Spinner Wheel User Guide

Welcome to Spinner Wheel! 🎉 Your Fun Decision-Making Companion

Tired of endless debates about where to eat? Can't decide which movie to watch or what chore to tackle first? Spinner Wheel is here to turn decision-making from a chore into a fun, quick, and easy experience!

Whether you're making choices alone, with friends, family, or colleagues, or just looking for a random pick, Spinner Wheel adds a splash of excitement. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to become a spinning pro!

Who is this for? Everyone! Kids choosing a game, teens deciding on an activity, adults picking a restaurant, groups making fair choices – Spinner Wheel is versatile and fun for all ages.

Quick Start: Let's Get Spinning! 🚀

Getting started is super easy:

  1. Visit the Site: Go to https://namespinwheel.com/.
  2. See the Wheel: You'll see a default wheel with some example names.
  3. Spin! Click the big "SPIN" button below the wheel.
  4. Watch it Go: Enjoy the animation and sounds (if enabled).
  5. See the Winner: A modal will pop up announcing the randomly selected winner!

That's it! You've made your first random choice. Now, let's explore how to customize your experience.

🛠️ Managing Your List: Making the Wheel Yours

The real power comes from creating your own lists. Here’s how to manage the options on the wheel:

1. Adding Options:

  • Find the input box labeled "Add new name..." in the "Options" tab on the right side.
  • Type the name or option you want to add (e.g., "Pizza", "John", "Read a Book").
  • Click the Plus (+) button next to the input box, or simply press Enter on your keyboard.
  • Your new option will instantly appear in the list below and on the wheel!
  • Tip: Keep adding as many options as you need.

2. Editing Options:

  • Find the item you want to change in the list.
  • Click the Pencil (Edit) icon next to the item's name.
  • The text will become an editable input field.
  • Type your changes.
  • Click the Checkmark (Save) icon or press Enter to save. Click the X (Cancel) icon or press Escape to cancel.

3. Deleting Options:

  • Hover over the item you want to remove from the list.
  • Click the Trash Can (Delete) icon that appears on the right side of the item.
  • The item will be removed from the list and the wheel.

4. Using Emojis:

  • Emojis add personality! To add or change an emoji for an item:
    • Click the existing emoji (or the question mark placeholder ❓ if none exists) next to the item name.
    • An emoji picker will appear.
    • Select your desired emoji.
  • To remove an emoji:
    • Click the Emoji with a line through it (Remove Emoji) icon next to the item.

5. Toggling Options (Include/Exclude from Spin):

  • Sometimes you want to temporarily remove an option from the next spin without deleting it permanently (like removing a restaurant you just went to).
  • Click the Checkbox icon (it looks like a checkmark inside a box) to the left of the item name.
  • Unchecked items will appear faded/struck-through in the list and won't be included in the spin. Click the checkbox again to re-include it.

6. Bulk Editing:

  • Have a long list you want to paste in quickly? Use Bulk Edit!
  • Click the "Bulk Edit" button (usually near the Save/Update buttons).
  • A modal window will appear with a large text area.
  • To Add/Replace: Type or paste your list, with one option per line.
    • You can optionally start each line with an emoji followed by a space (e.g., 🍕 Pizza). The emoji will be automatically detected.
  • Click "Save Changes". Your current list will be replaced with the items from the text area.
  • Click Cancel to close without changing.

💡 Using Predefined Ideas (Templates)

Don't know what to spin? Browse our curated lists for inspiration!

  1. Find the Button: Click the "Ideas" button (with a Book icon 📖), located near the Save/Update/Clone buttons.
  2. Browse Categories: A modal window will pop up showing different categories (e.g., Food & Drink, Movies & Shows, Games & Fun, Chores, Self-Care). Click on a category that interests you.
  3. Select a List: You'll see specific list ideas within that category (e.g., "Restaurant Types", "Movie Genres", "Daily Chores"). Click on the list you want to load.
  4. Load it! The selected list will instantly replace the current options on your wheel. The list title will also update.
  5. Spin or Save: You can now spin this predefined list or click "Save New" to save it as your own customizable list.

