How to Alphabetize a List in Microsoft Word (Windows, Mac, and Web)

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Alphabetizing lists and tables in Microsoft Word saves time and effort when organizing content. The steps to alphabetize are easy whether you use Word on Windows, Mac, or the web version.

How to Alphabetize a List on Windows and Mac

1. Select the list you want to alphabetize
2. Go to Home > Sort
   • The Sort button is in the Paragraph section
3. Set Sort by to Paragraphs
4. Set Type to Text
5. Choose Ascending (A to Z) or Descending (Z to A)
6. Click OK

The list will now be organized alphabetically.

Example

• John Smith
• Sarah Lee
• David Johnson

1. Select the entire list
2. Go to Home > Sort
3. Sort by: Paragraphs
4. Type: Text
5. Order: Ascending
6. Click OK

The sorted list would be:

• David Johnson
• John Smith
• Sarah Lee

How to Alphabetize a Table

1. Click anywhere in the table
2. Go to Layout > Sort
   • The Sort button is under Table Tools
3. Check My list has if your table has a header
4. Set Sort by to the column you want to alphabetize by
5. Set Type to Text
6. Choose Ascending or Descending
7. Click OK

The table will now be sorted alphabetically based on the chosen column.

How to Alphabetize in Word Online

1. Copy the list from Word online
2. Paste into an Excel sheet
3. Highlight the column you want to sort
4. Go to Data > Sort
5. Pick your sorting options
6. Copy the sorted data
7. Paste back into Word online

This allows you to leverage Excel’s sorting function from within Word online.

Advanced Sorting Options

• Sort by paragraph, text, date, or number
• Choose ascending vs. descending order
• Set a secondary sort level
• Sort based on font color, cell color or custom order
• Specify delimiter characters between sort items

Use these options to customize how Word sorts your content.

Conclusion

In just a few clicks, you can alphabetize any list, table, or data set in Microsoft Word. This organizing feature works across Windows, Mac, and the web versions. Use it to save time and effort while arranging information alphabetically.

About The Author

Vegadocs Staff

Vegadocs Staff is comprised with experts in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. With years of experience, their articles offer practical tips for enhanced productivity in digital documentation.