How to sort data by column in Google Sheets on Mac: step by step in Chrome

Google Sheets does not have a native Mac app. You use it in a browser at sheets.google.com, and Chrome or Safari both work for the steps in this guide. Some people add Sheets to the Dock by making a Chrome shortcut that opens in its own window. Third-party guides describe that trick, but they date from 2020 to 2023, so check the steps against your own browser before you rely on them.

Sort a whole sheet by one column

This is the fastest route. Right-click the letter of the column you want to sort by, at the top of the sheet. Then click Sort sheet A to Z or Sort sheet Z to A. Google's help page describes this method. It moves the whole sheet at once, so each row keeps its own values together.

Here is a small example. Column A holds last names, and column B holds the city for each person. Right-click column A and choose Sort sheet A to Z. The rows reorder by last name, and each city moves with its name.

Use this method only when the sheet is one plain table. A title above the table, a total row at the bottom, or a notes column on the side can end up in the middle of your data. If any of those exist, use a range instead.

Sort only part of a sheet

Use a range when the sheet has extra content around the table. Select only the cells you want to sort. Then go to Data > Sort range > Advanced range sorting options. Google's help page gives these steps for a range, and it recommends freezing the first row when the range has a header.

In the dialog, check Data has header row if your columns have titles. This tells Sheets that the top row holds names, not data, so the titles stay put. Choose the column you want to sort by, then choose A to Z or Z to A. Click Sort when the settings look right.

• Data has header row: tick it when the first row holds titles.
• Sort by: the column that decides the new order.
• Order: A to Z for ascending, Z to A for descending.
• Add another sort column: adds a tie breaker rule for rows that match.

Sort by two or more columns

Sometimes the first rule leaves ties. Many rows may share the same region, for example. A second rule decides the order inside each tie. In the Advanced range sorting options dialog, click Add another sort column, then set the column and order for that rule.

Here is a worked example. Column A holds regions, column B holds sales reps, and column C holds totals. Set the first rule to column A, A to Z. Add a second rule on column C, Z to A. Each region then lists its biggest totals first, and the regions stay in alphabetical order.

The order of the rules matters. The first rule is the main sort. Later rules only reorder rows that tie on every rule before them. If the result looks odd, check which rule sits first.

Compare the three sort methods

Pick the method from the shape of your data, not from habit. A clean table takes the fast route. A table with notes or totals takes the range route. Highlighted rows need a filter first.

Sort by color

Sorting by color uses a filter, so start by creating one. Select the range. Go to Data > Create a filter. Click the filter icon on the column you want to group by, then pick a color under Sort by color. The rows with that color move to the top of the sort.

To turn the filter off, go to Data > Remove filter. Keep an eye on an active filter, because it hides rows rather than deleting them. A missing row may just be out of view.

Why Google Sheets says it cannot sort

The message Cannot sort a range containing merges means your range includes merged cells. Sheets refuses to sort across them. A third-party forum thread reports this error, and the usual fix is to unmerge the cells first.

To unmerge, select the merged cells, then go to Format > Merge cells > Unmerge. Google's official help page does not cover merges, so I could not verify these menu steps. Look at the menu on your screen, then sort again.

Sorting pivot tables works differently

A pivot table is not a plain range. On September 22, 2026, Google Workspace Updates announced custom sort orders and manual reordering for pivot tables in Sheets. That post does not mention the Sort range menu or regular data ranges.

Use the steps in this guide for ordinary tables. Use the pivot table's own sort options for pivots. If you cannot find a sort option in a pivot, check the Workspace Updates post for the details.

Text, numbers, and dates in the sort

Sheets sorts each column by the type of value it holds. Text sorts alphabetically. Numbers sort by size. Dates sort in calendar order, once Sheets reads them as dates. Problems start when one column mixes types.

Check how the cells align. Numbers usually align right and text usually aligns left. If a number aligns left, it may be stored as text, and it will sort like a word. Retype the value or convert the column before you sort.

Common mistakes when sorting by column

• Selecting one column only. The other columns stay put, so each name no longer matches its numbers.
• Forgetting the header row. If Data has header row is not ticked, your titles can sort into the data.
• Sorting a sheet that has a total row. The total can land in the middle of the list.
• Ignoring merged cells. The merge error stops the sort until you fix the cells.
• Sorting a shared sheet without a copy. Others may be editing, and an undo may not cover their changes.

Keyboard shortcuts on a Mac

Google's keyboard shortcut page lists no shortcut for sorting. You will use the mouse or trackpad for the sort itself. Shortcuts still save time while you move around the sheet.

Command plus A selects every cell on the sheet, which is the first step for a whole-sheet sort. Control plus Option plus D opens the Data menu on Mac, according to Google's page. I have not tested that on a Mac, so press the keys and confirm that Data opens.

Undo a sort that went wrong

Press Command plus Z right after a sort to reverse it. This is the standard Mac undo key. It is not part of Google's sort steps, so test it on a copy of your file first.

Check the result before you move on

Scan the first few rows and the last few rows. Check that the headers are still on top. Pick one row and compare it with the original source, such as a form response or an export. If a value sits in the wrong row, undo and fix the range.

Keep the original file until the sort is right. Make a copy before a big sort, especially on a shared sheet where others are editing at the same time.

Keep the header visible while you sort

Long sheets hide the header once you scroll. Freeze the top row so the titles stay on screen while you check the sorted rows. The step-by-step guide is at how to freeze the top row in Google Sheets, and it covers Chrome and Safari on a Mac.

Where to go next

Clean messy values before you sort them. The find and replace guide shows how to fix text in bulk. If you work with spreadsheets every day, the data analyst page covers cleaning data and building pivots.