💾 Saving, Sharing & Managing Your Lists

Want to reuse your awesome list later or share it with friends?

1. Saving a New List:

  • Once you've created or loaded a list you like (and it doesn't have an ID in the URL), click the "Save New" button.
  • A modal will appear asking you to Enter a name for your list.
  • Type a descriptive name (e.g., "Team Lunch Spots", "Family Movie Night Genres") and click "Save List".
  • The app will save your list and automatically redirect you to a unique URL for that specific list (e.g., namespinwheel.com/spinner/your-unique-id/).

2. Updating an Existing List:

  • If you are viewing a list you previously saved (i.e., the URL has a unique ID like /spinner/your-unique-id/), you'll see an "Update" button instead of "Save New".
  • Make any changes you want to the list items or title.
  • Click the "Update" button. You can confirm or change the list name in the modal.
  • Click "Update List" in the modal. Your changes will be saved to the same unique URL.

3. Cloning a List:

  • Want to use an existing list (yours, or an "Idea" you loaded) as a starting point for a new list without modifying the original? Use Clone!
  • Click the "Clone" button.
  • A modal will appear asking for a name for the new list.
  • Enter a name and click "Save List".
  • A brand new public list with a new unique URL will be created, containing a copy of the items you cloned. You'll be redirected to this new list's URL.

4. Sharing Your Saved List:

  • Once you have saved a list (either new or updated), you are on its unique URL (e.g., namespinwheel.com/spinner/your-unique-id/).
  • Simply copy this URL from your browser's address bar and share it with anyone! When they visit the link, they will see the exact list you saved.

⚙️ Customizing Your Experience (Settings)

Fine-tune the spinner's behavior:

  1. Access Settings: Click the "Settings" tab (usually next to the "Options" tab).
  2. Sound Settings:
    • Spin Sound: Toggle the whirring sound while the wheel spins.
    • Winning Sound: Toggle the celebratory sound when a winner is chosen.
  3. Modal Settings:
    • Heading: Change the title text shown in the winner pop-up (Default: "Winner!").
    • Confetti: Turn the celebratory confetti animation on or off.
    • Remove Selected Option: If toggled ON, the winning option will automatically be deselected (unchecked) in the list after the spin. Useful for elimination rounds!

🤔 Use Cases: When to Spin? (Ideas!)

Spinner Wheel is surprisingly versatile! Here are just a few ways people use it:

  • Daily Life:
    • Food: Where to eat? What type of cuisine? What's for dinner? Coffee order?
    • Chores: Which chore to do now? Who does which chore?
    • Decisions: What outfit style to wear? Which quick break activity? Music genre?
  • Fun & Entertainment:
    • Movies/Shows: Which genre? Which streaming service? What to binge?
    • Games: Board game for game night? Video game to play? Party game?
    • Activities: What to do this weekend? Date night idea? Hobby to try?
  • Groups & Social:
    • Fair Choices: Who goes first? Who presents next? Picking teams randomly.
    • Giveaways: Randomly selecting a winner from a list of names.
    • Icebreakers: Choosing a conversation starter question.
  • Learning & Work:
    • Study: Which topic to review? Which practice problem?
    • Creativity: Writing prompt? Art challenge idea? Brainstorming starter?
    • Tasks: Which task on your to-do list to tackle first?
  • Self-Care:
    • Relaxation: Which technique to try (breathing, meditation, music)?
    • Mindfulness: Which gratitude prompt? Which daily affirmation? Quick mood booster?
  • Kids:
    • Choosing a bedtime story.
    • Picking a game to play.
    • Deciding on a snack.
    • Making learning fun (e.g., spin for a math problem type).

✍️ Blog

Check out our Blog (link in the header) for tips, tricks, fun ideas, and updates about Spinner Wheel!

✨ Have Fun Spinning!

We hope this guide helps you get the most out of Spinner Wheel. Go ahead, add your options, load some ideas, and let the wheel make your decisions a little more fun! If you have feedback, let us know.