoe) with a reward of “eternal gratitude” and a picture of Nicolas Cage.
• **The Overly-Enthusiastic Translator:** During a meeting, offer to translate everything they say into another language, but use Google Translate and get the translations hilariously wrong.
• **The Calendar Calamity:** Replace all the photos in their calendar with photos of Nicolas Cage doing mundane activities, like grocery shopping or walking the dog.

Easy and Harmless Office Pranks: Practical Jokes for a Laugh

Spice up the workday with harmless office pranks! This book offers a treasure trove of lighthearted jokes perfect for coworkers. Think sticky notes galore, subtly altered desk setups, and maybe a strategically placed rubber duck. Remember, the goal is a shared laugh, not hurt feelings! Keep it fun, ethical, and…

• **The Sentient Desktop Pet:** Download a transparent GIF of a cat or dog doing silly things, and set it as their desktop background. Watch as they try to shoo away the “real” pet.
• **The “Out of Order” Oasis:** Place an “Out of Order” sign on the office water cooler, but include a detailed explanation of why it’s undergoing “existential maintenance.” Blame it on the existential dread of Mondays.
• **The Mouse Cursor Mayhem:** Change their mouse cursor to an elaborate, hard-to-see design, like a tiny snowflake or a single pixel.
• **The Office Supply Shrine:** Build a miniature shrine dedicated to their favorite office supply (e.g., a stapler, a pen) on their desk, complete with candles (battery-operated, of course) and a framed photo.
• **The “Helpful” Colleague’s Desk Arrangement:** While they’re away, rearrange all the items on their desk into a perfect square or a pyramid, prioritizing aesthetics over practicality.
• **The Sticky Note Stalker:** Leave a single, brightly colored sticky note on their back with a silly message, then see how long it takes them to notice.
• **The Zoom Meeting Echo Chamber:** Secretly set up a second laptop with a microphone and speaker near their workstation. During a Zoom meeting, subtly repeat everything they say with a slight delay.
• **The “Accidental” Typo Takeover:** If you have access to their computer, change the default font to Wingdings and then claim you don’t know how to fix it.
• **The “Free Candy” Caper:** Leave a bowl labeled “Free Candy” on their desk, but only fill it with individually wrapped Brussels sprouts.
• **The Silent Keyboard Symphony:** Carefully tape a kazoo to the bottom of their keyboard, so it plays a discordant tune every time they type.
• **The “Helpful” Calendar Update:** Add a recurring calendar event to their phone that says “Think about how grateful you are for me!” every day at 3:00 PM.
• **The “Talking” Coffee Mug:** Affix googly eyes to their coffee mug and pose it in a humorous way each day.
• **The “Found” Item Fiasco:** Create a “Found” poster for a completely ridiculous item, like a “Lost Inflatable Unicorn” or a “Runaway Stapler,” and post it around the office.
• **The Haunting Humidifier:** Add a few drops of green food coloring to their humidifier for a St. Patrick’s Day surprise.
• **The Upside-Down Desk Photo:** Turn all the pictures in their cubicle upside down.

Harmless Office Pranks with Post-it Notes: A Sticky Situation

Looking to inject some laughter into the workday? “Harmless Office Pranks with Post-it Notes: A Sticky Situation” is your guide to lighthearted fun! Discover creative, non-disruptive pranks using everyone’s favorite adhesive squares. From covering desks to crafting pixel art, learn how to boost morale and share a giggle without crossing…

