Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Sorting by Headings.
A useful trick you can use when developing some types of documents is the ability to sort the various parts of the document based on the headings you use. For instance, you can sort the document based on first-level headings (paragraphs that use the Heading 1 style) by following these steps:
Figure 1. The Sort Text dialog box.
Had you skipped the first two steps and performed the sort in any view besides Outline view, every paragraph would have been sorted alphabetically and therefore rearranged so that subordinate paragraphs would be separated from their headings. In other words, you would have a mess. However, in Outline view, the highest-level headings are sorted, bringing along the subordinate heading levels and body text.
If you wanted to sort by Heading 2 paragraphs, you should also use Outline view, but you would have to first select all the Heading 2 paragraphs subordinate to a particular Heading 1 paragraph and then sort. You will get the same results regardless of how many heading levels that you show on the Outline tab of the ribbon.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11238) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Sorting by Headings.
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2020-10-27 11:27:59
Mihai
Sorting itself works fine, but when I choose Update Field / Update Entire Table the sorting is scrambled again. How can I make the sorting order to remain saved even AFTER the subsequent updates of the table of contents?
2020-09-14 10:20:36
Tim Carr
I tried and tried and tried and failed and failed and failed, because I could not find the "sort tool" in the paragraph group. I kept trying to click on the down arrow at the bottom right of the paragraph group, but it wouldn't open. I FINALLY found the "sort tool" (circled in red here). It would have been most helpful for you to have included that graphic in your instructions. (see Figure 1 below) .
Figure 1. "sort tool" circled in red
2017-11-30 15:56:18
Rebecca Zehr
Great, thanks!! But, Step 6 should say that you change the Sort by default from Paragraphs to Headings, otherwise you get an error.
Thanks for making my job so much easier!
2017-07-28 01:28:04
Jude from New Zealand
Allen... you walk on water! Fabulous. Made my 150 page document perfect. Thank you so much.
2017-07-05 10:43:23
Manju
Great tip. It was very useful. There are very few articles on this particular aspect and yours was to the point.
2016-11-20 18:01:58
Joe Gichuki
Thanks a lot. I knew I'd done this before. Don't know how I did but I just couldn't do it again. This has been a great help
2016-10-14 06:41:03
Some of the paragraphs under my headings had graphics. When I sorted, the headings came our in correct order. But every one of my graphics were gone. Suggestions?
2016-09-20 05:09:28
Emily Frain
Thank you Abdul. Have done that now
2016-09-19 05:14:50
Abdul Quadir
@Emily Frain
In Outline view, click the Show Level arrow (in the Outline Tools group) and choose Level 1 or Level 2.
This causes only Heading 1 or both Headings 1 and 2 to be displayed. The nested text should collapse.
2016-09-19 03:27:58
Emily Frain
Hi
Just tried to apply this to a document but the text doesn't collapse. It has several paragraphs to a heading and bullet points - is that the problem?
2016-09-17 08:05:03
Abdul Quadir
Great tip! Thanks a lot.
2016-09-17 07:44:20
Sameer patil
Will the document match print layout after working in outline view.
I would like to know more about working in master pages.
Nice tip,thanks.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
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