Office pranks have always been a firm favourite on the internet and, for those cooped up in an air-conditioned office from nine to five for most of the year, they're a great escape from the humdrum. 

The best office pranks we've seen range from the surprisingly simple to the extremely extravagant - and they more often than not involve tech.

Discover the most amusing we've seen so far and maybe get some inspiration for your very own office-based shenanigans. 

The simple mouse trick

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Pinterest

An old trick, but a classic nonetheless. All this prank involves is a little bit of sticky tape and a small spot of paper over the laser on the bottom of a co-worker's mouse to render it frustratingly unresponsive. Simple but effective.

Take this prank to another level by switching one co-worker's wireless mouse with another's and have them moving each other's cursors without realising what's going on.  

Nicolas Cage photocopier

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Who doesn't love Nick Cage? This prank is as subtle as it is alarming. Unsuspecting co-workers may well find an extra surprise on their photocopies if they're not paying enough attention when they open the lid. We have no doubt this one results in some hilarious consequences and brightens up an otherwise dull office task. 

Toilet Cage

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RantNow

Everybody poops, but no one expects to find Nicolas Cage in their office toilets. Another simple yet hilarious prank for the workplace. 

The office toilet

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@alicetaywong

This prank probably requires a tad more effort and expense than some of the others on our list, but will definitely help out colleagues who complain about not having enough hours in the day to get their work done. Throw in a fridge and a microwave and they'll never have to move again. Just imagine how efficient they could be!

Voice-activated toaster

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We live in a world where more and more smart devices are appearing by the day and the latest trend is the inclusion of voice-activated smart assistants. It's not too much of a stretch to believe that a voice-activated toaster could make its way into the office kitchen. 

We'd love to see the results of this prank as people shout angrily at an inanimate object. 

Shouting at the photocopier

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If a voice-activated toaster is a bit too hard to believe, a smart photocopier might not be. Dumbing down the copier would certainly be helpful for the office technophobes.

Until one becomes available to buy we'll just have to make do with watching colleagues shouting at the machine and getting in a flap when it doesn't work. 

Cubicle balloon prank

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Reddit

One of the true classic office pranks is probably one of the most clichéd too - stuffing a co-worker's office or cubicle full of balloons, balls or other multicoloured objects. These are likely helium balloons, at least we hope so or someone had a lot of puffing to do! 

If you're thinking of pulling this prank off, you can ease the workload and cost by taping the balloons to the window to give the illusion that the room is full without actually having to fill it. 

The chair horn

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token-straight-friend

Loud, proud and likely to give everyone a fright. This simple prank involves taping a fog horn can to the underside of an office chair. When the victim takes a pew, the results will certainly be alarming. If not deafening.

We wouldn't recommend pulling this prank on anyone with a sensitive disposition or a heart condition. Nor would we suggest doing it in a confined space. 

Loud toilet noises

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Blazepress

If you're ever going to get a fright, what better place to be than in a toilet. We still think this prank might be verging on being a bit too evil but can't help wonder what the results were or what the rest of the office thought when the horn went off. 

The hungry office worker

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Imgur

We're not quite sure where you'd get quite this many Chinese takeaway cartons from, unless you're a really loyal customer. But you've got to admire the level of effort that went into this prank. We'd love to see this done with a fortune cookie in each box so there was at least some reward for all the effort that went into clearing up afterwards. 

A rat infestation

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Blazepress

There's a definite theme amongst office pranksters for stuffing someone's office or cubicle full of a specific item. Some of these pranks clearly require more effort and expense than others. We'd imagine buying this many toy rats required not only a hefty investment but a fair amount of transportation too.

Just hope the victim wasn't afraid of furry critters. 

A massive paper-mache ball

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Imgur

Another high-effort prank involved constructing an giant paper mache ball. You certainly have to marvel at the level of dedication here. The prankster went to the trouble of transporting all the necessary parts into their colleague's office before putting it all together to create the final masterpiece. 

We can imagine it was fun deconstructing it to reclaim the office, if nothing else. 

Healthy doughnut snacks

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Buzzly

Office workers love a good snack and there's no better way to win over your colleague's affections than with a box of sugary treats. Which is why this prank is pure evil. Though some might appreciate the lack of fattening calories this box of "doughnuts" brings. 

Toffee apples with a twist

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BoredPanda

Some people just want to watch the world burn. Mixing toffee apples with toffee onions and sending colleagues to embark on a game of Russian roulette without even realising what they're letting themselves in for is particularly evil. 

They say the first bite is with the eye, but in this case, the second bite could be particularly unpleasant. 

There's a leak in the toilet

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Here, puns and pranks combine to form a simple yet chortle-worthy bit of toilet-based humour. Picture the scene as a colleague runs over to the office manager all in a flap: "There's a leak in the women's toilets!". Classic. 

Office tech upgrade

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Technology is really coming on in leaps and bounds, yet some might yearn for simpler times when Windows errors and updates were never a problem. This office technology downgrade is oddly appealing and clearly, no expense was spent. 

An eco-friendly keyboard

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Blazepress

In a world where everyone is looking for a way to reduce their carbon footprint, this classic cress-based keyboard prank might actually be a welcome "green" addition to the office. Plus, if the victim of the prank gets a bit peckish during the day, then they've got some quick and easy access to a light snack. 

Some trimming may be required

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Pinterest

Taking the cress planting prank to the next level, this prankster has gone to the effort of planting grass all over their colleague's desk. If you look carefully, you'll see they've even supplied a water mister for keeping the greenery freshly watered.

A drawer full of surprises 

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Pinterest

We like this prank, though it could easily end up being a bit messy if you get it wrong. It also requires some effort and some unseen time in the office to prepare.

Firstly, the colleague's desk drawer is emptied and lined with plastic sheeting. Then simply filled with water, some decorations, appropriate foliage and a collection of fish. Goldfish are the most likely candidate due to their affordability. Plus with their memory issues, they're less likely to end up mentally scarred by their outing. 

It does take some commitment to carry this prank out though. You'll need to find a home for the fish after the fun is all over unless they stay in the drawer from then on, but that doesn't seem ideal for anyone. 

Employee of the month

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BoredPanda

There's something to be said for the office pranks that are so subtle they could easily go unnoticed. Here the office prankster has added another photo to the wall where the employee of the month usually resides. Korean leader Kim Jong Um now stares down on his colleagues, dissatisfied with their Western work ethics. 

The office mascot

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"Have you met the new guy? He's a tad on the grumpy side." 

We wouldn't recommend stealing this guy's lunch. He's pretty precious about his salmon salad. 

We do however, have to doth our caps to whoever went to the effort of clearing out enough space for a full-sized stuffed bear. If you came into work on a Monday morning expecting to sit at your desk and get ready for another week's grind but were instead faced with this beast you'd probably need to go home for a change of underpants. 

Have we missed any corking office pranks off our list? Drop us a note in the comments so we can add them!