To arrange data by date in Excel on Windows, select a cell in your date column, open Data, and choose Sort Oldest to Newest or Sort Newest to Oldest. Include every related column in the sort so names, amounts, and other details stay with their dates. Mac and browser versions use ascending and descending labels for the same chronological order.
The short version
- Keep records together: Include every column belonging to each record when you sort.
- Choose your direction: Ascending puts earlier dates first, while descending puts later dates first.
- Repair text dates: Convert dates stored as text before sorting, because changing their display format alone does not convert them.
- Handle updates: Reapply a normal sort after changes, or use a formula for a separate result that updates automatically.
| Method | Best use | Main catch |
|---|---|---|
| Ribbon date sort | Put records in chronological order | Labels vary between Windows, Mac, and the browser |
| Table header arrow | Sort directly from the date column | Menu wording follows the detected data type |
| Custom sort | Choose headers and secondary criteria | Keep the date column first for chronological priority |
| Text to Columns | Convert text with a known date order | The wizard is unavailable in the browser |
DATEVALUE | Convert recognized date text with a formula | Excel must recognize the date convention |
SORT | Create an automatically updated sorted result | Keep the output area clear |
SORTBY | Sort a separate result using a date range | Source references must cover your records |
| Month and day helpers | Arrange birthdays without using birth years | Requires genuine Excel dates |
| Reapply | Restore order after dates or rows change | Run it again after edits |
| Phone sorting controls | Sort on iPhone or Android | The ribbon paths differ |
Prepare the complete set of records
Keep the date column and every related record column within the dataset you sort. For example, a list containing a date, a name, and an amount needs all three columns included. Sorting the date cells separately would break their connection to the other details.
Before changing the source order, you can copy a worksheet in Excel to keep a separate version. If hidden columns make it difficult to see the complete dataset, unhide the columns in Excel before choosing your sort range.
Decide which date column should control the order when your list contains several, such as a purchase date and a delivery date. Use the full sort dialog when you need to choose that column explicitly or identify a header row.
Sort dates from oldest or newest
In Excel for Microsoft 365 or Excel 2024 on Windows, select a cell in the date column. Open Data and, in Sort & Filter, select Sort Oldest to Newest for earlier dates first or Sort Newest to Oldest for later dates first. Apply the sort to the complete dataset so the other columns move with their dates.
On Mac, select a date-column cell and choose Data > Ascending or Descending. In Excel for the web, select the date column's header or first value, then choose Data > Sort Ascending or Sort Descending. Ascending means oldest first, and descending means newest first.
An existing Excel table also lets you sort from the date column's header arrow. Open that arrow and choose the ascending or descending sort command. The menu wording follows the data type Excel detects, so dates stored as text may not behave like genuine dates.
Choose headers and additional sort columns
For more control on Windows, select your complete dataset and choose Data > Sort. When your first row contains column names, check My data has headers. Set Sort by to your date column, Sort On to Cell Values, and Order to Oldest to Newest or Newest to Oldest.
Select Add Level to choose how records with the same date should be arranged. For example, sort by date first and then by name to organize entries that share a date. Select OK when the criteria are ready.
On Mac, open Data > Sort and check My list has headers when your list has headings. Choose your date field under Column, select Values under Sort On, and choose the direction under Order. Use Add Level for another criterion.
In the browser, choose Data > Custom Sort. Set Sort by and Order, then select Add for another criterion. Keep the date column first when chronology should take priority over the other fields.
Convert text dates that sort incorrectly
When the result does not follow calendar order, check whether some dates are stored as text. Genuine Excel dates are numeric serial values, while text that looks like a date remains text. Applying a date display format alone does not convert those cells.
On desktop Excel, select the date-text column and open Data > Text to Columns. Select Next twice, then choose Date under Column data format. Choose the source order, such as DMY, MDY, or YMD, and select Finish before sorting again.
Match the order to the original text rather than the date display you want afterward. Day, month, year text needs DMY, while month, day, year text needs MDY. The Text to Columns wizard is not available in Excel for the web.
