Random Seating Chart Generator
Paste your class list, pick rows and columns or round tables, and shuffle. Lock the seats that must not move and keep chatty pairs apart.
Keep apart
These two will not sit next to each other, including diagonally and directly in front or behind. Best effort: the shuffle retries up to 400 times.
- New-term classroom seatingA fresh, visibly random chart on day one, so nobody can say the teacher played favourites.
- Monthly seat changesReshuffle every few weeks while front-row and accessibility seats stay locked.
- Wedding and gala tablesSpread guests over round tables of 8 or 10, keep the family table fixed, shuffle the rest.
- Workshops and examsRandom exam seating, mixed workshop groups or a meetup where people should meet someone new.
A fair seating chart in three steps
Paste the names
Copy the class roster or guest list from a spreadsheet, one name per line. Duplicate first names are fine; add an initial to tell them apart on the chart.
Set up the room
Choose rows and seats per row for a classroom, or round tables for a reception. Fit to list sizes the room to your headcount, and empty seats go to the back.
Lock, separate, shuffle
Lock seats for students who need the front, add keep-apart pairs, then shuffle. Swap two people by hand if needed, and print or copy the result.
Made for real rooms, not just random lists
Why teachers use a random seating chart
Seat changes are one of the few classroom decisions every student watches closely. When the teacher chooses, someone always feels punished or ignored. A random shuffle shown on the projector settles it: the result is the same rule for everyone.
Random does not mean careless. Most teachers combine a few fixed seats with a random draw for the rest. That is exactly what locks are for.
- Lock seats first: students with an IEP or 504 plan, hearing or vision needs, or a wheelchair-accessible desk near the door.
- Add only the keep-apart pairs that really matter. Every pair you add makes a valid arrangement harder to find.
- Shuffle in front of the class. Seeing the draw happen is what makes it feel fair.
- Keep the chart for a fixed period, such as four to six weeks, so students get used to new neighbours.
- Save or print each chart. A record helps substitute teachers and shows that seats really rotate.
How keep-apart and locks work
Locked seats are placed first and never move. Everyone else is drawn in a uniformly random order and filled in from the front, so empty desks end up in the back rows.
In a classroom grid, two people count as neighbours if their desks touch: left, right, in front, behind or diagonal. At round tables, neighbours means the same table. If a pair ends up together, the tool reshuffles the unlocked people, up to 400 times, and keeps the arrangement with the fewest conflicts.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| A pair still ends up together | Too many locks or a nearly full room. Unlock a seat or add a column, then shuffle again. |
| More names than seats | Press Fit to list, or add rows or tables. People without a seat are listed under the chart. |
| Two students share a name | Write them as Alex K and Alex M so the chart and the keep-apart list stay clear. |
| You need one specific seat | Choose Swap two, move the person into the seat, then switch to Lock it and tap the seat. |
Seating plans for weddings and events
Round tables usually seat 8 or 10 guests; a 60-inch round fits 8 comfortably and a 72-inch round fits 10. Set seats per table, press Fit to list, and lock the head table and immediate family before you shuffle.
For networking events, team offsites or conference dinners, a random table plan is a simple way to stop colleagues from sitting with the same people they see every day. Shuffle again for the second course if you want two rounds of introductions.
Your names stay in this browser. The list and last chart are saved locally so you can come back and tweak them, and they are never sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Is this seating chart generator free?
Yes. It is free with no account and no limit on how many charts you make. Everything runs in your browser.
Can I keep some students in the same seat?
Yes. With Lock it selected, tap a seat and a lock icon appears. Locked seats keep their person every time you shuffle. To put someone in a specific seat first, use Swap two, then lock it.
Can I stop two students from sitting next to each other?
Yes. Open Keep apart, choose the two names and add the pair. In a grid they will not be put in touching desks, including diagonals; at round tables they go to different tables. It is best effort: if your locks make it impossible, the tool tells you.
Can I make a wedding seating chart with round tables?
Yes. Switch the layout to Round tables, set seats per table, for example 8 or 10, and press Fit to list. Lock the family table, then shuffle the rest.
How do I print the seating chart?
Press Print. The print view shows only the chart with the front-of-room label, without the rest of the page. Choose landscape for wide classrooms.
Are my students' names stored online?
No. Names are saved only in this browser's local storage so your list is still there next time. Nothing is uploaded, and clearing your browser data removes it.
Should the teacher's desk be at the top or bottom?
It is your choice. Front at top matches what students see when they face the board. Front at bottom matches the view from the teacher's desk, which many teachers prefer for a printed chart on the desk.