If April 1st is the only day of the year you really get to have fun at work, the best office pranks for April Fool's Day will help you get the most out of it. Just be sure to keep office etiquette in mind when you decide to set up a prank at work.
1. Control Your Co-worker's Computer
Lifehacker has a way to make your co-worker completely confused when his cursor seems to start moving on its own. It's complicated and you need to be on the same network, but you can install the VNC server on anyone's computer. If you know its IP address, you can make a co-worker's computer do things she never intended for it to do.
2. Mixed-up Keyboard
Instructables.com lists keyboard re-mapping as the number one prank to play on April 1st. Get the Key Extender or SharpKeys download and switch some of the most used keys. Switch exclamation points to question marks, periods to dollar signs, and more.
3. Change Google's Language
Number four on the NetworkWorld.com prank list includes changing a co-worker's Google preferences to another language. While co-workers are away, sneak into their offices and click Preferences on Google's homepage. Choose from languages like Elmer Fudd, Klingon, and Yiddish.
4. Foiling the Office
Entrepreneur lists their number one prank as wrapping everything in someone's office with aluminum foil. You'll probably want to get industrial-sized rolls of foil like the person in their article used - and enlist some help while you're at it!
5. The Blue Screen of Death
LifeHacker.com has a way to scare your co-worker into thinking his computer malfunctioned while he was away. You can download the blue screen from Microsoft and change it to his screensaver while he is at lunch or in a meeting you don't need to attend.
6. Icons Crashing Down
SpoonGraphics.com calls this out as one of the coolest computer pranks they have ever seen, and it's even better if there's a total perfectionist in your office. Your victim will need to use a Mac, however, so it's a prank with limited use. You download the Newton Virus, which isn't actually a virus at all. The program will make the items on the computer screen behave as if they're affected by gravity, so when the victim flips up her laptop screen or picks up the computer, her icons will fall.
7. Upside-down Pages
LifeHacker's number one choice for best office pranks for April Fool's Day has to do with turning your co-workers' screens upside-down. You'll need to be net admin-savvy and all use the same Wi-Fi network. You can use custom scripts to send web traffic upside down or redirect all of their URL entries to a site like KittenWar.com or ICanHasCheezburger.com.
8. Calling in Sick
Entrepreneur.com has a prank listed that will target the boss. All of the employees, except for a new hire if available, call in to say that they can't come into work. The employees then gather together in a bakery to buy the boss breakfast and take it in, along with a huge, "April Fools!"
The best office pranks for April Fool's Day are the ones that can get you laughs without getting you fired, so make sure you won't be disciplined for tampering with your co-worker's computer if that's the type of joke or prank you choose to do.
