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List Randomizer

List Randomizer — Free online list randomizer. Shuffle any list of items into a random order, or pick N random items from a list. Seeded shuffle for reproducible results. No signup required.

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Input
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Options

How to randomise a list

  1. Paste your list into the input box on the left — one item per line. The shuffled output appears instantly on the right.
  2. Click Shuffle to generate a new random order. Each click produces a different result.
  3. Pick N items — enable the Pick N toggle and enter a number to randomly select that many items from your list instead of shuffling all of them.
  4. Use a fixed seed — enable Fixed Seed and enter any number to get a reproducible shuffle. The same seed always produces the same output for the same input.
  5. Copy the output with the copy button at the top right of the output panel.

Common uses for list randomisation

Pick a random winner

Paste names, set Pick N to 1, click Shuffle. The one name shown is your winner. Click again for a different pick.

Assign random teams

Paste participant names, set Pick N to team size, and shuffle to fill each team slot. Use a fixed seed to share the same assignment with colleagues.

Randomise a queue

Shuffle a list of tasks, topics, or speakers to determine presentation order or review queue without bias.

A/B test variant order

Randomise the order of conditions, stimuli, or UI variants for usability studies and experiments.

Shuffle a playlist

Paste track names, songs, or video titles and shuffle for a random play order.

Card or trivia draws

Paste questions or prompts and pick 1 at random — a lightweight alternative to a random question generator.

How the shuffle works

The List Randomizer uses the Fisher-Yates shuffle algorithm — the gold standard for generating a uniformly random permutation. Starting from the last item, it swaps each element with a randomly chosen element before it. Every possible ordering of your list is equally likely.

The random number generator is a seeded linear congruential generator (LCG). When no seed is specified, a random seed is generated on each shuffle. When a fixed seed is used, the output is fully deterministic — the same input + same seed always gives the same shuffle. All processing happens in your browser; no data is sent to any server.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I randomise a list?

Paste your list into the input box with one item per line, then use the randomised output that appears on the page. Click Shuffle whenever you want a new order. If you need to keep a specific result, copy the output or enter a seed so the same input can produce the same arrangement again later.

How do I pick random items from a list?

Enable the Pick N items option and enter how many items you want from the list. The tool selects that many unique entries and shows them in the output, which is useful for choosing winners, assigning tasks, selecting discussion prompts, or drawing a small sample from a much larger list without manually counting lines.

Is the shuffle truly random?

Each unseeded shuffle uses a fresh random seed, and the list is shuffled with the Fisher-Yates algorithm so every item has a fair chance to appear in any position. That makes it appropriate for everyday random ordering, classroom activities, team rotations, and giveaway preparation where you want a fair, unbiased result.

What is a seed and why would I use it?

A seed is a number that controls the shuffle result. The same seed with the same input produces the same output, which is helpful when you need a random order that can be audited, shared, or recreated. Use seeds for repeatable team assignments, chore rotations, tournament lists, or documented winner selections.

Can I use this to pick a random winner from a list of names?

Yes. Paste the names into the list, turn on Pick N items, set the count to 1, and shuffle. The single item in the output is the selected winner. For transparency, you can also record the input list and seed before drawing so the result can be reproduced if someone asks how the winner was chosen.

Does the randomizer work for large lists?

Yes. The list randomizer runs in your browser, so it avoids server round-trips and can handle thousands of lines comfortably on a typical device. For very large lists, keep one item per line and remove blank lines first so the output stays clean, predictable, and easy to copy into a spreadsheet or document.

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