How to Alphabetize in Google Docs

Organizing information in alphabetical order in your Google Docs documents can make those documents much easier to navigate and use. However, Google Docs does not have a built-in feature to alphabetize text.

In this article, I’ll explain three simple methods you can use to alphabetize text, lists, and paragraphs in Google Docs:

Using the Sorted Paragraphs Add-On

Copying text to Google Sheets
Copying text to Microsoft Word

Why Alphabetize in Google Docs?

Alphabetizing content in your Google Docs documents has several benefits:

Improves readability – Putting lists and sections in alphabetical order makes them easier to scan and comprehend.
Enables faster searching – You can quickly locate names, products, or other terms when they are organized A-Z.
Looks more professional – An alphabetized document appears neater and better structured.

Supports consistency – Keeping all documents ordered the same way makes cross-referencing simpler.

Whether you want to arrange a list of references in a research paper, order product specs in a catalog, or sort a glossary of terms, alphabetizing can add clarity and organization.

Method 1: Use the Sorted Paragraphs Add-On

The easiest way to alphabetize content in Google Docs is by using the Sorted Paragraphs add-on.

Here is how to install and use this handy tool:

Open the Google Docs document you want to alphabetize.
Select Add-ons > Get add-ons in the toolbar.

Search for “Sorted Paragraphs” and click + FREE.
Click Continue then Allow to install the add-on.
Highlight the text you want to alphabetize.

Select Add-ons > Sorted Paragraphs in the toolbar.
Choose Sort A → Z or Sort Z → A.

The selected paragraphs will instantly reorder alphabetically.

The Sorted Paragraphs add-on will alphabetize entire paragraphs, lines, or multi-line selections of text. It works quickly and seamlessly right within your document.

Method 2: Copy Text to Google Sheets

You can also leverage the built-in sorting feature of Google Sheets to alphabetize text:

Copy the text you want to reorder from your Google Doc.

Paste the text into Google Sheets.
Select the pasted column.
Click Data > Sort sheet A → Z in the toolbar.

Copy the sorted text column in Sheets.
Paste the text back into your original Google Doc document.

This manual process takes a bit more work, but effectively reorders your selected text alphabetically using Sheets’ sorting tool.

Method 3: Copy Text to Microsoft Word

If you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, you can also use it to alphabetize text from Google Docs:

Copy the text you want to reorder from your Google Doc.
Paste the text into a blank Word document.

Select the pasted text.
Go to Home > Sort > Sort A to Z in the toolbar.
Copy the sorted text in Word.

Paste the text back into your original Google Doc.

Like with Sheets, this process leverages the built-in sorting capabilities of Word to reorder your content alphabetically.

Formatting Considerations When Alphabetizing

When using the add-on or copy-paste approaches to alphabetize content in Google Docs, be aware that the formatting may get altered or lost in the process.

Here are some tips to handle formatting when alphabetizing:

Alphabetize before applying special formatting like bold, italics, or highlighting. Then re-format after.
Expect spacing between paragraphs and line breaks to change or disappear. Adjust spacing manually after alphabetizing if needed.

Tables may lose their structure when alphabetized. Sort table data before converting to a table structure.

Consider the impact on formatting before alphabetizing heavily designed documents. For most uses, minor post-alphabetization adjustments are quick and easy to implement.