How to sort records in Airtable

Summary

Sorting puts the records in an Airtable grid view in the order you choose, based on any field. It keeps long lists readable and lets you find the record you need without changing the underlying data.

Step-by-step guide

1. Step 1

   Open the Sort menu

   Open your base and go to the grid view. In the toolbar above the records, click **Sort** to open the sort menu. The menu is where you choose which field controls the order of your records.

2. Step 2

   Pick the field to sort by

   In the **Sort by** menu, a list of your fields appears under **Find a field**. Click **Name** to sort the records by that field. The records reorder as soon as you pick it, and the toolbar button changes to **Sorted by 1 field**.

3. Step 3

   Open the sort direction menu

   Next to the field, the direction button shows **A → Z**, which sorts ascending. Click it to open the direction options. You can also use **Add another sort** to layer a second field.

4. Step 4

   Select descending order

   In the direction menu, choose **descending**, shown as **Z → A**. The records flip so the last item alphabetically comes first. Switch back to **ascending** at any time to restore the original order.

5. Step 5

   Check the sorted records

   Look at the toolbar, where the button reads **Sorted by 1 field**. The **Automatically sort records** setting stays on, so new or edited records settle into the right position. Use **Remove sort** to clear the sort.