Random Photo Selection
The heart of Rando: true randomization that rediscovers your entire photo collection with every click.
How Rando's Randomization Works
Unlike cloud services that use predictable algorithms to surface "memories" based on dates, people, and places, Rando delivers genuine random selection.
The Difference
Cloud Service "Memories":
- Algorithm-selected highlights
- Same photos surface repeatedly
- Based on AI analysis and patterns
- Predictable and curated
Rando's Random Selection:
- True randomization using Swift's native shuffle algorithm
- Every click is a genuine surprise
- No patterns or predictions
- Equal chance for every photo in your collection
Why Random Matters
Random selection means you'll rediscover forgotten moments you'd never have browsed to manually. That awkward selfie from 2015? That stunning sunset you forgot about? They all have an equal chance of appearing. It's like a slot machine for your memories.
Using Random Selection
Basic Random Selection
- Select a folder containing your photos
- Click the "Random" button (or press
Space) - A random photo instantly appears
- Click again to see another random photo
Each random selection is added to your navigation history, so you can always go back to revisit photos.
How Many Photos Can Rando Handle?
Rando is designed for massive libraries:
- Successfully tested with 100,000+ photos
- Smart caching prevents freezing
- Fast indexing even on network drives
- Adjustable scan performance settings
Whether you have 500 photos or 50,000, Rando handles it smoothly.
Understanding the Selection Process
What Happens When You Click Random
- Rando shuffles your entire collection using Swift's native randomization
- Selects the first image from the shuffled collection
- Adds it to your history so you can navigate back
- Displays the image instantly
Selection Guarantees
- No duplicates within a session: Each photo appears only once until you've seen them all
- Thread-safe: Random selection works smoothly even with thousands of photos
- History preserved: You can always navigate back to previous random selections
Keyboard Shortcuts
Master random selection with keyboard shortcuts:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Random Photo | Space |
| Previous Photo | ← (Left Arrow) |
| Next Photo | → (Right Arrow) |
| Full Screen | F |
Pro Tip
Press Space repeatedly to quickly browse through your collection. Use arrow keys to revisit interesting photos.
Random Selection Tips
Getting the Best Random Experience
1. Mix Different Folders
Combine photos from different sources for maximum variety:
- Internal drive + external hard drive
- Multiple years of photos
- Different events and themes
Pro Feature
Multi-folder mixing requires Rando Pro. Free users can select one folder at a time.
2. Let Your Library Grow
The more photos in your collection, the more surprising random selection becomes:
- 100 photos: You'll recognize most selections
- 1,000 photos: Frequent surprises
- 10,000+ photos: Almost every selection feels new
3. Include Old Archives
Don't just add recent photos—dig into those old folders:
- USB sticks from years ago
- Old external drives
- Downloaded photo archives
- Scanned film photos
Organizing for Random Selection
Folder Structure Doesn't Matter
Rando scans all subfolders automatically, so organize however makes sense to you:
Photos/
├── 2020/
│ ├── January/
│ ├── February/
│ └── ...
├── 2021/
└── Trips/
├── Europe/
└── Asia/
Just select the top-level Photos/ folder and Rando will find everything.
What to Exclude
Keep photos you want to exclude in separate folders:
- Work-related screenshots
- Sensitive personal photos
- Test images
- Duplicates you haven't deleted yet
Simply don't add these folders to Rando.
Supported Image Formats
Rando randomizes all common image formats:
- JPG, JPEG - Standard photo format
- PNG - Screenshots and graphics
- HEIC, HEIF - Modern iPhone photos
- GIF - Animated images (full animation in slideshow)
- BMP - Bitmap images
- TIFF - High-quality images
Tips
If your operating system can display the image format, Rando can randomize it!
Common Questions
Q: Why do I see the same photo twice?
A: This shouldn't happen within a single session. If you're seeing duplicates, you may have duplicate files in different folders, or you've viewed your entire collection and Rando has started over.
Q: Can I exclude certain photos without moving them?
A: Not directly, but you can use Rando Pro's tagging system to organize photos, then use tag-based filtering to randomize only tagged photos.
Q: Does Rando favor recent photos?
A: No! Every photo has an equal chance of being selected, regardless of date, filename, or location. That's the beauty of true randomization.
Q: Can I weight certain folders more heavily?
A: Rando uses pure random selection without weighting. If you want to see certain photos more often, create a separate folder with just those photos.
Next Steps
- Learn about Folder Management to add more photo sources
- Try Slideshow Mode for an immersive random experience
- Master Navigation to efficiently browse your history
- Explore Tagging to organize random selections (Pro)