If you regularly follow several YouTube channels and visit them every week to see what new content they have uploaded, it will most likely take you a few seconds to find the most recent video, seconds at best.
Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't automatically display a channel's videos by date across all sections. Instead, it often relies on the number of views, likes, or custom recommendation algorithms. Fortunately, the platform allows you to add filters to quickly access the most recent, oldest, or most popular videos.
If you want to know how to organize YouTube videos and playlists, both on other channels and in your own library, you've come to the right article.
How to sort YouTube videos
On Android
Despite the fact that Google's video platform, YouTube, has no real rivals, and everything seems to indicate that this will continue for years to come, YouTube continues to add new features to the platform, far from being content with the privileged position it has achieved.
Since 2019, YouTube has allowed users to sort videos on its platform, so they can access content based on time or popularity. This is especially useful when you want to start watching a series from the first episode and don't want to scroll endlessly.
This filter can only be applied to YouTube channels; we cannot use it on the main page where all recommendations are shown based on videos we have watched previously, even if some of them are older than Methuselah.
To sort YouTube videos from any channel, we must follow the steps shown below:
- First of all, once we have opened the YouTube application, we go to channel in which we want to filter the available videos and we click on the section Videos.
- Next, we go to the top of the application and We click on Sort.
- At that point, a drop-down menu will be displayed with the following detailed options:
- Most popular: This option sorts the videos based on the Number of views and popularity (Likes), placing at the top those that have been most viewed historically on the channel.
- Upload date (oldest): If we select this option, the application will show us the oldest videos published on the channel, ideal for discovering the origins of the creator.
- Upload date (most recent): This option will show us the most recent videos based strictly on the publication date.
Unfortunately, this option is not stored on the platform, so we must apply this filter every time we want to filter the videos published on a specific channel.
On a computer
The app's user interface is different from the one found on mobile devices. While it's true that most users use the mobile app to enjoy YouTube, not everyone does, especially those of us who use the platform to listen to background music or work on larger screens.
If you want to know how to sort the videos on a YouTube channel in a desktop browser, here are all the steps to follow:
- First, we must access the YouTube website (you can do it from this link).
- Next, we go to the Videos section of the desired channel.
- Next, we go to the right part of the application and click on Order.
- Three main options will be displayed:
- Most popular: Show videos first with higher number of views and popularity.
- Upload date (oldest): Allows us to navigate from the first published video to the most recent.
- Upload date (most recent): This is the reverse chronological order, showing the latest published.
Just like in the mobile app, this change won't be saved on the web, forcing us to set it every time we want to filter videos from a channel.
How to sort YouTube playlists
YouTube not only allows us to organize the videos displayed on a channel, but also allows us to organize the playlists where the content is categorized.
YouTube playlists allow content creators Group all similar videos into the same folder. In the case of AndroidsisThe videos on our channel are categorized into playlists: news, tutorials, tips, off-topic… This way, if a user is looking for… For videos of tricks or applications, you just need to access that specific playlist.
On Android
If you want to learn how to sort the playlists available in the YouTube app for Android, you need to follow the steps shown below:
- Once we have opened the application, we We direct to the channel where we want to filter the results.
- Next, click on the tab lists.
- Just below this tab, click on Sort and the following options will be displayed:
- Creation date (most recent): Shows the most recently created lists first.
- Creation date (oldest): Shows the oldest lists first, according to their creation date.
- Last video added: Selecting this filter will show lists that have recently received new content first, regardless of when the list was created.
On a computer
To customize how playlists are displayed on the YouTube website, follow these steps:
- First, we must access the YouTube website.
- Next, we go to the section Channel lists.
- Next, we head to the right side of the website and click on Sort.
- The same options will be displayed as on Android: Creation date (most recent), Date of creation (oldest) and Last video added.
It's important to note that YouTube doesn't allow you to order individual videos within a playlist; the order of videos within a playlist is determined by the channel creator. You can only rearrange how playlists are displayed relative to each other.
Advanced management of your own playlists
Unlike other channels' playlists, when it comes to your own playlists, YouTube offers complete control over content organization. A playlist is essentially a collection of videos that any user can create, share, and manage.
How to create and add content to your lists
There are several ways to organize your own content or save third-party videos to watch later:
- From a regular video: While watching a video, click the button Save and select an existing list or choose Create a new list. You will need to assign a name and choose the privacy (Public, Unlisted, or Private).
- From a YouTube Short: The process is identical. On the Short's viewing screen, tap on More, later in Save and choose the destination list.
How to organize videos within your own lists
Unlike other creators' channels, you can change the order of the videos in your playlists. You have two main methods:
- Manual drag method: Open your playlist and, while holding down the two vertical lines icon next to the video, Drag the video up or down to the desired position.
- Temporal order: In the side panel while playing a video from a list, you can drag the videos to change the immediate playback sequence.
Filtering and editing lists on the computer
If you manage your lists from a PC, you have additional features to optimize display:
- Filter by content type: In your list settings, you can choose to view All content, only the Shorts stored or just the Long videos. This feature is exclusive to the desktop version.
- Quick Edit: From the user guide (side menu), you can access Edit to modify the title, description, or privacy settings of the list.
- Permanent deletion: If a list is no longer useful, you can enter it and click on More and select Delete playlist. Note that this will delete the URL and title, although the watch time data will remain in your overall statistics.
External solutions for a superior organization
For users who require an even stricter level of organization, there are community-developed tools available. For example, some users have created browser extensions specifically designed to address the lack of alphabetical order on YouTube.
These extensions allow you to sort playlists alphabetically both in the interface sidebar and in the "Save to Playlist" drop-down menu, eliminating the frustration of manually searching through dozens of folders created over the years.
The use of these tools is generally safe as long as they do not require excessive permissions, and they represent a viable alternative for those who manage massive video libraries and need a professional and structured organization.
Mastering YouTube's sorting filters transforms a chaotic browsing experience into a personalized one, making it easy to access both the latest content and classic videos from any channel. Whether you use native Android and desktop tools to filter by date and popularity, or meticulously manage your own playlists by manually dragging and dropping content, you have complete control over how you consume video content on the world's largest platform.
