# How to sort a database in Notion on Mac: step by step, multiple sorts and saving

> How to sort a database in Notion on Mac: open View settings, pick a property, add more sorts, and choose who sees the order. Steps and fixes.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/sort-a-database-in-notion
Updated: 2026-11-06

To sort a database in Notion on Mac, open the settings menu at the top right of the database, choose Sort under View settings, and pick the property you want. The sort stays with the view you are in, so other views keep their own order.

## Quick answer

- Open the settings menu at the top right of the database, then select Sort under View settings.
- Pick a property. Text sorts alphabetically, and numbers sort by value.
- Add more sorts and drag the ⋮⋮ handle to set which sort applies first.
- Leave Save for everyone unselected to sort only for yourself. Tick it to share the order with everyone.
- Remove a sort by opening the same menu, selecting Sort, and clicking X next to it.

Applies to: Notion desktop app for Mac, macOS 13 or later. Time: 3 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Notion desktop app for Mac, macOS 13 or later
- A database open in the view you want to change
- Permission to change the view you are working in

## How to Sort a Notion database view on Mac in Notion on a Mac

1. **Open the database view.** (Sidebar > Page with the database) Open the Notion desktop app on your Mac and go to the page that holds the database. Make sure you are on the view you want to change. Each view keeps its own sort, so the view you pick decides what changes. Tip: If you have several views, check the view name before you open the menu.
2. **Open the settings menu.** (Top right of database > Settings menu) Find the settings menu at the top right of the database and open it. Notion's help page describes it this way and does not show a screenshot. The label on your Mac may differ a little, so look for the menu near the database controls.
3. **Choose Sort under View settings.** (Settings menu > View settings > Sort) In the settings menu, find View settings and select Sort. This opens the sort controls for the view you are in.
4. **Pick the property.** (Sort > Choose property) Choose the property you want to sort by, such as Name, a text property, a number, or a select property. Text sorts alphabetically. Numbers sort by value. Select and Multi-select follow the order of their options.
5. **Choose who sees the order.** (Sort > Save for everyone) Find the Save for everyone option. Leave it unselected to apply the sort only to you. Select it when the whole team should see the same order every time they open this view. Tip: Start unselected while you test. Turn on Save for everyone once the order looks right.
6. **Add a second sort if you need one.** (Sort > Sorts list > ⋮⋮ handle) To sort by several properties, add another sort. Drag the ⋮⋮ handle next to each sort up or down. The order you set controls which sort applies first.
7. **Check the rows.** (Database view) Close the menu and look at the rows in the view. If the order is not what you expected, reopen Sort and check the property, the drag order, and the Save for everyone setting.
8. **Remove a sort you no longer need.** (Settings menu > View settings > Sort > X next to the sort) Open the same settings menu, select Sort under View settings, and click X next to the sort you want to remove. Only the view you are in changes.

Notion sorts at the view level, not the page level. One database can show the same rows in several views, and each view keeps its own sort. That is why the first thing to check is which view you are looking at. The steps here work in the Notion desktop app on a Mac. The web version follows the same help page, and I found no documented difference between the two for sorting.

![Person at a desk using a Mac to learn how to sort a database in Notion on Mac](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/sort-a-database-in-notion/how-to-sort-a-database-in-notion-1-0ca214.jpg)

## Sort a Notion database on Mac, step by step

Open the database, then open the settings menu at the top right of the database. Notion's help page describes it that way and does not show a screenshot, so the exact label on your Mac may differ a little. Under View settings, select Sort. You pick a property, and the rows reorder in that view. The result stays with that view until you change it.

## Save the sort for everyone or keep it to yourself

The Save for everyone option is the one that trips people up. When you leave it unselected, the sort applies only to you. When you select it, the order becomes the one everyone sees when they open that view. Think about who will open the database before you decide. A personal task list can stay private. A team roadmap usually needs one agreed order.

> **Test first, share later:** Set the sort with Save for everyone off. Check the rows in your own view. Then tick Save for everyone once the order is right.

## Sort by more than one property

A single sort often is not enough. Suppose you track projects with a Status property and a Due date property. Sort by Status first, then add Due date as a second sort. The rows then sit in Status order, and within each status they follow the due dates. Open the settings menu again, add the second sort, and drag the ⋮⋮ handle to put the sorts in the order you want. Drag order sets which sort applies first, so put the main sort on top.

![Team members looking at a shared planning board on a laptop screen](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/sort-a-database-in-notion/how-to-sort-a-database-in-notion-2-f42f6f.jpg)

## How Notion orders text, numbers, and select options

The property type decides how the order works. Text properties, such as Name, sort alphabetically. Number properties sort by their numeric value, not by how the digits look as text. Select and Multi-select properties follow the options you set. You define that order by dragging options up or down. If you want a Priority column to run High, Medium, Low, drag the options into that sequence, then sort by Priority.

| Property type | How the sort follows |
| --- | --- |
| Text, such as Name | Alphabetically |
| Number | By numeric value |
| Select or Multi-select | By the option order you set by dragging |

_How Notion orders each property type, per Notion's help page._

## Remove a sort without changing the rest of the view

Removing a sort takes less time than adding one. Open the same settings menu, select Sort under View settings, and click X next to the sort you no longer want. Sorts belong to a view, so removing one changes only the view you are in. Other views keep their order. If you added several sorts, remove only the one you do not need.

