How to Use the Classroom Spinner Wheel

Step 1: Add your names

The Names box beside the wheel is one plain list, one name per line. There are four ways to fill it:

• Type or paste: Type names one per line, or paste a whole class list from a spreadsheet or document. A comma-separated list is split into one name per line for you.
• Import: Press Import under the list to load a .txt or .csv file.
• Auto-fill: Type a topic, such as "5th grade reward ideas", and Auto-fill suggests 20 items and a background picture. Edit them before you spin.
• A shared link: Open a link someone made with Share Link to This Wheel and their wheel loads with the same names.

Tip: There is no limit on names. Sort puts them in alphabetical order and Shuffle mixes them up. Clear empties the list, with an Undo in case you press it by mistake.

Step 2: Choose how many winners

• Press 1, 2 or 3 next to Winners, under the wheel
• One spin picks that many, ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• With 2 or 3, the winners come off the wheel straight away, so nobody is picked twice. Put them back returns them
• You need at least as many names on the wheel as winners

Picking 2 or 3 at once is a quick way to make random groups and partners.

Step 3: Set up the wheel (optional)

• Name this spin: Type a title above the list, such as "Period 3 reading turns". It shows in Present mode and in the result.
• Backgrounds: Auto-fill also makes a background picture that fits your topic. A slider sets how strong it is, and the cross removes it.
• Colors: Open Wheel settings for five color sets (Default, Warm, Cool, Earth and Grays) or set each slice color yourself.
• Spin length: Also in Wheel settings, from 4 to 12 seconds.
• Sound: The speaker button in the top left corner of the wheel turns sound on or off.

Step 4: Spin

Press Spin under the wheel, tap the wheel itself, or press Ctrl and Enter (Cmd and Enter on a Mac) from anywhere on the page. The wheel slows down and stops on the winning slice. With 2 or 3 winners it keeps going until all of them are picked.

For the class board, press Present in the top right corner of the wheel. It fills the screen with just the wheel. Space or Enter spins, and Escape leaves full screen.

Note: Every slice is the same size and each spin uses the browser's secure random number source, so every name has the same chance. How the pick works.

Step 5: Use the result

When the wheel stops, a result box shows the winner, or the winners in ranked order. From there:

• Remove Winner from List: Takes that name off the wheel, so the next spin only picks from students who have not had a turn
• Keep and spin again: Leaves the name on and spins again
• Share Image: Downloads a picture of the result, or shares it to WhatsApp, Facebook, X or email
• Share Video: Downloads or shares a recording of the whole spin
• Share Link to This Wheel: Copies a link that opens this exact wheel

Step 6: Check the results list

• Switch to the Results tab beside Names to see every spin in this visit, newest first
• Each line shows the winner, the spin's name if you gave it one, how many names were on the wheel, and the time
• The list is not saved. It clears when you close or reload the tab

Keeping a wheel for each class

Nothing is stored between visits, on our server or in your browser. To keep a class wheel, spin once, press Share Link to This Wheel and bookmark the link. The names, colors and background travel inside the link, so it opens the same wheel every time. Make one link per class, and give it to a substitute teacher if you are away.