List Randomizer
Paste any list, one item per line, and get it back in a fair random order. Names, tasks, songs, giveaway entries, anything.
Result
Paste a list on the left, then press Randomize.
- Presentation orderPaste the class or team list and the shuffled numbers become the speaking order. No one can say it was rigged.
- Giveaway entriesPaste usernames, remove duplicates so nobody gets two tickets, then take the first N as winners and the rest as backups.
- Draft and turn orderFantasy league draft picks, board game seats or karaoke turns, settled in one click.
- Playlist and study orderShuffle songs, flashcards or revision topics so you stop starting with the same one every time.
Shuffle a list in three steps
Paste your list
One item per line. Copy a column from Excel or Google Sheets and it pastes as lines automatically. Your list is saved in this browser for next time.
Clean it up
Keep Remove duplicates on for entries and draws, and Trim spaces on to ignore empty lines and stray spaces.
Randomize
Shuffle the whole list, keep only the first N, or deal it into groups. Copy the result with numbers or send it to a wheel.
A shuffle you can stand behind
Why Fisher–Yates and not sort by random
A common shortcut in spreadsheets and code is to sort the list by a random number, for example sorting with a comparator that returns a random sign. It looks random, but it is not fair. Sort algorithms assume the comparisons are consistent, and when they are not, some positions become noticeably more likely than others. With a small list of five names, some items can end up in their original place far more often than one time in five.
The Fisher–Yates shuffle works differently. It walks from the last position to the first and swaps each position with a randomly chosen one at or before it. With n items it makes exactly n minus 1 random choices of decreasing size, n, then n minus 1, and so on, which gives n factorial equally likely outcomes, one for every possible order.
Fairness also depends on the random numbers. This tool draws them with crypto.getRandomValues and rejection sampling, so a choice among 7 positions is exactly one in seven and not slightly skewed by a remainder.
| Method | Every order equally likely | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fisher–Yates with unbiased random integers | Yes | What this tool uses. Fast for any length. |
| Sort with a random comparator | No | Result depends on the sort algorithm and browser. Early items tend to stay put. |
| Spreadsheet RAND column then sort | Practically yes | Fair if each row gets one fixed random value, but RAND recalculates on every edit. |
| Drawing names from a hat | Yes, if well mixed | Hard to prove afterwards. Paper slips stick together. |
Choosing an output mode
The same shuffle can be used three ways. All of them come from one random order, so picking the first three is exactly as fair as drawing three names one by one.
| You need | Mode | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Order for presentations, turns or a queue | Shuffle all | Copy with numbers and paste into the class chat. |
| Winners from a list of entries | Pick first N | Remove duplicates first. Positions after N make a ready backup list. |
| Teams or study groups | Split into groups | Set the number of groups, not the size. 23 people into 4 groups gives 6, 6, 6 and 5. |
| A dramatic final reveal | Any, then Put on a wheel | Shuffle a shortlist, then spin it live on screen. |
Running a fair giveaway draw from a list
- Export or copy the entrant names into one column, one per line.
- Leave Remove duplicates on if the rules say one entry per person. Untick it if extra entries were earned on purpose.
- Choose Pick first N and set the number of prizes.
- Record your screen or take a screenshot of the full result, including the backups below the winners.
- If a winner does not reply in time, move to the next name in the shuffled order instead of drawing again.
Picking from Instagram, YouTube or X comments? The comment pickers fetch and clean the entries for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I randomize the order of a list?
Paste the list with one item per line and press Randomize. The result shows every item in a new random order with its position number. Press Randomize again for a fresh order.
Is the shuffle truly random?
Yes. It uses the Fisher–Yates algorithm with numbers from crypto.getRandomValues, so every possible order of your list has exactly the same probability.
Can I remove duplicate names before shuffling?
Yes. Remove duplicates is on by default. It ignores letter case and extra spaces, and tells you how many duplicate lines were skipped.
How do I pick only a few items from the list?
Switch the output to Pick first N and enter how many you need. You get the first N items of the shuffled order, which is the same as drawing N names without replacement.
Can it split a list into random groups?
Yes. Choose Split into groups and set the number of groups. Items are dealt in turn after the shuffle, so groups are as even as possible.
Will my list still be there when I come back?
Yes, on the same browser and device. The list is saved in local storage only, never on a server. Press Clear to remove it.
How long can the list be?
Thousands of lines work fine. Only the wheel hand-off is limited to the first 100 items, because a wheel with more slices is hard to read.