Quick answer
To sort a database in Notion, open any table, board, or gallery view, click the Sort button in the top-right toolbar, choose a property to sort by, and select ascending or descending order. You can add multiple sort levels for finer control, and each view keeps its own independent sort settings.
Steps at a glance
- Open the database view you want to sort
- Click the Sort button in the top-right toolbar
- Select a property to sort by
- Choose ascending or descending order
- Click Add sort for additional sort levels
- Reorder sort levels by dragging them
- Close the menu to apply changes
Summary
Sorting lets you arrange the pages inside a Notion database by any property, from dates and text to numbers and select tags. It's a core part of organizing views like tables, boards, and galleries so the most relevant items always appear first.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Open the database view
Navigate to the page containing your database and open the view you want to organize, whether it's a table, board, timeline, or gallery. If you haven't built out the database yet, see how to create a database first to set up properties you can later sort by.
Step 2
Click the Sort button
Look for the Sort button in the top-right toolbar of the database, usually shown as an icon with arrows. Clicking it opens a menu listing all the properties available for sorting, such as Name, Date, Status, or any custom property you've added.
Step 3
Choose a property to sort by
Select the property you want to use as your primary sort, like Due Date or Priority. Notion immediately reorders every row or card in the view based on that property's values.
Step 4
Pick ascending or descending order
Next to the property you selected, click the order toggle to switch between ascending (A to Z, oldest to newest, lowest to highest) and descending (Z to A, newest to oldest, highest to lowest). The view updates instantly so you can preview the result.
Step 5
Add multiple sort levels
Click Add sort inside the same menu to layer on a second or third sorting rule, such as sorting by Status first and then by Due Date within each status group. This is especially useful in a task tracker where you want ties broken by a secondary property.
Step 6
Reorder or remove sort rules
Drag the sort entries up or down within the menu to change their priority, or click the X next to a rule to remove it entirely. The topmost rule always takes precedence over the ones below it.
Step 7
Use quick column sorting as a shortcut
In table view, hover over any column header and click it to reveal a quick dropdown with Sort ascending and Sort descending options. This applies a single-property sort instantly without opening the full Sort menu, which is handy for fast one-off adjustments.
Why this matters
You're staring at a task list with fifty entries in random order, trying to find what's due soonest. Sorting fixes that instantly, letting you surface overdue items, prioritize by status, or alphabetize a contacts list without moving a single page manually.
Frequently asked questions
Does sorting a database change the order permanently?
Sorting only changes how items are displayed within that specific view; it doesn't reorder or alter the underlying data. You can remove the sort at any time to return to the default or manually arranged order.
Can I sort by a formula or rollup property?
Yes, any property type including formulas and rollups appears in the Sort menu and can be used just like a standard property, as long as it returns a sortable value like a number, date, or text.
How is sorting different from filtering?
Sorting rearranges the order of visible items without hiding any of them, while filtering hides items that don't match certain criteria. You can combine both by setting up a filter first, which you can learn in the guide on how to filter a database, then applying a sort on top.
Can I save different sort orders for the same database?
Yes, since sort settings apply per view, you can create multiple views of the same database, such as a table view sorted by date and a board view sorted by priority, and switch between them anytime.
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