Can I sort in descending order?
Not directly — sort ascending here, then reverse the line order separately if you need descending order.
Text Tools
Sort Lines Alphabetically
Sort a list of lines into alphabetical order, right in your browser.
How the sort order actually works
This tool sorts your lines using JavaScript's localeCompare, which produces standard ascending alphabetical order with reasonable handling of accented characters and case. There's no toggle for descending order here — if you need reverse-alphabetical results, sort here first and then reverse the line order separately.
The sort is purely alphabetical on the text itself — there's no numeric-aware sorting (so "10" would sort before "2" as text), and no option to sort by line length or any other criteria.
Workflow at a glance
Use this quick flow to understand where the tool fits in your work and what to review before relying on the output.
Review checklist
Before
Decide whether your list needs deduplicating first, since this sorts everything including repeats.
After
Check that any numeric entries sorted the way you expected, since they're treated as text, not numbers.
When alphabetical order is what you need
Use it whenever a list needs to be in alphabetical order — a name list, a set of tags, or any line-based content where readers expect to scan it in A-to-Z sequence.
Who sorts text like this
Anyone organizing a name or contact list
Sort entries into alphabetical order for easier scanning.
Content and tag managers
Alphabetize a list of tags or categories before publishing.
Students and researchers
Sort a reference or citation list alphabetically.
Anyone cleaning up a pasted list
Quickly reorder lines without a spreadsheet.
What this tool does
Alphabetical ascending sort
Uses localeCompare for standard A-to-Z ordering.
Accent-aware comparison
Handles accented characters reasonably within the standard alphabetical comparison.
Instant sorting
The result updates as you edit the input list.
Text-based, not numeric-aware
Numbers sort as text, so "10" comes before "2" alphabetically.
Sorting a list step by step
- 1Paste your list of lines into the input box.
- 2Review the alphabetically sorted result as it updates automatically.
- 3Check numeric entries if your list contains numbers, since they sort as text.
- 4Click Copy output and use the sorted list wherever you need it.
Where sorted lines help
Sorting a name or contact list into alphabetical order for easier scanning.
Alphabetizing a list of tags or categories before publishing.
Sorting a reference or citation list alphabetically.
Quickly reordering a pasted list without opening a spreadsheet.
Where your list goes
Sorting happens directly in your browser as you edit the list — nothing is sent to a server.
Getting the order you expect
- Reverse the sorted output afterward with Text Reverser if you need descending order instead.
- Watch for numeric entries in your list, since they'll sort alphabetically as text, not numerically.
- Check case-sensitivity expectations, since localeCompare's default ordering handles mixed case reasonably but isn't identical to a strict ASCII sort.
- Combine with Remove Duplicate Lines first if your list also has repeats you want cleaned up before sorting.
Sorting mistakes to avoid
Expecting numeric sorting
Numbers sort as text here, so "10" comes before "2" — this isn't a numeric-aware sort.
Looking for a descending order toggle
Only ascending order is available directly — reverse the result separately if you need descending order.
Assuming this sorts by length or other criteria
The sort is purely alphabetical on the line text, not by length or any other measure.
Not deduplicating first if repeats matter
This sorts everything, including duplicates — clean those up first if you don't want them in the sorted result.
When you need a different sort order
Text Sorter gives you fast, standard alphabetical ordering for any line-based list. For descending order or numeric-aware sorting, you'll need an extra step or a different tool.
Need hands-on help?
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FAQ
Text Sorter FAQ
Answers for using Text Sorter on I Love Tool XYZ.
Does this sort numbers numerically?
No, numbers are sorted as text, so "10" comes before "2".
Can I sort by line length instead?
No, only standard alphabetical sorting is available.
Is my list uploaded anywhere?
No. Sorting happens directly in your browser.