SharePoint Document Issues

Can You Sort or Group SharePoint Folders by Color?

Steve K Oct 8, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is looking for a way to sort, filter, or group folders in a SharePoint document library based on their assigned colors.

Can SharePoint Folders Be Sorted or Grouped by Color?

Product: SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing and visually managing files and folders within a SharePoint document library.
Observed behavior: SharePoint document libraries allow users to assign colors to folders, but they do not provide a built-in option to sort or group those folders by their colors.

Before you start

Verify that you have adequate permissions to modify document library views in your SharePoint environment.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Custom Columns as an Alternative Organization Method

Since SharePoint does not support grouping by folder color natively, creating a custom choice column is the best workaround to organize and group your folders.

While folder coloring is a helpful visual cue, SharePoint Online does not currently read these colors as metadata that can be sorted or grouped. To achieve a similar organizational structure, you can add a custom 'Choice' column to your document library.

Add a Choice column

In your SharePoint document library, click on 'Add column' at the end of the header row and select 'Choice'. Name it according to your organizational needs (e.g., 'Category' or 'Status').

Define your categories

Enter the choices that correspond to the meaning behind your folder colors (for example, 'Urgent', 'In Progress', 'Completed'). You can even assign colors to these choice pills.

Apply tags to folders

Select a folder, open the details pane (the 'i' icon), and assign the appropriate category from your newly created Choice column.

Group by the new column

Click the column header for your new Choice column, select 'Group by [Column Name]', and save the view to keep your folders organized systematically.

Use Custom Columns as an Alternative Organization Method

Save your view: Don't forget to click 'Save view as' from the view dropdown menu so that your new grouping remains the default for you and your team.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft

Support the ongoing community request to have color sorting added as an out-of-the-box feature in SharePoint.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change the color of a folder in SharePoint?

To change a folder's color in SharePoint Online, right-click the desired folder, select 'Folder color' from the context menu, and choose your preferred color from the provided palette. Alternatively, select the folder, click the three-dot menu (Show actions), and click 'Folder color'.

Can I sort files by color in Microsoft OneDrive?

Similar to SharePoint, Microsoft OneDrive allows you to customize folder colors for visual organization, but it currently lacks the native functionality to sort, filter, or group files and folders exclusively based on those colors.

Will Microsoft add color sorting to SharePoint in the future?

Microsoft frequently updates SharePoint and Microsoft 365 features based on user telemetry and feedback. Upvoting the feature on the official Feedback Portal significantly increases the likelihood of it being implemented in future rollouts.

What is the best way to group folders if I cannot use colors?

The most effective workaround is to create custom metadata columns (such as Choice or Text columns), tag your folders appropriately, and use the 'Group by' feature on that specific column to organize your library view.

Document & File Issues