WheelySpin Spin the wheel Spin

How to Use a Spin Wheel on iPhone (No App Needed)

by

You don't need to download an app to spin a random wheel on your iPhone. WheelySpin works in Safari, or any other browser on your phone, and it's free. Here's how to use it, and how to set it up so it opens like an app.

Step 1: Open the wheel in Safari

Go to wheelyspin.com in Safari. The wheel is the first thing on the page. Type your entries in the box under the wheel, one per line, or tap one of the ready-made lists, such as Yes or no or Numbers 1–10.

Step 2: Spin

Tap Spin in the middle of the wheel, or tap anywhere on the wheel. The winner pops up when it stops. To make sure nobody is picked twice, turn on Remove the winner after each spin.

Your list is saved on your phone, so it's still there the next time you open the page.

Open the spin wheel

Step 3: Add the wheel to your Home Screen

If you use the wheel often, put it on your Home Screen so it opens with one tap:

  1. Open wheelyspin.com in Safari.
  2. Tap the Share button. On recent versions of iOS it's in the menu with three dots (•••) next to the address bar. On older versions it's the square with an arrow at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
  4. If you see Open as Web App, leave it on so the wheel opens without the address bar.
  5. Tap Add.

The WheelySpin icon now sits on your Home Screen. A Home Screen copy can keep its own saved lists, separate from Safari, so you may need to type your list once more the first time you open it.

Add pictures to the wheel

You can give any entry a picture, such as a photo of each person in a group or each prize in a giveaway. Under your list, open Add pictures to entries, tap Add picture next to an entry, and choose a photo from your library or take a new one. Pictures are cropped to a circle and appear on the wheel and in the winner pop-up.

Pictures stay on your phone. If you share the wheel, the link includes the names but not the pictures.

Spin more than one wheel

Need to pick a person and a task at the same time? Tap Several wheels above the wheel. You start with two wheels and can add up to four. Name each one, fill in its list, and tap Spin all wheels.

Share a wheel by message

Under your list, tap Copy link to this wheel, then paste the link into Messages, WhatsApp or any other app. Whoever opens it sees the same entries, ready to spin.

Record the spin

For a giveaway, or a decision you want proof of, record your screen while you spin:

  1. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhones with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom.
  2. Tap the Screen Recording button. If it isn't there, add it by editing Control Center (on older versions of iOS, go to Settings, then Control Center).
  3. After the three-second countdown, go back to Safari and spin.
  4. Stop the recording by tapping the red indicator at the top of the screen. The video is saved to Photos.

Tips for spinning on iPhone

  • Turn your phone sideways for a bigger wheel on smaller screens.
  • No tick sound? Check that your iPhone isn't on silent, the volume is up, and Sound is ticked under the wheel.
  • For a quick one-off decision, try the Yes or No Wheel, Flip a Coin or the Random Name Picker.
  • Everything works the same way on iPad, Android phones and computers.

Free tools for this