• **The Post-it Note Avalanche:** Rig their ceiling fan with hundreds of Post-it notes, so when they turn it on, it creates a colorful storm.
• **The Post-it Note Garden:** Cover their cubicle with Post-it notes shaped like flowers, creating a vibrant, low-maintenance garden.
• **The Post-it Note Portrait:** Create a pixelated portrait of a celebrity or their pet using different colored Post-it notes.
• **The Post-it Note Quote:** Write a motivational quote on their monitor using Post-it notes, but make it passive-aggressive, like “You can do it! (Eventually)”.
• **The Post-it Note Chair Lift:** Attach hundreds of Post-it notes to the bottom of their chair to create a “lift” effect.
• **The Post-it Note Staircase:** If they have drawers, cover each drawer with a different color Post-it note, creating a rainbow staircase effect.
• **The Post-it Note Message Encryption:** Write a secret message on their desk using Post-it notes, requiring them to decode it.
• **The Post-it Note Maze:** Create a small maze on their desk using Post-it notes, leading to a prize (like a candy or a funny note).
• **The Post-it Note World Map:** Cover their wall with Post-it notes arranged to resemble a world map, labeling each country with a funny stereotype.
• **The Post-it Note “Under Construction” Zone:** Place Post-it notes shaped like caution signs around their desk, warning of “hazardous” conditions like “excessive productivity” or “intense focus.”
• **The Post-it Note Wish List:** Cover their desk with Post-it notes listing all the things they supposedly want for their birthday, but make them ridiculous and impossible to obtain.
• **The Post-it Note Self-Portrait:** Create a self-portrait out of Post-it notes, but exaggerate your best (or worst) features.
• **The Post-it Note Cautionary Tale:** Write a short, funny cautionary tale on a series of Post-it notes, placing them in a sequential order.
• **The Post-it Note Chain Letter:** Start a Post-it note chain letter, asking them to add a funny message and pass it on to another coworker.
• **The Post-it Note “Missing” Poster:** Create a “Missing” poster for a common office supply item using Post-it notes, offering a reward.

Tech-Savvy Harmless Office Pranks: Playing with Digital Devices

Spice up the office with some tech-savvy fun! Harmless digital pranks can boost morale without causing real disruption. Think changing a coworker’s autocorrect to silly words, setting a funny desktop background, or scheduling a harmless (and easily dismissed) calendar reminder. Keep it light, respectful, and ensure everyone can laugh along…

• **The Sentient Mouse Cursor:** Install a program that makes their mouse cursor occasionally disappear or move erratically on its own, creating a ghostly presence in their workspace.
• **The Remote Control Rampage:** Reprogram their universal remote to only control the volume, and only to maximum! Witness their frustration as they grapple with the audio apocalypse.
• **The “Helpful” AI Assistant:** Change their smart speaker’s voice to Gilbert Gottfried and have it offer unsolicited dating advice.
• **The Haunted Headset:** Rig their gaming headset to play random, spooky sound effects (a ghost moan, a creaking door) at unpredictable intervals during their next online game.
• **The “Accidental” Live Stream:** Start a live stream on her phone during the hunt, but only show the floor and make increasingly ridiculous commentary about the “landscape.”
• **The Webcam Cover-Up Conspiracy:** Cover their webcam with a piece of tape, but leave a handwritten note that says, “They’re watching.”
• **The Wi-Fi Woes:** Change the Wi-Fi password to something ridiculously long and complicated that only you know. Then, leave a note that says, “Solve for access.”
• **The Overly-Enthusiastic AI Assistant:** Program their smart speaker to compliment you excessively every time they enter the room.
• **The Google Translate Glitch:** Set their default search engine to Google Translate, with the language set to Klingon.
• **The “Accidental” Screenshot:** Capture a screenshot of their desktop and set it as their background, hiding all their actual icons.
• **The “Helpful” Browser Extension:** Install a browser extension that replaces all images on websites with pictures of Nicolas Cage.
• **The Sentient USB Drive:** Rename their USB drive to “Top Secret Government Files” and watch people’s reactions.
• **The Desktop Time Warp:** Set their computer clock forward by several years and watch them try to make sense of the “future.”
• **The “Expert” Review:** Leave a fake glowing review on their LinkedIn profile praising their exceptional skills in playing Candy Crush during meetings.
• **The “Helpful” Phone Call:** Answer their phone and tell them they have won a free cruise to a tropical island.

Harmless Office Pranks: The Key to Boosting Office Morale

Need a morale boost? Harmless office pranks can be the answer! A little lighthearted fun, like a subtly rearranged desk or a sticky-note explosion, can break up the monotony and foster camaraderie. Just remember to keep it good-natured, respectful, and appropriate for everyone involved. A happy office is a productive…

