How to Shuffle Options

We recently added the ability to randomize or shuffle all the options when creating a spinner. This feature was requested by a user who wrote to us from our Contact page. So if you have any feature suggestions, please let us know!

Why Would You Want to Shuffle the Options?

It is not necessary to randomize the options. Whatever order you enter the options is the order they will be rendered on the wheel. So feel free to enter the options in any organized or randomized order you want. But there are several compelling reasons why you might want to shuffle the order:

Visual Distribution

When you enter options systematically (like in alphabetical order or by category), similar items often end up grouped together on the wheel. Shuffling creates a more visually balanced and aesthetically pleasing distribution.

Fairness Perception

A randomized layout can appear more fair and unbiased, especially when using the spinner for decision-making where participants might have preferences based on position.

Breaking Patterns

If you naturally enter options in a predictable pattern, shuffling breaks that pattern and ensures truly random placement on the wheel.

Example Use Case for Randomizing Options

Imagine you wanted to create a spinner for all 52 cards in a deck of cards. The first step is to enter all 52 cards. You might want to enter the cards in new deck order:

Your preview of your spinner might look something like this:

If you are OK with this, you can stop here. This spinner will work correctly. But it might look better if you click the randomize button. Doing so will cause all the options to be shuffled. You can randomize as much as you want, and you will see something like this:

Now you will see that the red and black cards are mixed and give a better representation of a randomized deck of cards.

You can see this spinner by clicking here.

How to Use the Randomize Button

1. Create your options - Enter all your options in whatever order feels natural to you
2. Look at the preview - Check how your spinner looks with the current order
3. Click the Randomize button - Located next to the "+ Add Option" button (on the right side)
4. Preview again - See how the shuffled order looks
5. Repeat if needed - You can click randomize multiple times until you're happy with the distribution

The randomize button uses a shuffling algorithm that ensures each option has an equal chance of ending up in any position on the wheel.

When NOT to Randomize Options

There are certain scenarios where you should keep your options in a specific order rather than shuffling them:

Roulette Wheels

If you were creating a roulette wheel, it wouldn't make sense to randomize the options. Typically a roulette wheel alternates red and black slices with the occasional green slice in specific positions. The traditional layout is important for authenticity.

Sequential or Ordered Lists

When your spinner represents things that have a natural order (like:

• Numbers in sequence (1, 2, 3, 4...)
• Days of the week
• Months of the year
• Steps in a process

Deliberate Groupings

Sometimes you want similar options grouped together intentionally:

• Different difficulty levels of challenges
• Categories of activities (indoor vs outdoor)
• Team assignments where you want balance

Brand or Design Considerations

If you've carefully chosen colors and positions for visual appeal or branding purposes, randomizing might disrupt your intended design.

Best Practices

• Start with your natural order - Enter options however feels logical to you
• Use the preview - Always check how your spinner looks before and after shuffling
• Multiple shuffles - Don't hesitate to randomize several times until the visual balance looks right
• Consider your audience - Think about whether randomization helps or hurts the perception of fairness

The randomize feature is a tool to help you create better-looking, more balanced spinners. Use it when it improves your spinner's appearance and fairness, but don't feel obligated to use it if your original order serves your purpose better.