magicWhat is a random group generator?
A random group generator takes a list of names and divides it into teams at random, so nobody picks and nobody is picked last. Teachers use it for classroom groups and project teams, managers for breakout rooms and workshops, and organisers for sports teams, quiz tables and icebreakers.
Magic Random's generator handles the awkward parts: uneven numbers, pairs who must stay together or apart, repeated rounds where people should meet new partners, and getting the result back into a spreadsheet. Everything runs in your browser.
How to use the random group generator
- Paste the namesOne per line, or paste a column from Excel or Google Sheets. Duplicates and numbering are removed automatically.
- Choose the splitPick Number of groups (for example 4 groups) or People per group (for example teams of 3), and decide how leftovers are handled.
- Add conditions if you need themKeep together for friends or shared equipment, keep apart for people who distract each other or are on the same side already.
- Make groupsPress the button. Groups appear with their sizes. Press New mix for a fresh round that avoids last round's pairings.
- Share or saveCopy the list, copy columns for Excel, or download a CSV. Put it on the projector or paste it into a chat.
What people use it for
- Classroom groupsLab partners, reading circles, project teams. Keep apart the pairs that chat; keep together students who share a device.
- Breakout rooms and workshopsMix departments on purpose by keeping colleagues from the same team apart, then New mix for the next session.
- Sports and gamesPickup teams, quiz tables, tournament pools. Keep apart the two strongest players for balance.
- IcebreakersRotate small groups across rounds so everyone meets as many new people as possible.
- Chores and rotasSplit a household, a club or a volunteer crew into teams for the week.
- Secret Santa poolsFor a very large office, split into pools of 10 to 15 first, then run the Secret Santa generator per pool.
Settings for common requests
| You want | Settings to use |
|---|---|
| Split a class into 5 groups | Number of groups: 5 |
| Teams of 4, extra people spread out | People per group: 4, leftovers: spread |
| Teams of 4, extra people as their own team | People per group: 4, leftovers: extra group |
| Two friends always together | Conditions: keep together |
| Two people never together | Conditions: keep apart |
| New groups each week without repeats | Press New mix each time in the same session |
| Groups into a spreadsheet | Copy for Excel, or Download CSV |
Need to pick one person rather than make teams? Use the random letter generator for a letter-based draw, or run a Secret Santa draw for gift pairings.
Frequently asked questions
How does the random group generator work?
Paste a list of names, choose how many groups you want or how many people per group, and press Make groups. The tool shuffles the names with your browser's cryptographic random generator and deals them into groups of the planned sizes. Keep-together and keep-apart rules are enforced on every draw.
Can I make uneven groups?
Yes. If the names don't divide evenly, choose Number of groups and the extra people are spread so group sizes differ by at most one. Or choose People per group and decide whether leftovers are spread across groups or placed in one smaller extra group.
Can I keep certain students together or apart?
Yes. Under Conditions, add Keep together pairs (they always land in the same group) and Keep apart pairs (never in the same group). You can add as many as you like; if the rules can't all be satisfied, the tool tells you instead of silently breaking one.
How do I avoid the same people being grouped again next time?
Press New mix after a draw. The tool remembers the groups from earlier rounds in this session and picks the shuffle that repeats the fewest pairings. Over several rounds everyone meets new partners.
Can I paste names from Excel or Google Sheets, and copy the groups back?
Yes. Paste a column straight into the names box, one name per line. After the draw, Copy for Excel puts each group in its own column so it pastes cleanly into a sheet, and Download CSV saves a file.
Is there a random group generator for the classroom that's free?
This one is free with no account, no limits and no ads over the tool. It works on the classroom projector, a laptop or a phone, and nothing you paste leaves your browser.
How many names can I use?
There is no fixed limit. It handles a class of 30, a department of 200 or a conference of 1,000 in well under a second.
Can I name the groups?
Choose a naming style: Group 1, 2, 3; Team A, B, C; colours; animals; or planets. The names appear in the results, in the copied text and in the CSV.
Is there a random group generator wheel?
A wheel picks one name at a time, which is slow for making many groups. This page deals everyone at once; for a single random pick use a wheel-style tool or our random letter generator.
Does the random group generator give fair results?
Yes. Every valid arrangement that meets your conditions has an equal chance, and the shuffle uses the same cryptographic randomness browsers use for security keys. Nobody can predict or influence the outcome.
Can I use it for sports teams, project groups or breakout rooms?
Yes. It is the same problem each time: a list of people into N teams or teams of N. Add keep-apart rules for players of similar strength or colleagues from the same department if you want balanced teams.
Last updated 2026-10-27. This tool runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent to our servers unless the page says so.