How to Sort in Excel: Columns, Colours and Fixes (2026)

Sorting is the first thing I do when a spreadsheet lands in my inbox looking like a jumble. A client list, a content calendar, a stock sheet: put it in order and the problems show up on their own. Excel makes it a two-click job, as long as you know which button to press and which traps to avoid.

Everything below follows Microsoft's own help pages for Excel, so where the menus differ on your version I'll say so rather than guess.

Sorting a column in Excel with one click

The quickest sort lives on the Data tab. Microsoft's help says to click a cell in the column you want to sort, then use the Sort & Filter group.

1. Click any single cell inside the column you want in order.
2. Open the Data tab and look at the Sort & Filter group.
3. For text, choose Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A.
4. For numbers, choose Sort Smallest to Largest or Sort Largest to Smallest.
5. For dates or times, choose Sort Oldest to Newest or Sort Newest to Oldest.

Excel moves the whole row with the cell you sorted, so names stay attached to their emails and orders stay attached to their dates. Click inside the column rather than selecting only part of it, and you'll avoid most accidents.

Putting an Excel sheet in order by two or more columns

Say you keep a list of clients by country and then by name. That's a custom sort, and it's where the Sort box earns its place.

1. Click any cell in your data and choose Sort on the Data tab.
2. In the Sort by box, pick the first column. Under Sort On, leave Cell Values selected for ordinary text, numbers or dates.
3. Under Order, choose how that column should run.
4. Select Add Level, then choose the second column and its order in the Then by row.
5. Keep adding levels if you need them. Microsoft says you can sort by up to 64 columns.
6. Select OK.

Levels higher in the list sort first, so the second level only changes the order where the first column has matching values. Copy Level and Delete Level help you adjust the list, and the Up and Down arrows next to Options reorder it.

Sorting an Excel list by colour or icon

If you've highlighted rows by hand or used conditional formatting, you can sort on that too. In the Sort box, change Sort On to Cell Color, Font Color or Cell Icon. Microsoft points out there's no built-in colour order, so you decide it: pick each colour under Order and choose whether it goes On Top or On Bottom. Add a level for every extra colour.

This is handy for a status column you've coloured red, amber and green. If you want the colours applied automatically first, my walkthrough of Claude for Excel and how to install it shows another way to get help inside your workbook.

Why your Excel sort goes wrong and how to fix it

Nearly every bad sort comes from the data, not the button. Microsoft's help lists the usual causes:

• Numbers stored as text. They can sort in the wrong place. Select the cells, press Ctrl+1, and on the Number tab choose General, Number or Text to match what you need.
• Leading spaces. Remove them before sorting, by hand or with the TRIM function.
• Dates stored as text. Excel only sorts dates correctly when they're real date or time values.
• Hidden rows and columns. They don't move during a sort, so unhide them first.
• Formulas. Results can change when the sheet recalculates, so reapply the sort if the order looks off.

If a sort looks wrong, press Undo straight away. It's much easier than untangling it later.

Keeping your headings out of the Excel sort

Headers are left out of a sort by default. If your top row has been sorted into the data, go to Home, then Editing, then Sort & Filter, then Custom Sort, and tick My data has headers. If your headings are being treated as data, clear the box instead.

Microsoft also warns that sorting a small range inside a bigger block of data can break links to the rest. Excel will offer two choices: Expand the selection or Continue with the current selection. Expand is usually what you want when you're sorting a list.

Sorting across rows in Excel from left to right

Sometimes your categories run across the top instead of down the side. Microsoft says to select a cell in the range, choose Data, then Sort, then Options, and under Orientation pick Sort left to right. Tables don't support this one, so use Table Tools and Convert to range first. Then choose the row to sort by in the Row section, which is usually row 1.

The Options button also holds a Case sensitive tick box, handy when capitals matter in a code or SKU list.

Sorting in Excel for the web or on a Mac

In Excel for the web, tables show filter buttons in the header row. Select the button and choose the order you want. For anything more advanced, Microsoft says to use Data and then Custom Sort, though some settings, such as changing Sort On for a multi-column sort, have to be done in the desktop app. Undo sits on the Home tab if you need to reverse a sort.

On a Mac the Data tab and the Sort button are in the same place, but menus vary by version, so look for the same names if yours is laid out slightly differently.

Sorting an Excel list when your team uses Google Sheets too

Plenty of small teams have one person in Excel and another in Google Sheets. The ideas are the same, but the buttons differ, so I've written up how to sort in Google Sheets as a companion. Agree on one master copy of the list and sort it there, otherwise two people end up with two different orders.

What you want	Where to look in Excel
Quick order for one column	Data tab, Sort & Filter group
Several columns at once	Data, Sort, then Add Level
Order by colour or icon	Sort box, Sort On
Order across a row	Sort, Options, Sort left to right
Headings treated as data	Custom Sort, My data has headers

Frequently asked questions

How do I sort in Excel?

Click a cell in the column, open the Data tab and use the Sort & Filter group. Choose Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A for text, or the smallest and largest options for numbers. Excel moves the whole row with each value.

How do I sort by more than one column in Excel?

Choose Sort on the Data tab, pick the first column, then select Add Level and pick the next one. Higher levels in the list sort first. Microsoft says you can sort by up to 64 columns.

Why is my Excel sort in the wrong order?

The usual causes are numbers stored as text, leading spaces, dates stored as text, and hidden rows. Fix the data first, then sort again.

Can I sort Excel data by colour?

Yes. In the Sort box change Sort On to Cell Color, Font Color or Cell Icon, then choose each colour in the order you want and whether it sits On Top or On Bottom.

How do I undo a sort in Excel?

Press Undo straight after the sort. In Excel for the web, Undo is on the Home tab. If you've saved and closed, the old order can't be recovered, so keep a copy of the list first.