## Keyboard shortcuts around sorting

Notion's official keyboard shortcuts page lists no shortcut for sorting, filtering, or views. Some third-party posts list one, but I could not confirm it on Notion's own page, so this guide leaves it out. The shortcuts that do appear on the page still help around a sorted database. Use ⌘F to search within the page when the rows are long. Use ⌘/ to edit several selected database rows together. On Mac, ⌃⇧K and ⌃⇧J move to the previous and next database page in peek view.

## Does sorting work the same on the web?

I found no documented difference between the Mac app and the web version for sorting. Notion's help page on views, filters, and sorts covers the feature without splitting it by platform. The menu labels on the web may still read a little differently, so check there before you assume a step is missing. If you need the desktop app, check the requirements first, since it needs macOS 13 or later.

- **macOS 13** Minimum macOS version for the Notion desktop app, per Notion's system requirements page. ([source](https://www.notion.com/help/system-requirements-for-notion))
- **3.8** Notion release dated October 13, 2026 on Notion's release index. The entry does not mention sorting. ([source](https://www.notion.com/releases))

## Versions, macOS requirements, and what to check

The desktop app requires macOS 13 or later, according to Notion's system requirements page. Notion's release index lists Notion 3.8 on October 13, 2026, and Notion 3.7 on September 15, 2026. Neither entry mentions sorting. A third-party release tracker uses a different numbering, with a desktop build listed as 7.42.1 on November 4, 2026. That conflicts with the 3.x names, and I could not confirm the second scheme on a Notion page. If you need to tell support which build you run, check the About screen in the Mac app.

![Desk with a Mac, a notebook, and a task list open during planning work](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/sort-a-database-in-notion/how-to-sort-a-database-in-notion-3-a67200.jpg)

## Common mistakes when a sort looks wrong

Most sorts that look wrong have a simple cause. The first is the view. You sorted one view, then opened another. The second is the shared setting. You left Save for everyone off, so teammates see a different order. The third is the property type. A Select property follows its option order, which may not be the order you expected. Check these before you suspect the app. If none of them explain it, reapply the sort in the view you are using and look again.

> **Unconfirmed reports:** Third-party guides mention missing edit access and drag order problems that can reset a sort. I could not confirm either on Notion's own pages. Treat them as leads, not facts.

## Where to go next with your database

Once the sort works, you may want a second view for another audience instead of changing this one. Each view keeps its own sort, so that is safe. If your rows start in a spreadsheet, [import a CSV into Notion on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/import-a-csv-file-in-notion) first, then sort the imported database. If you are still building the database, [create a database in Notion on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-database-in-notion) covers the setup. The same help page covers filters, so you can narrow the rows before you sort them.

- Create a second view for a different audience instead of changing the first one.
- Add filters to narrow the rows, then sort what remains.
- Check the version in the Mac app's About screen before you report a problem.

## Shortcuts

- Search within the current page: ⌘F
- Edit selected database rows or cards together: ⌘/
- Previous database page in peek view (Mac): ⌃⇧K
- Next database page in peek view (Mac): ⌃⇧J

## If it does not work

- **The sort does not show in another view** That is expected. Each database view keeps its own sort, so set the sort in the view you are using.
- **Teammates see a different order than you do** Check whether you ticked Save for everyone. If you did not, the sort applies only to you. Tick it to share the order.
- **The Sort option does nothing or looks locked** A third-party guide links this to missing edit permission. Notion's pages I checked do not cover it, so ask the page owner to confirm your access.
- **Manual drag order does not stick** A third-party guide says drag order can reset on linked views unless you save the sort as a new view. I could not confirm this, so check the order after you reopen the view.
- **Select options appear in the wrong order** Select and Multi-select sort by the order of their options, not the alphabet. Drag the options up or down to change the order.
- **The menu labels differ from this guide** Notion's help page does not show a Mac screenshot, and labels can change between releases. Check the version in the About screen, then compare the labels in your app.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the Sort option for this database?”: Lazur circles the settings menu and labels it on screen, so you know where to look. It points and explains. It does not click for you. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I sort a database in Notion on Mac without changing it for everyone?

Yes. Leave Save for everyone unselected. The sort then applies only to you, according to Notion's help page on views, filters, and sorts.

### Why did my sort disappear after I switched views?

Each view keeps its own settings, so a sort in one view does not carry over to another. Open the view where you set the sort, or set it again in the view you are using.

### Can I sort by two properties at once?

Yes. Add a second sort, then drag the ⋮⋮ handle to set which sort applies first. The order you set controls the result.

### Does the Mac app sort differently from the web version?

I found no documented difference between the Mac app and the web version for sorting. Menu labels may read differently on the web, so check those menus if you switch.

### Which macOS version do I need for the Notion desktop app?

The desktop app requires macOS 13 or later, according to Notion's system requirements page. Macs on older macOS versions cannot run the app.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut for sorting in Notion on Mac?

Not on Notion's official shortcut page. That page lists ⌘F for search and ⌘/ for editing selected database rows together. I left out any sort shortcut I could not confirm.

## Sources

1. [Database views, filters, sorts & groups, Notion Help Center](https://www.notion.com/help/views-filters-and-sorts), Notion Labs, Inc., checked 2026-11-07
2. [Notion keyboard shortcuts, Notion Help Center](https://www.notion.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts), Notion Labs, Inc., checked 2026-11-07
3. [System requirements for Notion, Notion Help Center](https://www.notion.com/help/system-requirements-for-notion), Notion Labs, Inc., checked 2026-11-07
4. [Notion Releases index](https://www.notion.com/releases), Notion Labs, Inc., checked 2026-11-07
5. [Releasebot, Notion release updates](https://releasebot.io/updates/notion), Releasebot (third-party), checked 2026-11-07