Sort Lines Alphabetically
Sort lines alphabetically, by length, or randomly.
By Syed Mubashir Ali · Last updated
Sorting lists before importing them
If you're importing a list into a spreadsheet, database, or email tool, sort it first. Duplicates become obvious when identical lines sit next to each other. Typos jump out ("Jonh" right next to "John"). And if the import fails halfway, a sorted list makes it much easier to figure out where it stopped.
Pair it with Remove Duplicate Lines for the full cleanup: dedupe first, then sort. The result is a clean, alphabetical, unique list: the kind of input that imports without errors.
How to Use Sort Lines
- 1Paste your list into the input box, one item per line.
- 2Choose how to sort: A→Z, Z→A, by length (shortest or longest first), Reverse order to flip the list as it is, or Shuffle for a random order. The result updates as you type.
- 3Set the options: Case sensitive (capitals first, as a computer sorts), Remove empty lines, or Sort by column to sort rows of a CSV or tab-separated list by, say, the second column.
- 4Copy the sorted list with one click, or download it as a text file.
- 5Sorting a list with duplicates? Run it through Remove Duplicate Lines first, then sort. You'll get a clean alphabetical list with no repeats in two steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does alphabetical sorting work?
It sorts the way a dictionary does in your language, so upper and lower case sort together ('apple' next to 'Apple') and accented letters sit with their plain ones. Numbers inside lines are compared by value, so 'Item 2' comes before 'Item 10' instead of after it.
Can it shuffle a list randomly?
Yes. Shuffle uses the Fisher–Yates method, which gives every possible order an equal chance. It's handy for picking a random winner, ordering presentations or mixing quiz questions; press 'Shuffle again' for a new order.
Can I sort by a column, like a spreadsheet?
Yes. Tick 'Sort by column', pick the column number and the separator (comma, tab, space, semicolon or pipe), and each line is sorted by that field while the whole line moves with it. Paste rows straight from a spreadsheet and choose tab.
What does sorting by length do?
It orders lines by their number of characters, shortest or longest first. It's useful for spotting unusually long entries, for tidy lists of keywords, or for CSS and import lists some teams order by length.
What happens to blank lines and duplicates?
They're kept unless you tick 'Remove empty lines': a blank line is an item like any other, so blank lines gather at the top of an A→Z sort, and duplicate lines end up next to each other, which makes them easy to see and delete.
How many lines can it sort?
Tens of thousands of lines sort in a moment, because everything happens in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so you can sort private lists such as email addresses or customer names safely.
Does it sort numbers correctly, or alphabetically?
By value. The A→Z sort compares numbers inside lines as numbers, so 'Item 9' comes before 'Item 10' and '2' before '10', where a plain character sort would put '10' first.
Can I sort in reverse (Z to A)?
Yes, pick Z→A. To flip the list exactly as it is, without sorting it, pick 'Reverse order'. There are also two length orders (shortest or longest first) and a random shuffle.
About Sort Lines
Sort Lines puts any list in order: names, keywords, email addresses, product codes, to-do items or lines of code. Choose alphabetical (A→Z or Z→A), by length, reversed, or a fair random shuffle, sort CSV rows by one column, and copy or download the result.
The alphabetical sort is the natural kind people expect, not a strict character-code sort: capital and small letters sort together, accented letters sit with their plain versions, and numbers are compared by value, so 'Chapter 9' comes before 'Chapter 10'.
It runs entirely in your browser, so long or private lists never leave your device.
An unsorted list is a list you can't scan. Your eyes can't jump to the right entry when the order is random. You end up reading every line, every time. Sorting fixes that in one click, and it's one of those small operations that quietly saves hours across a year of data cleanup.