April Fools' Day
They’re not too mean or over the top.
It might feel like March just started, but somehow April Fools' Day is right around the corner. If you're looking to take part in the practical joke celebrations, you probably want to pick a joke or prank that isn't super stale, boring, or overdone. It can be hard to find something outside the norm since many April Fools' gags are classics that will probably never go away. But if you need some inspiration, try these ideas for April Fools' Day jokes to tell your friends or roommates to totally confuse them — or make them laugh. Both work.
One thing is for sure: Telling your friends you're pregnant or engaged if you are not isn’t just overdone, but, honestly, it’s uncool and offensive — a major April Fools' faux pas. No matter how cliché it is, someone usually attempts it, and it's usually received with eye rolls and backlash. You can do better than that. There are plenty of April Fools’ Day ideas out there that are creative, fun, and lighthearted, and you can be confident they won’t cause any harm.
Below, you'll find some of the best April Fools’ jokes you can pull on your friends. They aren't mean, they aren't too over the top, and they won't make anyone cry. Happy joking!
1
Convince Them You Plucked Their Eyebrows
Inspired by this TikTok trend using a Y2K thin eyebrow filter, tell your friend to close their eyes and let you shape their eyebrows. Then proceed to falsely pluck and trim their brows and have them unknowingly open their eyes to the thin eyebrow filter being used on your phone’s camera. This trick will work best with someone who has no experience with these typical beauty treatments, of course.
2
Tell Them To Expect A Prank, Then Don't Do Anything
Right before April 1, drop some hints to make your friend think you're going to play a big joke on them. As it gets closer, amp it up to make them expect something huge. The trick? Don't do anything at all. Your friend will spend the day wondering when they're going to get pranked when really, nothing is going to happen.
3
Text An Awkward Question, Then Pretend It Never Happened
Text message April Fools' jokes can be the best April Fools' jokes. On the morning of April Fools' Day, text your friend with a weird question. Say something like, "Hey, random question, but if I needed help getting out of trouble, would you lie to the authorities for me?" Then do one of two things: Either act like you never said anything and ask them what they're talking about when they respond, or just never answer them. Either way, they'll be spooked.
4
Hide Nine Items In Their Room, But Tell Them You Hid 10
If you live with a roommate, play this little trick on them. Get some items — like, nine of them — and hide them throughout their room. Make it something like candy or food that they'll want to find quickly. When they find one, fess up, and admit that you hid 10 of them throughout the room for them to find. Really, though, you hid nine... so they'll spend a lot of time looking for one that doesn't exist.
5
Tell Them You Signed Them Up For A Big Marathon
If your friend hates running, surprise them by telling them that you signed them up for a marathon with you that's happening in a few weeks. When they say "no thanks," act like they can't back out of it — because you have the receipt and you spent a hefty amount of money on it. Silly, but it will work!
6
Text "I Need To Tell You Something," Then Never Respond
OK, here's a joke that's a little mean but also pretty amazing. Text your friend a message that says something like, "I need to talk to you about something." They'll get worried and respond, and that's when you choose to never answer. Just ignore their texts and calls... but not for too long since you don’t want to actually make them think something terrible is up!
7
Tell Them You & Your Ex Are Getting Back Together
Want to make up a little lie? Tell your friend that you and your ex are getting back together. Be ready with a long story and explanation as to why, as well as answers to their inevitable questions. It might really trick them — and you might get to see what they really think about your ex at the same time. Sneaky, sneaky!
8
Ask Them To Crack Your Back
This viral TikTok prank trend blew up in 2020, and it’s so good it’s definitely worth pulling out on April Fools’ Day. Grab a piece of raw pasta and hold it between your back teeth. Then ask your friend to crack your back, and when they do, bite down on the pasta to release a super loud cracking noise. If you play it up and collapse to the floor, your friend will immediately panic! All in good fun, of course.
9
Tell Them The “Candy” They're Eating Is Chocolate
It's nearly Easter, so your joke could definitely tie into that for some seasonal flair. Dip some round vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, in chocolate, then freeze them so they look like chocolate eggs. Give one to a friend and tell them it's your new favorite candy. Yikes!
10
Convince Them Their Fave Celeb Was Just Cancelled
Did you see the headlines? Harry Styles is being canceled because he got into a quarrel with Lizzo and she started crying — or something like that. If your friend has a favorite celebrity, try to convince them that they did something unexpected or problematic. Maybe even photoshop a tweet or fake story while you’re at it. The more absurd, the better!
11
Make It Look Like You Went On A Big Vacation On Instagram
Get inspired by what this Instagram user admitted to doing: She made up an entire trip to Disney on Instagram to prove a point (that what you see online isn't always real). Do this to your friends. Manipulate some photos and act like you took a random trip somewhere elaborate. Of course, this will require some pre-April Fools' work, but it could be worth it if you do it right.
12
Convince Them Their Mouse Is Broken
Play a little prank on your roommate by installing a discreet Bluetooth mouse on their laptop. Then, when they login to work for the day, slightly move their cursor movements as they try to use theirs. It will make them think there is something wrong with their computer. The more minute the movements, the better.
13
Make Up That A Snowstorm Is Headed Their Way
If it's plausible, convince your friend that a major snowstorm is headed their way in the next few days. Honestly, they'll probably figure out you're lying pretty quickly, but it will be funny while it lasts. Nothing screams April Fools’ Day more than a little bit of harmless confusion.
14
Convince Them It's A Different Day Of The Week Than It Is
Get inspired by Jim and Dwight from The Office with this little trick. Convince your friend that it's a different day of the week than it really is. This one might take a little bit of effort to really convince them — like waking them up super early in the morning and telling them they’re late for something, and even sneakily changing the time zone on their devices.
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