OneDrive File Issues

How to Sort and Rearrange Photos in OneDrive Albums

Elise Williams Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is looking for a way to sort or manually rearrange the order of photos within a OneDrive album.

How to Sort and Rearrange Photos in OneDrive Albums

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing a collection of photos into a specific viewing order inside a OneDrive album.
Observed behavior: Photos appear in an unexpected sequence because OneDrive albums currently lack a built-in feature to sort or manually change the order of images.

Before you start

Verify whether you are viewing your photos in an 'Album' or a standard 'Folder', as standard folders in OneDrive offer much greater control over file sorting and arrangement.

Solution 1Recommended

Organize Photos into Standard Folders

Since OneDrive albums do not support custom sorting, the best alternative is to move or copy your photos into a standard OneDrive folder where full sorting options are available.

Albums in OneDrive are virtual collections that do not allow manual arrangement. By using standard folders instead, you can leverage OneDrive's native sorting features to arrange your images exactly how you want them.

Create a New Folder

Navigate to the 'Files' section in OneDrive and click 'New', then select 'Folder'. Name the folder according to the event or collection.

Move Photos to the Folder

Go to your photos, select the ones you want to group together, and use the 'Move to' or 'Copy to' option to place them inside your newly created folder.

Sort the Folder Contents

Open the new folder and click the 'Sort' option at the top right of the screen. You can now sort your photos by Name, Date modified, or Size.

Custom Manual Ordering: If you want a highly specific order, you can rename the photos in your folder with sequential numbers (e.g., 01_Image, 02_Image) and sort the folder by Name.

Solution 2

Submit Feedback for Album Sorting Features

Request that Microsoft add manual sorting and ordering capabilities to OneDrive albums in future updates.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Organize Your Documents Better with WPS Office

While you rely on OneDrive for your photos, you need a robust solution for your documents. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully featured productivity suite that seamlessly integrates with cloud storage, offering an efficient way to manage, edit, and organize your files.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
2. Install the Suite: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
3. Sign In and Sync: Open WPS Office, sign in to activate your free WPS Cloud space, and start organizing your documents effortlessly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.Provides built-in cloud storage (WPS Cloud) for effortless document organization and syncing across devices.Lightweight architecture ensures fast startup times and smooth performance, even on older hardware.Completely free to use with a user-friendly, familiar tabbed interface for easier multitasking.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a OneDrive Album and a Folder?

Folders act as actual storage directories where your files physically reside and offer full sorting capabilities (by name, date, size). Albums are virtual collections that let you group photos together for viewing without moving the original files, but they currently lack sorting tools.

Can I sort photos by the date they were taken in OneDrive?

In albums, this is not possible natively. However, if you move your photos into a standard OneDrive folder, you can click the 'Sort' menu and arrange them by 'Date modified', which often aligns with the date the file was created or captured.

Will Microsoft ever add sorting features to OneDrive albums?

Microsoft updates OneDrive frequently based on user telemetry and feedback. While there is no official timeline for album sorting, submitting a feature request through the OneDrive help menu is the best way to encourage its development.

Document & File Issues