List Sorter
Alphabetize a list, remove duplicates, keep the bullets. Free, no signup.
How It Works
Paste a list with one item per line and the sorted version appears below as you type. Pick the order, tick the clean-up options you need, then click Copy. Bullets and checkboxes at the start of a line are left out of the comparison but kept in the result, so a bulleted list stays bulleted.
Sorting a list from your phone? The guide to alphabetizing a list in iPhone Notes shows the copy, sort and paste-back steps.
A–Z vs Natural Sort
An A–Z sort compares text one character at a time. That works for words but not for numbers inside text: "Item 10" sorts before "Item 2" because 1 comes before 2. Natural sort treats each run of digits as a whole number, which is what you want for file names, chapters and versions.
| Input | A → Z | Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Item 10 | Item 1 | Item 1 |
| Item 2 | Item 10 | Item 2 |
| Item 1 | Item 2 | Item 10 |
Both orders use your browser's collation rules for your language (the Intl.Collator standard), so accented letters sort next to their plain versions and letters from other alphabets keep a sensible order.
What Counts as a Bullet
These line starts are kept but ignored when sorting and comparing: - * + • ◦ ▪ ‣ · ● ○ ■ □ ☐ ☑ ☒ ✓ ✔ – followed by a space, and Markdown task boxes like [ ] and - [x]. Shuffle uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so every order is equally likely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I alphabetize a list?
Paste the list with one item per line. It is sorted A to Z as you type. Choose another order from the menu if you need it, then click Copy and paste the sorted list back where it came from.
What is natural sort?
Natural sort reads runs of digits as numbers, so Item 2 comes before Item 10. A plain A to Z sort compares character by character, and because the character 1 comes before 2, it puts Item 10 first.
Does it handle accents and capital letters?
Yes. Sorting uses your browser's language rules, so é sorts next to e instead of after z. With Ignore case on, Apple and apple count as the same word for sorting and for duplicates. With it off, the capitalised version sorts first and the two are kept as different lines.
What happens to bullets and checkboxes?
A leading bullet or checkbox such as -, *, •, ◦ or ☐ is ignored when sorting and kept on the line in the result. If every line starts with a number like 1. or 2), the numbers are ignored for sorting and the list is renumbered from 1 afterwards.
Which duplicate is kept?
The first one in your original list. Later copies are removed before sorting, and the count under the result tells you how many were removed.
Is my list uploaded anywhere?
No. Sorting runs in JavaScript on this page. Your list is never sent to a server.