How to Alphabetize in Word

To alphabetize a list in Word, select the list, choose Home > Sort, set Sort by to Paragraphs and Type to Text, choose Ascending, and select OK. This works in desktop Word for Windows and Mac. Each item must be its own paragraph, and Word for the web can’t sort, so use the desktop app.

Alphabetize a list from A to Z (Windows)

1. Save your document, then select only the paragraphs, or the one-level bulleted or numbered list, you want to reorder. Leave any heading outside the selection.
2. On the Home tab, select Sort (the A-Z button) in the Paragraph group.
3. In Sort Text, choose Paragraphs under Sort by and Text under Type.
4. Choose Ascending for A to Z, or Descending for Z to A.
5. Select OK. The list reorders right away.

Microsoft’s sort a list alphabetically page shows the same dialog.

Alphabetize a list on a Mac

1. Select the list.
2. On the Home tab, select Sort.
3. Set Sort by to Paragraphs and Type to Text.
4. Choose Ascending or Descending, then select OK.

The options below, such as sorting by last name, work the same way in Word for Mac.

Sort a list by last name or second word

By default, Word sorts on the first word of each paragraph. To alphabetize a list of “First Last” names by last name, tell Word to split each line at the space.

1. Select the list, then select Home > Sort.
2. Select Options.
3. Under Separate fields at, choose Other, delete the character in the box, type a single space, and select OK.
4. In the Sort by list, choose Word 2.
5. Choose Ascending and select OK.

This works when every line follows the same pattern. For a name with a middle name, such as Mary Ann Smith, type a nonbreaking space (Ctrl+Shift+Space) between the first two names so Word treats them as one word.

Numbered, bulleted, and multilevel lists

Word moves whole paragraphs when it sorts, and bullets or numbers follow along. In a numbered list, Word renumbers the items in their new order, but it’s worth checking the numbering afterward.

Multilevel lists need care. Sorting can separate a main item from its sub-items, because Word treats each line as a separate paragraph. Sort one level at a time, or move the groups by hand. If the result looks wrong, press Ctrl+Z (Command+Z on a Mac) and adjust your selection.

Alphabetize a table

1. Click anywhere in the table, or select the whole table so the cells in each row stay together.
2. On the table’s Layout tab, select Sort.
3. If the first row holds column titles, choose Header row under My list has so it stays at the top.
4. In Sort by, pick the column to alphabetize, set Type to Text, and choose Ascending.
5. Select OK.

You can add a second or third column under Then by to break ties. Our guide to sorting a table in ascending order covers numbers and dates too.

How Word orders punctuation, numbers, and capitals

• With Type: Text, items that start with punctuation or numbers come before items that start with letters.
• Sorting ignores capital letters by default. To sort capitals separately, select Options and check Case sensitive.
• Empty paragraphs are sorted too, and in an A to Z sort they end up at the top. Delete blank lines before sorting, or leave them out of the selection.

If the list doesn’t sort the way you expect

• Several items move as one block: they’re separated by line breaks (Shift+Enter), not paragraph marks. Turn on Home > Show/Hide ¶ to check. Replace each line break with a normal Enter, then sort again.
• The heading moved into the list: it was included in the selection. Undo, then select only the list items.
• Items sorted by the wrong word: check the Sort by setting and the field separator in Options.

Word for the web

Microsoft says Word for the web lets you create lists but can’t sort them alphabetically. Select Editing > Open in Desktop App, or open the file in desktop Word, sort it there, and save it back.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sort Z to A?

Yes. Choose Descending instead of Ascending in the Sort dialog.

How do I alphabetize words separated by commas?

Word sorts paragraphs, not words inside one line. Put each item on its own line first: select the text, press Ctrl+H, type a comma and a space in Find what, type ^p in Replace with, and select Replace All. Then sort the new list.

Does Word alphabetize an index automatically?

Yes. An index built from marked entries is sorted for you. See how to insert an index in Word.

Matt Wilmont

Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com