Another conversion method uses DATEVALUE in a blank cell with the General number format. For a text date in A2, enter the following formula and press Enter. Fill the formula down for the remaining records.
=DATEVALUE(A2)Copy the results, select the original date cells, and choose Home > Paste > Paste Special > Values > OK on Windows. Apply a Date number format, then sort the complete dataset again. If Excel does not recognize the text's date convention, use the matching source order in Text to Columns on desktop Excel.
Create a sorted result that updates automatically
A normal sort rearranges your original records, while SORT and SORTBY produce separate results. Use a formula when you want the original list to stay in its existing order and the sorted output to update after source values change. These functions are available in Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024 on Windows and Mac.
For records in A2:D100 with dates in the first column, select an empty output cell and enter the following formula. Press Enter to return all four columns with the oldest dates first.
=SORT(A2:D100,1,1)The first 1 identifies the date column within the selected range, and the final 1 chooses ascending order. Replace the final argument with -1 for newest first. Keep the output area clear so the results have room to spill into neighboring cells.
Use SORTBY when you prefer to identify the date range directly. Enter the following formula in an empty output cell and press Enter to sort the same four columns using the dates in A2:A100. Change the final argument to -1 to reverse the order.
=SORTBY(A2:D100,A2:A100,1)Adjust the example ranges to match your records. Fixed references such as A2:D100 do not include records outside that range. Table structured references can make the source expand as you add new records.
Arrange birthdays by month and day
A chronological sort includes the year, so it does not arrange birthdays into January through December regardless of birth year. For that order, add month and day helper columns beside your records. Both formulas require genuine Excel dates.
With the first birthday in A2, enter this formula in the month helper column. Fill it down for every birthday in the list.
=MONTH(A2)In the day helper column, enter the following formula and fill it down as well. You now have separate numeric values for each birthday's month and day.
=DAY(A2)Select the complete dataset, including both helper columns, and open the sort dialog. Sort by the month helper in ascending order, then add the day helper as the second ascending criterion. For month-only organization, use just the month helper.
Keep the order after adding or changing dates
Standard sorts need to be reapplied after dates or rows change. Select a cell in the previously sorted data, then choose Home > Sort & Filter > Reapply on desktop Excel. This applies the existing criteria again.
Use an Excel table when you need sort criteria to survive closing and reopening the workbook. On Windows, select the complete dataset and choose Quick Analysis > Tables > Table, then sort through the date column's header arrow. Retaining the criteria does not make a standard sort run automatically after every edit.
Sort dates on your phone
On iPhone, select a cell in the date column and open Show ribbon. Select Data, then choose Sort Ascending for oldest first or Sort Descending for newest first. Include all related record columns in the sort.
On an Android phone, select a date-column cell and open More options > Home > Sort and Filter. Choose Sort Ascending or Sort Descending for the order you need. Dates stored as text still need conversion before they can sort chronologically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you sort dates across a row instead of down a column?
Yes, use a range rather than an Excel table. On Windows, open Data > Sort > Options, choose Sort left to right, and select OK. Choose the date row under Sort by, set the chronological order under Order, and select OK.
How do you sort month names such as January and February?
For month names stored as text, use a custom list instead of an alphabetical sort. On Windows, select the dataset, open Data > Sort, choose the month-name column under Sort by, then select Order > Custom List. Select the required month sequence and confirm with OK.
Why is sorting blocked on a protected worksheet?
Locked cells in a protected sortable range prevent sorting even when the protection settings permit Sort. On Windows, as the owner, choose Review > Unprotect Sheet and enter the password when required. To retain protection while allowing sorting, select the complete sortable range, open Format Cells > Protection, and uncheck Locked. Choose Review > Protect Sheet, select Sort under Allow all users of this worksheet to, and complete protection setup.
Can you organize dates by weekday instead of calendar order?
Yes, add a helper column using =WEEKDAY(A2,2) and fill it down. Sort the complete dataset by that helper in ascending order to arrange records from Monday through Sunday. The second argument makes Monday 1 and Sunday 7.