Wheel spinner FAQ.
Every spin, explained.

WheelofRandomNames is a free online random name picker and wheel spinner. Add names, ideas, tasks, or choices, then spin to select an entry. Use it for classroom participation, meeting icebreakers, party games, or everyday decisions.

Open the wheel, type or paste one entry per line in Entries, and click SPIN in the center. On a keyboard, focus the SPIN button and press Enter or Space. You can also press Space when you are outside input fields and other controls. The selected entry appears after the animation.

Yes. The current wheel, templates, Groups, Random Rank, and tools are free to use without an app account. There is no payment flow in this version.

A wheel supports up to 5,000 entries, with up to 160 characters per name. Imported files can be up to 2 MB. With a large list, some slice labels may be hidden for readability; eligible entries still take part in the draw.

Yes. Each line can contain a name, a dinner option, a quiz topic, a task, or another short label. Templates provide starting ideas for education, giveaways, food, parties, and team activities.

The app selects winners using random values from your browser’s Web Crypto API. Its random-integer function uses rejection sampling to avoid modulo bias. The wheel animation lands on the selected entry; the moment you click does not let you choose a winner.

By default, each enabled entry has weight 1 and an equal chance. For example, with 10 eligible entries of equal weight, each has a 1 in 10 chance on a single spin. Different weights change those probabilities.

Repeats are possible in random draws. When the entries and weights stay the same and winners are kept on the wheel, a previous win does not reduce the entry’s chance on the next spin. Turn on automatic winner removal in Settings if you want winners excluded from later spins.

Choose Edit weights below Entries. Set a whole-number weight from 0 to 10,000. An entry’s chance is its weight divided by the total weight of all enabled entries with positive weights. For example, weights of 2, 1, and 1 give chances of 50%, 25%, and 25%. Weight 0 or disabling an entry excludes it.

Identical labels on separate lines are separate entries. With equal weights, a person listed twice has twice the combined chance of someone listed once. Check your list for duplicates before a draw if you intend one entry per participant.

Shuffle changes the order of entries, and A–Z sorts their labels. Neither changes their weights or individual selection probabilities. Shuffle, Groups, and Random Rank use random ordering; weights do not control positions in a random order or group assignment.

Open Statistics using the chart icon beside Results. You can compare observed results with expected probabilities and run a 10,000-draw simulation without replacing your real spin history. A simulation can vary from the expected percentages and is not an independent certification of fairness.

Open Settings beside Entries and set Number of winners, up to 20 or the number of eligible entries if smaller. Press SPIN to run a separate spin for each winner. Entries are selected without replacement within that draw, and weights are recalculated after each selection.

Enable automatic winner removal in Settings, or use the removal control in the winner dialog. Multiple-winner draws already avoid selecting the same entry twice within one draw. Duplicate names on different entries can still produce the same displayed name.

Choose the Groups tab next to Entries, set the number of groups, and generate the groups. Enabled entries with positive weights are shuffled into groups whose sizes differ by no more than one. Weights do not affect group assignment. You can copy or export the generated groups.

Choose Random Rank next to Groups and click Randomize order. Each active entry appears exactly once. Use the result for presentation schedules, game turns, or a speaking order. Copy or export the order before leaving if you need to keep it; it is not saved as spin history.

Yes. Add the eligible participants, check duplicate entries and weights, explain your draw rules, and spin. You can export results for your own records. The app does not verify participant eligibility, administer prizes, or provide a certified or independently audited draw.

Use Customize for the wheel’s visual options, and open Settings for draw behavior. You can adjust the color palette, spin duration, sound, number of winners, winner announcement, and automatic winner removal.

Yes. Settings offers durations of 2, 5, 8, or 12 seconds per winner. Use the sound control below the wheel to toggle audio. Browsers may require a click or tap before allowing sound.

Click the presentation icon above the wheel. Presentation mode hides the editor and navigation and attempts browser fullscreen where supported. Press Escape to leave. If fullscreen is unavailable, you can still use the simplified wheel layout.

