How to use it
- Paste your list, one item per line.
- Choose the sort order.
- Set options for case, empty lines and duplicates.
- Click Sort and copy or download the result.
Sort orders
| Order | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alphabetical A–Z / Z–A | Dictionary order; numbers inside text are compared as numbers |
| Numeric, ascending / descending | By the number at the start of each line |
| By length, shortest / longest first | By the number of characters |
| Reverse order | Flips the list without sorting |
| Random shuffle | A new random order every time you click Sort |
Alphabetical sorting uses natural order: item 2 comes before item 10, as people expect, rather than the strict character order computers often use (where item 10 comes before item 2). Accented letters are sorted together with their base letters, so Éclair sits next to eclair.
Numeric sorting reads the number at the start of each line, such as 10 pears or -3.5 degrees. Numbers with thousands separators like 1,250 work too. Lines that don't start with a number go to the end in alphabetical order.
Random shuffle uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so every order is equally likely.
Options
- Ignore case. On by default: apple and Apple are sorted as the same word. Turn it off to make the case a tie-breaker.
- Remove empty lines. On by default, so blank lines don't pile up at the top.
- Remove duplicates. Keep each line once while sorting (respects the ignore-case setting).
Unlike most tools on this site, sorting runs when you click Sort, so a shuffle doesn't change every time you type. Click again to shuffle again.
Example
Input:
zebra
10 pears
2 apples
Éclair
cherry
Banana
| Order | Result |
|---|---|
| A–Z | 2 apples, 10 pears, Banana, cherry, Éclair, zebra |
| Numeric ascending | 2 apples, 10 pears, Banana, cherry, Éclair, zebra |
| By length, shortest first | zebra, Banana, cherry, Éclair, 2 apples, 10 pears |
Notice that 2 apples comes before 10 pears in A–Z order too, thanks to natural number comparison.
Sorting tips
- Names: to sort people by last name, the last name has to come first on each line (Smith, Anna). Reformat first, then sort.
- Dates: write them as YYYY-MM-DD (2026-11-13) and an alphabetical sort puts them in chronological order. US-style MM/DD/YYYY dates don't sort correctly as text across years.
- Prices: remove currency symbols at the start of the line, or put the number first, so numeric sorting can read them.
Uses
- Alphabetize names for a guest list, a class roster or a bibliography. For a simple A–Z tool with fewer options, try alphabetical order.
- Rank numbers such as scores, prices or measurements written one per line.
- Shuffle a playlist, quiz questions, a seating plan or the order of presentations.
- Reverse a chronological list so the newest item is first.
- Find outliers by sorting by length: the shortest and longest lines are often typos or broken entries.
You can open .txt, .csv and .md files directly. Note that for a CSV file each whole row is sorted as one line; to sort a table by a specific column, use a spreadsheet. Before sorting a messy list, remove duplicate lines or remove empty lines if needed.
Sorting and shuffling happen locally in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sort a list alphabetically?
Paste the list, choose “Alphabetical A–Z” and click Sort.
Why does 10 come after 2 here when other tools put it first?
This tool uses natural sorting, which compares numbers by value. Many simple tools compare character by character, so “10” comes before “2”.
How do I sort numbers from smallest to largest?
Choose “Numeric, ascending”. The number at the start of each line is used; lines without a number go to the end.
Can I randomize the order of a list?
Yes. Choose “Random shuffle” and click Sort. Each click gives a new random order.
Is my list uploaded?
No. Sorting runs in your browser.
Last updated: November 12, 2026