Windows 10: Can Windows 10 File Explorer sort file names alphabetically even if the first character is...

Please note I'm not referring to folders, but individual files. My file names all begin with a date, then an alpha name. I want to ignore the date or the first nine characters and sort by the name or the first alpha character. Current sort shows:20230515 ABC20230615 XYZ20230715 ABC20230815 XYZYou can see it's in date order but this way, if I have file names beginning with twenty different dates but only four unique alpha names, the names are all split up. If I can sort by first alpha character, it will sort as shown below, and all alpha names will be together.20230515 ABC20230715 ABC202306

:)

 

Sorting files alphabetically by name in Windows 10

Hi Boris

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

Everything on a PC is stored as a number, even though we see alphabetical characters, so the letters X and G in the first, second and third file names are also encoded as a number, and that is causing the sorting error.

It is not possible to change that sorting order, you would need to name the files appropriately to get the sorting order you require.

 

Sorting with File Explorer.

I tried the method that was complicated (3rd option) but fell over in second step as I could not find any "apply to folder button"'.

However, the simple put *.* in search bar, then sort results windows by date does the trick. It is slightly cumbersome as I have to do that each time I am selecting files (to upload to sharepoint) but a lot less hassle than I was having to scroll up and down between sorted file block and sorted folder block.

Many thanks.

M.

 

How can I alphabetically sort the favorites list in the Windows 10 file explorer?

Hi all,

How can I alphabetically sort the favorites list in the Windows 10 file explorer?

Thanks!

Joan