How to Save, Back Up and Share a Custom Wheel

A wheel saved in your browser, a downloaded backup and a share link are three different things. Browser saving keeps your work convenient on one device. A JSON backup gives you a file you control. A share link lets another browser load a snapshot. Choosing the right method prevents the common surprise of opening a phone and finding none of the names you prepared on a laptop.

You can find these options in the custom wheel spinner. This guide explains where the data goes, what each method includes and which option to use when you want to return tomorrow, transfer a wheel or give someone a reusable starting list.

Use browser saving for everyday work

In Settings, Save entries retains the current list and result history when browser storage is available. Save settings retains customization. Return to the same page in the same browser profile to find that saved state. The main wheel and dedicated templates have separate saves, so opening a different template does not mean your original wheel has disappeared.

This is local storage, not account-based cloud synchronization. Another browser, a new profile or a different device does not inherit it. Clearing website data may remove the saved list. Private browsing can also isolate or discard data when the private session ends. For anything difficult to recreate, keep a backup outside the browser.

Download a JSON backup before major changes

Open Share and choose Backup JSON. The downloaded file contains the complete active wheel, including its entries, settings and images. Give the file a recognizable name, such as science-review-period-2.json, and keep it somewhere you can find later. The filename helps you distinguish a current copy from an old draft.

Use Restore JSON when you want to load that backup on the same device or a different one. Restoration replaces the active wheel, so back up whatever is currently open before importing. The backup represents the wheel at download time; it does not keep receiving your later edits.

For example, prepare a wheel on your laptop, download the JSON, transfer that file through your normal file-sharing method and restore it on the classroom computer. This works without assuming that the classroom browser has access to your laptop’s local storage. Open the restored list and check the entries before using it.

Know the difference between the two CSV exports

Export entries CSV, under Share, saves the current names, weights and colors as an entries file. It is useful when your main concern is the list itself. It is not a complete substitute for JSON when your configuration includes images and other wheel settings.

Download CSV in Results exports selection history instead. Choose that when you need a record of who was selected and when. A results export is not a roster backup: it may contain only names that have already been drawn, rather than every person originally eligible. Keep the final source list separately when you need to document a draw.

Create a share link for another person or device

In Share, choose Copy share link. The site stores a snapshot of supported entries and settings so another browser can load it through a compact URL. The link can be sent to a colleague, opened on your phone or used to distribute a non-sensitive activity wheel.

A link is a snapshot, not a shared live editor. If you change the names or weights afterward, the old link still represents the earlier snapshot. Create a new link for the revised version. Likewise, a recipient’s local spins and edits do not synchronize back to your browser.

Large uploaded images are not included in short share links. Use JSON when you need to transfer the complete wheel with images, and check the destination after restoring. Sharing a page’s ordinary address is also different from creating a snapshot: the ordinary template URL opens that template, not necessarily your customized entry list.

What happens after 30 days?

Newly created short share links expire 30 days after creation. Opening the link does not renew that period. After expiry, the stored snapshot is no longer available through that link; expired records are scheduled for automatic cleanup. A shared URL is therefore unsuitable as your only long-term backup.

The expiry applies to the shared snapshot on the website. It does not erase a downloaded JSON file or copies someone has already made. If you still have the source wheel, you can create a fresh snapshot when needed. Keep a file backup for anything you want to preserve beyond the link’s lifetime.

Choose a method for the actual task

For returning to the same wheel tomorrow, enable browser saving and use the same page and browser. For moving an image-rich wheel, use JSON. For sending a simple temporary activity, use a share snapshot. For editing a list in a spreadsheet, export entries CSV. For retaining winners, export Results.

Before a live event, verify the transferred copy rather than assuming the export included everything. Count entries, inspect weights and confirm any images that matter. If a saved wheel is missing or a shared link fails, the wheel troubleshooting guide helps distinguish a storage problem, the wrong page and an expired snapshot.

Keep private information out of shared copies

Anyone with a share link may be able to load its contents. Do not treat an unpredictable URL as a password-protected document. Use public labels, initials or other appropriate identifiers instead of confidential rosters or personal contact details. JSON and CSV files also need care when you send them to someone else.

On shared devices, remember that the next person using the same browser profile may see locally saved entries. Review your wheel, downloaded files and result history when you finish. Saving less information is often easier than trying to retrieve every copy later.