OneDrive File Issues

How to Sort OneDrive Folders Alphabetically and Files by Date Modified

Bushra Parveen Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to apply different sorting rules for folders (alphabetical) and files (date modified) simultaneously within the same OneDrive view.

How to Keep OneDrive Folders Alphabetical and Files by Date Modified

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing and viewing files and folders in OneDrive for Business.
Observed behavior: Selecting the 'Date modified' sorting option applies to both files and folders, preventing folders from remaining in alphabetical order.

Before you start

Log in to your OneDrive account via a web browser to check your current file view and verify your active sorting preferences.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Organizational Workarounds for OneDrive Sorting

Since OneDrive does not support mixed sorting options, you can use these organizational strategies to keep your workspace structured.

In OneDrive for Business, the sorting option you select is globally applied to all folders, subfolders, and files in that view. It is currently impossible to isolate sorting methods by item type.

Separate files from folders

Create specific root folders for different file types so you can apply a unified sorting method without mixing folders and individual files in the same directory.

Prefix folder names

Add numbers or special characters (e.g., '01_Documents' or '!Archive') to folder names. This forces important folders to the top when sorting alphabetically, minimizing the need to constantly switch to date sorting.

Apply a unified sorting rule

Click the 'Sort' menu at the top right of the OneDrive web interface and choose either 'Name' or 'Modified' based on which metric is most important for your current workflow.

Sorting limitations: Keep in mind that changing the view to 'Date modified' will always reorganize your folders based on the date their contents were last updated.

Solution 2

Submit Feedback to the Microsoft Portal

Vote for folder-level sorting capabilities to encourage Microsoft to implement this feature in future OneDrive updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set default sorting views for individual folders in OneDrive?

No. In OneDrive for Business via a web browser, the sorting option you apply affects all folders, subfolders, and files globally in that view.

Why do my folders move when I sort by Date Modified?

OneDrive treats both folders and files as unified items when sorting. If you sort by Date Modified, folders will also be arranged by the date their contents were last changed.

Is this sorting limitation present in Windows File Explorer?

In Windows File Explorer, folders generally stay grouped together at the top of the list, but they will still be sorted among themselves by the chosen parameter (like Date Modified) alongside the files.

How can I force a folder to always stay at the top in OneDrive?

You can rename the folder and add a special character (like an underscore) or a number at the beginning of its name, then sort your view by Name.

Document & File Issues