• **The Sentient Desk Plant:** Attach googly eyes to their desk plant and subtly rearrange it to face a different direction each day, creating a sense of unease.
• **The Keyboard Garden:** Plant chia seeds in their keyboard, watering them discreetly until a tiny keyboard garden sprouts.
• **The “Out of Order” Oasis:** Place an “Out of Order” sign on the water cooler, but include a detailed explanation of why it’s undergoing “existential maintenance.”
• **The Overly Specific Lunch Note:** Write a note for their lunch that is overly specific and ridiculous, like “Do not consume between 12:17 PM and 12:23 PM due to astrological alignment.”
• **The Mismatched Stationery Set:** Secretly replace all their pens, pencils, and highlighters with miniature versions.
• **The Sentient Coffee Mug:** Write a funny message on their coffee mug and subtly rearrange it to face a different direction throughout the day.
• **The Calendar Catastrophe:** Replace all the photos in their calendar with pictures of Nicolas Cage doing mundane activities.
• **The “Accidental” Tech Support:** Offer to help fix their computer, but set their default search engine to a website dedicated to competitive thumb wrestling.
• **The Haunting Humidifier:** Add a few drops of food coloring to their humidifier for a colorful surprise.
• **The Hilarious Home Screen:** Take a screenshot of their phone’s home screen, then hide all the real apps and set the screenshot as the background.
• **The Personalized Parking Violation:** Leave a fake parking ticket on their car for a ridiculous offense: “Excessive Use of Turn Signals – Fine: One Foot Rub.”
• **The “Expert” Opinion:** Casually mention that you heard that wearing socks with sandals is a sign of high intelligence.
• **The “Pet-Themed” Pop Quiz:** Announce a surprise pop quiz, but all the questions are about your pet’s habits and preferences.
• **The “Spilled” Disaster:** Create a fake coffee spill on the table using glue and glitter.
• **The Office Supply Swap:** Replace all their pens with crayons.

Food-Related Harmless Office Pranks: Sweet and Savory Fun

Spice up the workplace with harmless food pranks! Imagine a coworker biting into an Oreo filled with toothpaste (minty fresh surprise!) or finding their stapler encased in Jell-O. These sweet and savory shenanigans are all about lighthearted fun. Remember, the goal is laughter and camaraderie, not chaos. So, get creative…

• **The “Gourmet” Water Cooler:** Replace the water cooler jug with one filled with clear gelatin that jiggles ominously.
• **The Coffee Bean Bandit:** Replace all the regular coffee beans with decaf, then watch the caffeine-deprived chaos unfold.
• **The “Everything Bagel” Cake Pops:** Coat cake pops in cream cheese frosting and everything bagel seasoning for a confusing treat.
• **The Mayo-Filled Oreo Delight:** Replace the cream filling of Oreo cookies with mayonnaise. Offer them with a straight face.
• **The “Healthy” Donut Delivery:** Bring a box of donuts, but they are Brussels sprouts decorated to look like donuts.
• **The “Spilled” Coffee Disaster:** Create a fake coffee spill on their desk using glue and brown glitter.
• **The Spice Rack Switcheroo:** Swap the labels on all the spices in their spice rack for maximum culinary confusion.
• **The “Accidental” Hot Sauce Addition:** Add a few drops of hot sauce to the communal office coffee pot.
• **The Gummy Worm Ice Cubes:** Freeze gummy worms inside ice cubes and serve them in unsuspecting coworkers’ drinks.
• **The “Fake” Lunch Thief:** Leave a note on their lunch bag: “Sorry, I was hungry!” – but the lunch is still there.
• **The “Healthy” Vending Machine Swap:** Replace all the candy in the vending machine with healthy snacks like kale chips and seaweed snacks.
• **The “Flavor-Changing” Water Cooler:** Add a flavor-changing tablet to the water cooler, causing it to change color and flavor throughout the day.
• **The Sticky Situation:** Tape a piece of paper that says “Open me!” on their snack.
• **The “Salty” Sweetener:** Replace sugar packets with salt.
• **The Customized Candy Calamity:** Buy her favorite candy, but replace the original contents with individually wrapped Brussels sprouts.

