OneDrive File Issues

How to Sort OneDrive Photos and Videos by Creation Date

Emma Brown Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to sort photos and videos transferred from Google Photos to OneDrive by their original creation date, but the files appear in the wrong order.

How to Sort OneDrive Photos and Videos by Creation Date

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Organizing media files that have been transferred from Google Photos to Microsoft OneDrive.
Observed behavior: The OneDrive website lacks a timeline feature, causing photos and videos to appear out of order because the platform relies on limited metadata support for sorting.

Before you start

Ensure your Windows PC has enough local storage space to sync your OneDrive files and that you are signed in to the correct Microsoft account on both the OneDrive app and the Windows Photos app.

Solution 1Recommended

Sync OneDrive to PC and Use the Windows Photos App

Since the OneDrive web interface lacks a timeline sorting feature, syncing files to your PC allows you to use the native Windows Photos app to sort by embedded metadata dates.

This method bridges the gap between OneDrive's web limitations and your need for a timeline view. By bringing the files locally to your PC, the Windows Photos app can scan the embedded metadata of your media and organize them correctly by the date they were taken.

Link OneDrive to your PC

Open the OneDrive app on your Windows PC, sign in with your Microsoft account, and follow the setup prompts to link your cloud storage to your device.

Sync your files

Select the specific OneDrive folders containing your transferred photos and videos, and allow the synchronization process to finish completely so files are locally available.

Open the Windows Photos app

Click the Start menu on your Windows taskbar, type 'Photos', and launch the default Photos application.

Sort by creation date

Allow the Photos app to scan your synced OneDrive folders. Once loaded, use the app's built-in timeline or sorting options to arrange your media by their original creation date.

Sync OneDrive to PC and Use the Windows Photos App

Metadata Dependency: The accuracy of the sorting depends entirely on whether the original creation date metadata was preserved during the transfer from Google Photos to OneDrive.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Google Photos appearing out of order in OneDrive?

When files are transferred from Google Photos, the original creation date metadata can sometimes be stripped or modified. Additionally, OneDrive's web interface relies on limited timeline support, often causing files to display based on their upload date rather than when they were taken.

Can I view a photo timeline directly on the OneDrive website?

Currently, the OneDrive website does not offer a dedicated timeline or creation-date sorting feature for mixed media folders. Microsoft recommends syncing files to a Windows PC and using the native Photos app to achieve this.

How can I suggest a timeline feature for OneDrive Web?

You can submit feedback or vote for existing feature requests, such as the timeline view for photos, directly through Microsoft's official Feedback Portal.

Document & File Issues