Sort Excel Files Online
Sort Excel files by any column, ascending or descending, directly in your browser.
How to sort Excel files
- Drop your file onto the upload area. It is loaded into the in-browser engine and the first 200 rows are shown.
- Choose the first column in the Sort by row and set it to Ascending or Descending.
- Click + Add sort key to add a Then by row for breaking ties. You can use up to four keys, and ✕ removes one.
- Click Sort. The preview shows the first 200 rows in their new order.
- Click Download to save the sorted file in the same format you uploaded.
Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded. The free limit is 50 MB per file; larger files work if your device has the memory for them.
Worked example
A teacher has exam results for two classes and wants each class grouped together, with the highest score at the top of each group. One student has no score yet.
Input (Excel)
Excel workbook, first sheet (Sheet1)
| student | class | score | submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priya | B | 88 | 2026-05-12 |
| Tom | A | 72 | 2026-05-11 |
| Lena | A | 91 | 2026-05-12 |
| Omar | B | NULL | 2026-05-13 |
| Jae | A | 85 | 2026-05-10 |
Settings
- Sort by: class, Ascending
- Then by: score, Descending
Result
| student | class | score | submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lena | A | 91 | 2026-05-12 |
| Jae | A | 85 | 2026-05-10 |
| Tom | A | 72 | 2026-05-11 |
| Priya | B | 88 | 2026-05-12 |
| Omar | B | NULL | 2026-05-13 |
Rows are first ordered by class, so all of class A comes before class B. Inside each class, the second key orders scores from high to low. Omar has no score, and empty values always go last, whether the direction is ascending or descending. That is why he stays at the bottom of class B.
Working with Excel files
The tool reads the first sheet, taking each cell as it is displayed and then detecting types. Cells with any date format load as dates and sort chronologically, whether they show 3/2/26 or 2 March 2026. Dates typed as text are not real dates. Text like "1-Jun-26" stays text and sorts alphabetically, so run Parse Dates on it first. Currency cells such as "$1,200.00" also arrive as text. Reformat those columns in Excel, or run Cast Column Types first. Header rows must be in row 1. Title rows or blank rows above the header will be read as data and end up mixed into the sort. Numbers stored as text, which Excel flags with a green triangle, are read from their displayed value. If the whole column looks numeric, it sorts as numbers.
Unlike sorting inside Excel, there is no risk of sorting one column while the others stay put: whole rows always move together. The download is a new workbook with a single sheet called Sheet1, holding values in the new order. Formatting, formulas and other sheets are not carried over, and dates that loaded as real dates are written as YYYY-MM-DD text cells. Only one sheet is written, so sort each sheet separately if a workbook holds several.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can sorting break rows apart the way it can in Excel?
No. Every sort moves whole rows, so values from one record always stay together.
Why is my Excel amount column sorting alphabetically?
Cells are read as displayed. Currency symbols or thousands separators make the column text. Set the column to a plain number format in Excel, or clean it with Find & Replace, then sort.
How many columns can I sort by?
Up to four. The first key decides the main order, and each Then by key only breaks ties left by the keys above it.
Where do empty values go?
NULL values are always placed last, in both ascending and descending order.
Is the text sort case-sensitive?
Yes. Values are compared by character code, so uppercase letters sort before lowercase. Convert the column to one case first if you want "apple" and "Apple" side by side.
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