Random order generator
Paste a list, one item per line, and press Shuffle the order. Every item appears exactly once in a new random sequence, and every possible order is equally likely. Press Copy list to take it away as a numbered list, ready for a presentation schedule, turn order or playlist.
How to put a list in random order
Paste your list
Replace the sample names with your own items, one per line. Spaces at either end are trimmed and empty lines are skipped.
Shuffle
Press Shuffle the order. The new order appears as a numbered list, with a note saying how many items were shuffled.
Copy the result
Press Copy list. You get plain text numbered 1., 2., 3. and so on, which pastes neatly into email, chat or a document.
How does the random order generator shuffle a list?
It uses the Fisher–Yates shuffle, the standard method for putting a list in random order. Starting from the last item, it swaps each item with a randomly chosen item at or before its position, working towards the top. When it finishes, every one of the possible orders had exactly the same chance of being the result.
That is more than it sounds. Five items can be arranged in 120 different orders, and ten items in 3,628,800. Quick shortcuts, like sorting by a random value, can make some orders slightly more likely than others; Fisher–Yates does not. Nothing is lost or repeated either: the shuffled list has exactly the items you pasted, just rearranged.
Deciding presentation order
Presentation order is the classic use. Nobody wants to go first, and going last can feel just as unfair, so let the shuffle decide. Paste the names of the students or teams, press Shuffle, and copy the numbered list into the class page or email before the day. Publishing the order in advance gives everyone the same notice.
If you need to pick just one person to start and leave the rest for later, the who goes first wheel does that with a spin the whole room can watch.
Turn order for games and rotas
For board games with many players, shuffle the player names once and play in that order for the whole game. For household or office rotas, shuffle the names at the start of the month and use the list as the schedule: first name covers week one, second name week two, and so on. For jobs that change every day, a chore wheel may suit you better.
Playlists, reading lists and study order
Shuffling is not only for people. Paste a list of songs for a party, books on a to-read list, revision topics, or recipes for the week, and shuffle to decide what comes next. Working through a shuffled revision list is a simple way to avoid always starting with the topics you already like.
Interview slots and appointment order
When candidates, parents or clients all asked for the same time, a random order is easy to defend. Paste the names, shuffle, and assign slots from the top of the list. Keep a copy of the numbered list you used, so you can show how the order was set if anyone asks.
Shuffle, teams or a single pick?
Use this page when everyone needs a place in one sequence. If you need groups instead, the random team generator deals the list into teams. If you only need one winner at a time, the random name picker draws names one by one and can remove each after it is picked.
Frequently asked questions
Is every order equally likely?
Yes. The list is shuffled with the Fisher–Yates method, which gives every possible arrangement the same chance. Ten items have over 3.6 million possible orders, and each one is as likely as any other.
How many items can I shuffle?
You need at least two items. Long lists work too: the tool reads up to 2,000 lines, one item per line, and ignores blank lines. Very long lists are easier to handle if you copy the result rather than read it on screen.
Will any item be repeated or dropped?
No. Every item you paste appears exactly once in the shuffled result. If you paste the same line twice, it appears twice, because the tool treats it as two separate items.
How do I copy the random order?
Press Copy list after shuffling. The order is copied as plain text with numbers, such as “1. Maya”, one item per line, ready to paste into an email, a chat message, a spreadsheet or a slide.
Can I shuffle the same list again?
Yes. Press Shuffle the order again and you get a fresh random order. Each shuffle is independent of the last, so the same order can come up twice by chance, though with long lists it is very unlikely.