Yes. Use the plus button to create another wheel, switch between wheel tabs, or open My wheels. You can keep up to 20 wheels in this browser. Each wheel has its own entries, settings, and recent results.

Yes. Open Tools for a random number generator, an animated coin flip, and dice. For teams use Groups, for shuffled lists use Random Rank, and for multiple winners use Settings beside Entries.

Click Import list below Entries and select a TXT, CSV, or JSON file of up to 2 MB. TXT works well for one name per line. Use a CSV exported by the app to preserve entry weights, or a wheel JSON backup to restore a complete wheel. You can also paste a list directly into Entries.

Click Import Google Spreadsheet next to Import list. Paste a viewable Google Sheets link or paste copied spreadsheet cells. Review the preview and column options, then choose whether to append entries or replace the current list. Check the preview before confirming, especially when your sheet has a header row or a weight column.

Google Drive sign-in and browsing private spreadsheets are not available in the current version. You can copy the required cells from a private sheet and paste them into the importer, or download the list and use Import list. Avoid making a sheet containing personal information public just to import it.

Check that the link points to a Google spreadsheet, the intended worksheet is selected, and the sheet is accessible without signing in. Sharing permissions, browser network restrictions, or a temporary connection problem can prevent fetching. Pasting copied cells or importing a downloaded file provides an alternative.

The app automatically saves wheels in local storage in the current browser when storage is available. Check the save indicator above the wheel. For a separate backup, choose Export and download a complete wheel JSON file. Export important wheels before clearing browser data.

Browser-local wheels do not sync between devices, browsers, or browser profiles. Export a wheel as JSON and import it on the other device. Alternatively, a share link opens an editable copy of the wheel. There is no cloud account or cloud saving in this version.

Complete wheel JSON preserves the wheel data, including its names, weights, and settings. TXT exports the names, and CSV exports names and weights. For a convenient results record, use Export results in the Results tab separately. Each wheel retains up to 500 recent results in this browser.

Click Share above the wheel and copy the generated link. It contains the wheel’s entries and settings and opens an editable copy for the recipient, without sharing your spin history. For very large lists, send an exported JSON file instead because some messaging apps truncate long links.

No. A share link is a snapshot rather than a live connection. Later changes do not update copies opened from an older link. Create a new link after editing if you want someone to receive the updated wheel.

Clearing site data, using a different browser profile, private browsing, or blocked or full browser storage can prevent a wheel from being restored. Import a JSON backup if you have one. Automatic browser saving is convenient, but it is not a substitute for keeping an exported backup.

The app stores names, settings, and recent results in your browser, without app accounts or cloud sync. Shared links contain encoded wheel data that anyone with the link can read; encoding is not encryption. Requests to the hosting provider and Google Fonts can expose technical connection information. Importing a Google spreadsheet also contacts Google. The site includes Google AdSense, which may use cookies and connection information for advertising. Read Privacy & cookies in the footer for details and choices.

Treat a share link like a readable copy of your list. Anyone who receives or forwards it can access the encoded names and settings. Use initials or non-sensitive labels when appropriate, and avoid sharing private participant information without permission.

Use a current browser on a phone, tablet, or computer with JavaScript, canvas, and Web Crypto support. Browser features such as fullscreen, clipboard access, audio, and sharing can behave differently across devices. If a feature fails, try updating your browser and opening the site directly over HTTPS.

Check that at least one entry is enabled with a positive weight and that the winner count does not exceed the eligible entries. Wait for any ongoing draw to finish. For sound, turn audio on and interact with the page first. If needed, reload after exporting a backup of important wheels.

Yes. Tab to SPIN and press Enter or Space. The wheel animation respects the device’s reduced-motion preference. Native buttons and expandable FAQ questions can also be operated with a keyboard.

You can share the browser window or capture it with your broadcasting software, and use presentation mode for a cleaner view. The app does not currently offer a dedicated streaming control panel, audience synchronization, or a supported embed API.

There is no public developer API or supported integration SDK in the current version. Use the website directly, share a wheel link, or move wheel data with the available import and export controls.