Alphabetize a List in iPhone Notes
Notes can sort notes, not the lines inside one. Here's the workaround.
The Short Answer
Notes on iPhone can sort your notes by title, but it has no command to sort the lines inside a note. That's still true in iOS 27: Apple's iPhone User Guide covers sorting notes in a folder, and nothing for the items in a list.
The workaround takes under a minute. Copy the list, sort it in your browser, and paste it back over the old one.
Sort my list A–Z →Step by Step
- Open the note in the Notes app. Touch and hold the first item of the list, then drag the selection handles to cover the whole list. If the note is only the list, tap Select All instead.
- Tap Copy.
- In Safari, open the List Sorter. Touch and hold the top box and tap Paste. The sorted list appears below it.
- Choose the order (A → Z is the default). Tick Remove duplicates if the list has repeats.
- Tap Copy under the sorted list.
- Go back to Notes, select the old list again, and tap Paste to replace it.
- Was it a checklist? Select the pasted lines and tap the checklist button in the toolbar to turn them back into checklist items.
An example from the List Sorter, with A → Z and Remove duplicates ticked:
| Your list | Sorted |
|---|---|
| milk | apples |
| Bread | Bread |
| eggs | Cheese |
| apples | eggs |
| milk | milk |
| Cheese |
Capital and lowercase letters sort together, and the second "milk" is removed. Bullets such as • or - at the start of a line are kept in place but ignored when sorting.
Things That Trip People Up
- "Sort Checked Items" isn't alphabetical. This Notes setting only moves ticked checklist items to the bottom of the list.
- Sort By sorts notes, not lines. The Sort By option in the notes list orders whole notes in a folder by title or date. It never changes the text inside a note.
- Checklist formatting. Depending on the list, the copied text may come out as plain lines without the circles. That's fine: sort it, paste it back, then tap the checklist button.
- Numbers in items. If items contain numbers ("Room 2", "Room 10"), pick the Natural order so 2 comes before 10.
- Headings mixed into the list. Copy only the list lines, not a heading above them, or the heading gets sorted in with the items.
Sorting the Notes Themselves
If you meant your list of notes, Notes can do that directly. Apple's steps:
- Open a folder in Notes.
- Tap the More button at the top of the notes list.
- Tap Sort By, then choose Title. To reverse the order, choose Descending.
To set the default sort for all folders, go to Settings → Apps → Notes and tap Sort Notes By (on older iOS versions, Settings → Notes). Pinned notes stay at the top of the list.
Platform Notes
iPad: the same copy, sort and paste steps work in Notes and Safari on iPad.
Mac: Notes on Mac has no alphabetical sort for lines either. You can move one list item at a time with Control-Command-Up Arrow or Control-Command-Down Arrow, or drag checklist items. For a long list, use the copy, sort and paste approach.
Reminders: if the list is really a to-do or shopping list, the Reminders app can sort a list by title: open the list, tap the More button, then Sort By → Title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you alphabetize a list in iPhone Notes?
Not inside the Notes app. Apple's iPhone User Guide for iOS 27 describes sorting the notes in a folder by title or date, but no command for sorting the lines or checklist items inside a note. The workaround is to copy the list, sort it with a list sorter, and paste it back.
How do I sort my notes alphabetically on iPhone?
That part Notes can do. In the notes list, tap the More button, tap Sort By, and choose Title. To set the default for every folder, Apple says to go to Settings, then Apps, then Notes, and tap Sort Notes By.
What does Sort Checked Items do in Notes?
It moves ticked checklist items to the bottom of the checklist. Despite the name it doesn't put anything in alphabetical order.
Can I sort a checklist in Notes?
You can move items by hand: touch and hold the circle next to an item, then drag it. There is no alphabetical sort. For a long checklist, copy it out, sort it, paste it back, then select the lines and tap the checklist button to turn them back into a checklist.
Is there an Apple app that can sort a list alphabetically?
Yes, Reminders. Apple's guide says a Reminders list can be sorted by due date, creation date, priority or title (not in every Smart List). If your list is a to-do or shopping list, keeping it in Reminders gives you a built-in alphabetical sort.
Does the same workaround work on iPad and Mac?
Yes. Notes on iPad and Mac also have no alphabetical sort for the lines in a note, so you copy, sort and paste back in the same way. On a Mac you can also move a single list item up or down with Control-Command-Up Arrow or Control-Command-Down Arrow.