Harmless Office Pranks: Avoiding HR Nightmares and Overstepping Boundaries

Office pranks can boost morale, but tread carefully! “Harmless” is subjective. Stick to lighthearted, consensual jokes that won’t offend or disrupt work. Avoid anything personal, discriminatory, or potentially damaging. Consider your company culture and coworker personalities. When in doubt, err on the side of caution to avoid HR headaches and…

• **The Sentient Stapler:** Rig a coworker’s stapler to play a short, but dramatic, piece of classical music every time it’s used. Bonus points for matching the music to their personality.
• **The “Important” Spreadsheet:** Send a mass email claiming you’ve accidentally shared a confidential spreadsheet with everyone. The spreadsheet only contains the lyrics to “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
• **The Desk Plant Swap:** Subtly replace their real plant with a plastic one, then start watering it publicly and commenting on its “growth.”
• **The “Helpful” Voice Dictation:** Turn on voice dictation on their computer, then leave. The results will be…interesting.
• **The Overly Enthusiastic Desk Fan:** Secure a small flag to the front of their desk fan so it waves around wildly.
• **The Mouse Cursor Migration:** Change their mouse cursor to a picture of a tiny, migrating bird.
• **The “Lost” Memo:** Post a memo about a new office policy requiring employees to wear hats shaped like their favorite animal on Fridays.
• **The Personalized Desk Calendar – Animal Edition:** Replace all the pictures in their desk calendar with pictures of Nicolas Cage with animals.
• **The Symphony of Stationery**: Place a small kazoo in their supply drawer, so it plays a discordant tune every time someone opens it.
• **The “Tech Support” Assistance:** Offer to “fix” their computer, then set their default search engine to a website dedicated to competitive thumb wrestling.
• **The Overly Helpful AI Assistant:** Set a reminder on their smart speaker with a reminder: “They know” with a specific date.
• **The Themed Desk Relocation:** Move all the items on their desk to an alternate desk, but only using items that start with the same letter as the desk number.
• **The “Productivity” Pen:** A pen that only writes in disappearing ink.
• **The Overly-Specific Holiday:** Declare a random holiday like “National Compliment Your Coworker’s Socks Day” and encourage everyone to participate.
• **The Haunted Printer:** Set up their printer to automatically print out a random page from a horror novel every hour.

Harmless Office Pranks for Remote Coworkers: Digital Deception

Working remotely doesn’t mean missing out on office fun! “Harmless Office Pranks for Remote Coworkers: Digital Deception” explores lighthearted ways to trick your colleagues online. Think subtle Zoom background swaps, unexpected GIF reactions, or cleverly crafted email auto-replies. Just remember, the goal is a shared laugh, not actual frustration. Keep…

• **The Fake “Reply All” Email Storm:** Compose a hilariously mundane email, then “accidentally” send it to the entire company.
• **The Zoom Background Glitch:** Change your Zoom background to a photo of your own office, then subtly rearrange items in the *real* office behind you to confuse viewers.
• **The “Helpful” Screen Share Sabotage:** During a presentation, claim your screen is frozen, then subtly switch to a slideshow of Nicolas Cage pictures.
• **The Sentient Smartwatch Notification:** Set a reminder on their smartwatch to go off every hour with a message like “The squirrels are plotting their revenge.”
• **The Mouse Cursor Migration:** Change their mouse cursor to a picture of a tiny, migrating bird.
• **The “Accidental” Auto-Correct Anarchy:** Change their phone to autocorrect common words to lyrics from their least favorite song.
• **The Personalized Parking Violation:** Leave a fake parking ticket on their car for a ridiculous offense: “Excessive Enthusiasm for Mondays.” Fine: One foot rub.
• **The “Help Me” Ruse:** Put a note in one of the eggs: “You have 10 minutes to find the next egg, or you will be turned into a chocolate bunny.”
• **The Themed Lecture Takeover:** Secretly change the topic of the teacher’s lecture notes to something completely unrelated and absurd, like “The History of Rubber Duckies” or “The Art of Competitive Napping.”
• **The Sentient Stuffed Animal:** Reposition their favorite stuffed animal into increasingly sinister poses throughout the night.
• **The “Important” Spreadsheet:** Send a mass email claiming you’ve accidentally shared a confidential spreadsheet with everyone. The spreadsheet only contains the lyrics to “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
• **The “Wrong Number” Text Prank:** Send a series of texts from a random number, pretending to be his celebrity crush professing their love.
• **The Fortune Cookie Exercise Revelation:** Replace the fortunes in fortune cookies with personalized exercise routines.
• **The “Helpful” DIY Tutorial:** Post a DIY tutorial for a project that is intentionally impossible to complete, like “How to build a house out of marshmallows.”
• **The Zoom Time Warp:** Set up a Zoom call with friends. In the final minutes of the year, pause your video, then switch to a pre-recorded video of yourself celebrating the New Year hours earlier.